Jan LaQue, the mother of deceased wrestler Chyna, has threatened to take the makers of the docuseries Autopsy: The Last Hours of... to task over a scheduled episode set to detail her daughter's final hours.
The former WWE star was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of D-Generation X earlier this year, having worked with the company from 1997 to 2001. And, in 2016, she was found dead in her California home, with an autopsy report stating that she died from an alcohol overdose combined with anxiety drugs diazepam and nordazepam, painkillers and a sleep aid.
A show focused on the days leading up to her passing is scheduled for August 25 on Reelz. But LaQue has emailed the show's producers, saying that she will defend her daughter against those who wish to make a buck by dragging her name through the mud.
“On April 20th 2016, professional wrestling legend Chyna died from an overdose in her Los Angeles apartment. Once celebrated as the ninth wonder of the world – Chyna’s life unravelled after she left WWE and she became infamous as a casualty of drug and alcohol abuse,” the episode's description reads.
“I want to make it clear to you, very very clear, that NO ONE – NO ONE – really knows what happened during Joanie’s final hours," the email, obtained by Pro Wrestling Sheet, reads. "So you can’t possibly air something on the supposed ‘Truth’ because you don’t know it. I don’t know it!!
“I expect a contact immediately back from you stating that you will not be airing this program. If I don’t hear from you by the end of the day on Monday, August 12th 2019, you will give me no other choice but to have my attorney contact you on this matter. So someone had better contact me on this ASAP.”
Kerry Newton, the actress who plays Chyna, said she had a blast filming the episode via social media and that doesn't sit well with LaQue either.
“She had a BLAST filming it?" she continued. "How morbid and disgusting is that? How can you have a BLAST portraying a human being who died so tragically? How can you even consider taking on the role of playing her without checking with your lawyers on whether or not it was cleared by the estate? How can you not contact her mother prior to taking on the role? This is just unbelievable.
“If you continue on with this and defame Chyna or tarnish her legacy in any way, you are really opening yourself up to defamation. Not to mention personal and emotional duress on the part of myself and her family because of what you are doing."
Chyna's mom isn't wrong for feeling the way she does and she's probably right about people not knowing exactly what happened. Whether or not Reelz will air the episode as planned is still unknown but they stand the risk of legal action if they decide to go through with it.
The network did not address Chyna or her mother when contacted for comment but sent a statement to Pro Wrestling Sheet explaining their view.