Reese Witherspoon might have an accidental step mother. The actresses mother says her husband can’t remember marrying another woman during a Gatlingburg ceremony that happened in January.
The charge of bigamy comes at a time when Witherspoon’s mom says her husband suffers from drinking and other personal problems.
Mary Elizabeth Witherspoon filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against husband John Draper Witherspoon in which she requests that his marriage to Tricianne Taylor be annulled. The lawsuit specifically accuses the couple of bigamy.
Mary, who goes by the name Betty has been married to John Draper for 42 years, however his drinking problems forced him out of the house and since 1996 the married couple have lived separate lives but never divorced.
The wedding of John Witherspoon and Tricianne Taylor was announced in The Tennessean on Jan. 14, 2012. The announcement read:
“Cowboy boots and yellow roses accented the ambiance of the couple’s Texas heritage. The groom wore a white linen suit accented with a gold Parthenon tie, gift from the bride.”
The couple then filed for a marriage license in Davidson County on Jan. 11.
John and Taylor had also applied for a marriage license in Rutherford County on July 6, 2011 however it was never returned.
In the lawsuit Betty claims her husband has a problem with alcohol and overspending along with hoarding, however she also claims she does not want a divorce and that she still loves him.
In an affidavit to the court Betty claims:
“When I confronted my husband, he said he didn’t know who Tricianne Taylor was and that he did not remember getting married.”
Reese Witherspoon’s mother also says she tried to confront Tricianne and even sent her a letter about breaking up her family, a letter that never received a response.
Betty claims that Taylor has already gotten John to change his will and that she is living in a Nashville condo owned by Reese Witherspoon.
The lawsuit also claims:
“I also fear for my husband’s personal safety and the safety of my family.”
Betty Witherspoon believers her husband may be suffering from early on-set dementia.