Nicholas Brendon was accused of mistreatment of construction workers prior to his tragic death on Friday.
The “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” alum was in a bitter court battle with Britton Excavating and Construction Services, whom he was suing for over $120,000.
Brendon alleged that the contractor and company owner, Stephen Britton, failed to finish the renovations at his Ohio house after paying $79,441 to have the residence accommodate his medical needs.
The television star claimed that only the $7,622 fence installation was completed before Britton terminated their contract.
However, court documents show that in December, Britton filed a civil stalking protection order against Brendon. Per the order, the contractor alleged that the reason he stopped working with the Ohio resident was because he “became worried for his safety and his workers’ safety.”
Britton accused Brendon of putting an AirTag on him, according to an exhibit to a complaint that was filed on March 12, per People.
“I’ve never had this happen to me before, and it was alerted for probably three days prior that my iPhone picked it up,” Britton stated in the hearing, according to the filing. “Then my wife, I sent something to her, and she discovered what it was and helped me figure it out. We did a little alert button on it and found it, et cetera, et cetera. So, we found this air device.”
Britton claimed he “feared immensely” for his life but the judge denied the order, according to People.
Another exhibit showed that Britton also alleged that they were “afraid to work at Nicholas’ house,” there were “axes laying out, weapons” and the late actor’s behavior had nothing “to do with medicine, necessarily. That’s what they’re going to blame it on, that — his prescription medicines.”
Brendon was previously charged with prescription fraud of a controlled substance and for a refusal to identify himself while stopped for an infraction in 2021.
After pleading guilty to felony prescription fraud charge, the misdemeanor charge was dismissed and Brendon was sentenced to a year of probation.
“He’s a very calm, relaxed, individual with lots of physical problems and is not threatening in any way shape or form,” Brendon’s attorney told the judge, per the court docs.
Britton added that his “privacy was infringed.”
“Nicholas Brendon, through multiple stories, I don’t know which one is actually accurate, but they both admitted, him and his assistant, Theresa Fortier, that that tracking device was put in — put on my — on my tool bag, and then they responded to the Court, they said they didn’t put it in there,” Britton said during a hearing, per the filing..
According to the filing, Britton alleged Fortier was “sleeping in the garage on the floor in the middle of the day.”
“I just needed some quiet cause there was just activity everywhere and there was this peaceful corner where I could get away and nobody could come and ask me questions,” Fortier explained to the court. “And I didn’t have to listen to what was going on and I could just get some peaceful sleep for a little bit and avoid everybody.”
Fortier claimed that there wasn’t any work being done when she was sleeping in the garage.
Brendon’s death was announced by family in a social media statement on Friday.
“We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon,” the statement read. “He passed in his sleep of natural causes. Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years.”
“In recent years Nicky has found his passion in painting and art. Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans,” it continued.
“He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.”
“While it’s no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing.”
