On Wednesday, a California judge denied a request by Sumner Redstone's granddaughter to join the legal battle of the media mogul's ex-girlfriend over his mental competency.
According to The New York Times, Keryn Redstone made a petition that puts her in conflict with her aunt Shari Redstone, who after years of public arguments with her father Brent Redstone, said she has reconciled with him. Shari Redstone spent the last several months fighting the lawsuit, which was filed by Manuela Herzer in November.
Manuela Herzer, the former girlfriend of the 92-year-old billionaire, asserts that he was not mentally competent in October when he ejected her from a directive that would have put her in charge of his health care.
After Manuela Herzer was removed from Sumner Redstone's mansion, Keryn Redstone argued in court documents that the businessman had become a prisoner in his own household, reports Reuters. Herzer filed a lawsuit to be reinstated as his designated health care agent and Keryn Redstone asked to be added to the lawsuit as co-petitioner.
Vanity Fair reported that Viacom, Herzer, and the family reached a framework for a settlement deal, which would have allowed them all to prevent sordid depictions of their dirty laundry like that of Keryn Redstone. However, such agreement was ultimately abandoned.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Cowan said in a ruling, with regards to Keryn Redstone's petition, that the court doesn't believe that her involvement adds anything to the case. Judge Cowan added that Keryn Redstone can still testify as a witness in the trial if Herzer calls her.
The media mogul still controls majority of the voting stock at CBS and Viacom. Shareholders have closely followed the case for what could be revealed about his real mental condition.
Herzer also withdrew a request on Wednesday for a neurologist she had hired to examine Sumner Redstone. The move came after Sumner Redstone's lawyers said they would not call their own neurological expert as a witness in the trial.
