Former girlfriend Manuela Herzer filed a lawsuit last week seeking
to have Redstone declared mentally incompetent and petitioned to
have him examined to see if he can still make decisions for himself.
The lawsuit came after she was kicked out of Redstone's Los Angeles
area home by a Redstone lawyer.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Clifford Klein ruled there
was no need for an immediate evaluation of Redstone, but allowed the
case to proceed.
"I do not find any urgency," Klein said at a hearing in Los Angeles
Superior Court.
The case raised new questions about Redstone's ability to run Viacom
and CBS. He controls 80 percent of both companies' voting shares and
serves as executive chairman of both.
Redstone's physical and mental health have been the subject of
intense speculation, in part because he has been largely absent from
his companies' recent earnings calls.
Herzer had been chosen by Redstone to make healthcare decisions for
him if he was unable to, her lawsuit said, until Redstone executed a
new agreement in October to remove her as his health care agent, in
favor of Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman.
Herzer says Redstone was mentally incompetent when he made that move
and asked to be reinstated as the person in charge of his medical
decisions if he becomes incapacitated.
Lawyers for Redstone say the executive is competent and that Herzer
is pursuing a "personal financial agenda."
A hearing will be held in January on a motion from Redstone's
attorneys to dismiss the case.
[to top of second column] |
Klein put a hold on discovery in the case, saying the request from
Herzer's attorneys was too broad.
Herzer's lawyers have asked for a videotaped deposition of Redstone.
At the hearing, Gabrielle Vidal, an attorney for Redstone, said that
request was premature, as the court has not yet ruled on the motion
to dismiss the case.
Pierce O'Donnell, a lawyer for Herzer, said after the hearing that
he expected to win the right for the deposition.
"When the court finally allows us to take his
videotaped deposition, we believe his lack of capacity will
be painfully evident," O'Donnell said in a statement.
Vidal said she was pleased with the court's decision.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and
Clarence Fernandez)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|