Exclusive: Steve Harvey Accused Of Harassment, Witness Intimidation & Civil Rights Violations In New $5 Million Suit From Ex-Wife's Power Of Attorney

HOLLYWOOD, : US comedian Steve Harvey (L) and his wife Mary (R) arrive at the premiere of Spike Lee’s new film “The Original Kings of Comedy”, which is about Harvey’s comedy concert tour, in Hollywood, CA, 10 August 2000. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Lucy NICHOLSON (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Essie Berry Says Comedian Launched A Campaign To Destroy Her; Is In Fear Of Her Life

The woman who repped Steve Harvey’s ex-wife in a contentious civil suit against the star last year now alleges that the talk show host used threats, intimidation and a sealed gag order to silence her and smear her good name.

Essie Berry filed a $5 million civil suit against the “Family Feud” host Thursday for stalking, harassment, civil rights violations, witness tampering and intimidation according to the
court papers, which were obtained by BOSSIP.

Berry, the widow of “What’s Happening” sitcom star Fred “Re Run” Berry – alleges Harvey was out to get her after she asked his ex-wife, Mary Vaughn, to participate in a reality show she’d been pitched, titled “Widows, Wives and Ex-Celebrity Wives.” But Berry said she didn’t know that Vaughn had OK’d a nondisclosure agreement as part of her divorce from Harvey that barred her from speaking about their life together.

Berry said once Harvey found out about the potential deal, he obtained a gag order against Berry in his divorce case from Vaughn, and accused her of being an “extortionist” and a “co-conspirator,” all in an attempt to “shatter and murder Ms. Berry’s emotional state of mind through the TX’s (sic) court with a lie for years,” according to court papers obtained by BOSSIP.

HOLLYWOOD – JUNE 29: Actor/Comedian Steve Harvey (R) and his wife Mary attend the 2004 Black Entertainment Awards held at the Kodak Theatre on June 29, 2004 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Last year, Berry acted as Vaughn’s power of attorney to file a civil suit against her ex-husband, alleging, among other things, infliction of emotional distress and “soul murder.” Berry said Harvey, his lawyer and a Texas judge then used the gag order to threaten her into not representing Vaughn on that case, which was later thrown out.

Berry said Harvey “used his considerable financial resources and power to frame and defame Ms. Berry thoroughly the TX judicial system, and “manipulated” the court to get a gag order against Berry to stop her from moving forward on Vaughn’s case against him.

“The defendant went to great lengths to make Ms. Berry’s life a living hell,” Berry wrote in her complaint. “The defendant manipulated the TX court system with mistruths, and caused intentional emotional distress to Ms. Berry without any apparent justification.”

We’ve reached out to Harvey’s attorney for comment.

Berry said Harvey’s behavior has made her fear for her life and caused her and her family severe emotional distress. The widow said the reality show offers dried up because of Harvey’s actions, and that he’s done irreparable damage to her reputation as a civil rights activist. She wants at least $5 million in damages for the harm she said she’s suffered to her reputation, an apology and for Harvey to clear her name of claims that she was an extortionist and a co-conspirator.