Wendy Williams' guardian Sabrina Morrissey refutes star's 'imprisoned' claims, insists she enjoys freedom

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Wendy Williams has recently made several claims suggesting she is being held against her will in an assisted living facility.

However, an attorney for her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, is refuting those assertions, insisting that Williams is in a comfortable environment where she enjoys significant personal freedom and support.

Inside Wendy Williams' guardianship

Morrissey was appointed as Williams’ temporary guardian by a Manhattan judge in 2022 after concerns about her mental health surfaced.

The decision came after her former manager, Bernie Young, reportedly raised alarms that Williams was of ‘unsound mind,’ leading Wells Fargo to freeze her bank accounts.

In August 2023, the same judge officially declared Williams legally incapacitated, a ruling that came a year after she was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.

Despite this diagnosis, Williams has sounded much like her old self in recent interviews and in her revealing Tubi documentary 'Saving Wendy', where she expressed frustrations about her situation.

Wendy Williams' dispute over living conditions and freedom

According to Sabrina Morrissey’s legal team, Wendy Williams is not being held in restrictive conditions but is instead living in a facility that offers a range of amenities and high-quality care.

The assisted living residence reportedly includes a spa, a well-equipped workout room, excellent food service, a dining area, and access to outdoor terraces.

While Williams has stated publicly that she is restricted to the facility’s fifth-floor memory unit and can only leave with permission, Morrissey’s attorney counters that claim, saying that the former daytime TV host has considerable freedom, according to Daily Mail.

The lawyer also insists that Williams has the ability to call family and friends at her discretion and is not barred from seeing them.

This directly contradicts Williams’ statements in 'Saving Wendy', where she implied she was isolated from loved ones.

Moreover, the legal team pointed out that Williams has taken two trips to Florida, where she spent time with her family.

One of these visits was to celebrate her father’s 94th birthday, though it was almost canceled by a judge until the release of her documentary reportedly influenced the decision to allow her to attend.

Wendy Williams' cognitive testing and legal concerns

Wendy Williams, determined to challenge the legal guardianship arrangement, took independent steps to prove her mental competence.

On Monday, March 10, she visited Lenox Hill Hospital to undergo a cognitive test administered by an independent psychiatrist.

Following the evaluation, she claimed to have passed "with flying colors."

Shortly after, she made an unexpected live call to Good Day New York, speaking with anchor Rosanna Scotto.

During the conversation, Williams reaffirmed her desire for independent testing and expressed frustration over the guardianship situation.

When Scotto inquired about whether Morrissey was withdrawing fees from Williams’ accounts, the former talk show host hesitated, stating that they would discuss the matter privately.

Legal fees and guardian’s compensation

Sabrina Morrissey’s legal team also addressed speculation about financial management, clarifying that she has not been receiving substantial payments from Wendy Williams’ estate.

According to her attorney, Morrissey has only received a single payment of less than $30,000 since 2022, despite working on Williams’ behalf for over two years.

The lawyer emphasized that any further payments or compensations for services rendered will be determined by the court.