Jean Kasem, the second wife of radio host Casey Kasem, became the central figure in the fight over his care and his remains after he was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. In the weeks before Casey Kasem’s death on June 15, 2014, Jean removed him from a Santa Monica assisted living facility in the middle of the night, flew him to Washington state, and resisted a court-ordered welfare check by throwing frozen meat at paramedics and his daughter. Prosecutors declined to charge her, a separate police investigation found no evidence of a crime by anyone, and the civil wrongful death case brought by Casey’s three older children settled in 2019 on undisclosed terms.
Who Jean Kasem Is
Jean Thompson met Casey in 1979 while working as a secretary at his agent’s office and married him the following year at a Los Angeles hotel, with Jesse Jackson officiating before roughly 500 guests.1CBS News. Casey Kasem Widow Jean Kasem Sued by His Children for Wrongful Death She was 22 years younger than Casey. They had one daughter together, Liberty. Casey already had three children from his first marriage: Kerri, Julie, and Michael. That split family became the fault line for everything that followed.
The Fight Over Access During Casey’s Illness
Casey was initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2007, a diagnosis later corrected to Lewy body dementia, a progressive brain disorder causing confusion, hallucinations, severe sleep disruption, and extreme sensitivity to certain medications.2CNN. Casey Kasem End-of-Life Care That same year, he signed a health care directive naming his daughters Julie and Kerri as his agents for medical decisions and stating he did not want life-sustaining procedures if he lost cognitive function.3CNN. Casey Kasem Timeline
By spring 2013, the children said Jean had cut them off from information about their father’s condition. That summer, Kerri and Julie reported suspicions of abuse or neglect to Adult Protective Services, which found no evidence to support the claims.4The Hollywood Reporter. Casey Kasem Sad Strange Family In October 2013, Kerri and other relatives staged a public protest outside the Kasem estate, saying Jean had blocked their access for three months. Julie filed a conservatorship petition in Los Angeles Superior Court.
A judge denied the petition in November 2013, finding Casey was being adequately cared for. Jean’s attorney countered with a 2011 document granting Jean power of attorney, arguing it superseded the 2007 directive.4The Hollywood Reporter. Casey Kasem Sad Strange Family By December, Julie and Mike had reached a confidential visitation agreement with Jean. Kerri refused to sign.
The Removal to Washington and Casey’s Final Weeks
On May 7, 2014, at 2:30 a.m., Jean removed Casey from his Santa Monica assisted living facility, disconnecting his nutrition tube and IV in the process. A doctor at the facility wrote to police warning that the action placed Casey in “great bodily harm or possible demise.”5CBS News. Casey Kasem’s Wife, Children Accused Each Other of Killing Radio Icon After a stop in Las Vegas, Jean flew Casey by private jet to a friend’s home in Silverdale, Washington.
Kerri reported her father missing. A Los Angeles judge appointed her temporary conservator on May 12 and expanded her powers on May 24, ordering that Casey could not travel without a court order and medical clearance.3CNN. Casey Kasem Timeline On May 30, a Washington state judge approved Kerri’s visitation rights and authorized her to take her father to a doctor.
When paramedics arrived at the Silverdale home on June 1 to execute the court order, Jean resisted. In a scene captured on camera, she threw a pound of frozen ground beef at Kerri and the paramedics and referred to the children as “the dogs.”6NBC News. Casey Kasem’s Harrowing Five-Day Road Trip Revealed Casey was taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital. A Kitsap Superior Court judge found Jean in contempt of court on June 6 for interfering with visitation, though the judge declined to impose a fine.
The last legal fight was over whether to continue artificial nutrition and hydration. On June 9, a judge ordered those measures resumed at Jean’s request. Two days later, Judge Daniel S. Murphy reversed that order after reviewing medical records, restoring Kerri’s authority to discontinue life support in line with Casey’s 2007 directive.3CNN. Casey Kasem Timeline Casey Kasem died on June 15, 2014, at age 82.
The Burial in Norway
Jean moved Casey’s remains from Washington to Montreal in mid-August 2014 and then to Oslo, Norway, where he was buried on December 16, 2014, at Vestre Cemetery.7The Columbian. Casey Kasem Body Buried Norway His children were not present and were not notified in advance.8CBS News Los Angeles. Reports: Casey Kasem Buried in Norway Months After His Death
Jean said Casey believed Norway “symbolizes peace and looks like heaven.” Kerri said her father had always wanted to be buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, and produced letters from friends and family supporting that claim. Kerri also alleged that Jean failed to have the body embalmed, allowing the remains to deteriorate, and that the Norway burial was designed to thwart an elder-abuse investigation and block an autopsy in the United States.7The Columbian. Casey Kasem Body Buried Norway
A November 2014 court attempt to have the body returned failed. The Norwegian government later denied a 2014 exhumation request from the children. Kerri has continued to pursue legal avenues to have the remains moved, hiring an attorney to challenge both Norwegian exhumation law and U.S. law granting Jean control over the remains.9Yahoo Entertainment. Casey Kasem Kids Want Radio Host’s Remains Returned Casey’s grave at Vestre Cemetery remains unmarked.
Criminal Investigations Closed Without Charges
No criminal charges were ever filed against anyone on either side of the family. In May 2015, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute Jean for elder abuse, stating prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that her actions caused Casey’s death given his “longstanding profound health issues” and the fact that he was under medical supervision during the move to Washington.10ABC7 New York. Casey Kasem’s Widow Sued for Wrongful Death by Three of His Children
In October 2018, the Gig Harbor Police Department opened an investigation at Jean’s request after she submitted a private investigator’s report accusing Kerri, Julie, and Michael of killing their father. Police Chief Kelly Busey said the review focused on whether the standard of care was appropriate, whether the people making medical decisions were authorized, and whether there was collusion between the children and doctors to end Casey’s life prematurely. On November 30, 2018, the department announced it found no evidence of criminal activity. Busey said: “There was no evidence of collusion between parties that would construe any part of this incident to be considered a homicide.”11The News Tribune. Gig Harbor Police Investigation Into Casey Kasem’s Death The results were forwarded to Pierce County prosecutors for review.12Business Insider. Police Review: No Evidence of a Crime in Casey Kasem’s Death
The Wrongful Death Lawsuit and Settlement
On November 25, 2015, Kerri, Julie, and Michael Kasem, along with their uncle Mouner, sued Jean and Liberty Kasem for wrongful death, elder abuse, and emotional distress in Los Angeles Superior Court. The 28-page complaint sought more than $250,000. It alleged Jean had restricted the children’s access to their father, neglected his medical needs in a way that caused a severe bedsore, repeatedly left him in hospitals despite being cleared for discharge, and transported his body to Norway for burial in an unmarked grave against his wishes.10ABC7 New York. Casey Kasem’s Widow Sued for Wrongful Death by Three of His Children13BBC. Casey Kasem’s Children Sue His Widow
Jean filed her own federal lawsuit in Washington in 2017, alleging the children, Julie’s husband, and an attorney had orchestrated a “homicidal guardianship scam,” chemically restrained Casey, and caused his death to seize the family’s assets.14Patch. Casey Kasem Children Settle Wrongful Death Case Against Widow A federal judge dismissed that suit on April 4, 2018.15Mealeys. Federal Judge Dismisses Casey Kasem’s Widow’s Suit
On December 2, 2019, attorneys for the children filed a request for dismissal in Santa Monica Superior Court, signaling a settlement of the wrongful death case. No financial terms were disclosed.16NBC Los Angeles. Kasem Wrongful Death Case Settled Casey’s estate has been reported to be valued at up to $100 million.17KOMO News. Gig Harbor Releases Death Investigation Results on Radio Icon Casey Kasem
What Changed in the Law
Kerri Kasem founded the Kasem Cares Foundation to push for laws letting adult children and other close relatives petition a court for visitation when a caregiver blocks access to an elderly or incapacitated family member, without having to pursue a full conservatorship.18KATV. Kasem Cares Visitation Bill Signed Into Law California was an early mover with Assembly Bill 1085 in 2015, which allowed courts to enforce a conservatee’s right to receive visitors, mail, and phone calls.19California Legislature. AB 1085 Committee Analysis Arkansas became the ninth state to pass a version of the law in April 2017. Kerri has since testified in other states, including a June 2021 appearance before the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee on guardianship reform.20Senator Ruth Johnson. Johnson Welcomes Kerri Kasem to Oakland County for Hearing on Guardianship Reform As of 2026, 34 states and the District of Columbia have enacted a version of the Kasem Cares visitation legislation.21Kasem Cares Foundation. Legislation by State