April 3, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Judge Rules Sumner Redstone’s Ex Not Entitled to a New Trial

LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A judge ruled today that a former girlfriend of Sumner Redstone is not entitled to a new trial of her petition concerning who should control the 93-year-old media mogul’s medical care.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Cowan, in a 21-page ruling, found that he did not have to hear all of the evidence before dismissing the action in May and also concluded that Manuela Herzer’s lawyers had not presented any new evidence warranting a new trial.

“The court … must consider what is in Redstone’s interests as a patient, including protecting his dignity and privacy,” Cowan wrote. “The court found that a trial was contrary to those interests. This case is not theater and this court is not in the business of providing a spectacle; this is about protecting the health of a man in his twilight years in the privacy of his home …”

Subjecting Redstone to a “warrantless trial” which he is not healthy enough to attend “would be a cruel twist indeed,” Cowan said.

The ruling was a victory for Redstone and his attorneys, who stated in their court papers opposing a retrial that the case was about “who Sumner Redstone wants to act as his agent and make his life-and-death health care decisions in the event he becomes incapable of making them on his own.”

Robert Klieger, one of Redstone’s attorneys, declined to comment after the hearing.

Herzer’s lead attorney, Pierce O’Donnell, said an expedited appeal will be filed with the 2nd District Court of Appeal, but will likely take several months. He said he respectfully disagreed with Cowan for declining to hear Herzer’s entire case.

“Evidence is the mother’s milk of justice,” O’Donnell said.

Herzer contends she oversaw Redstone’s daily care until she was evicted from his house last Oct. 12 in a confrontation with his driver, who told her, “Mr. Redstone doesn’t want you here.”

O’Donnell told Cowan he never took time to hear why Redstone removed Herzer.

“Don’t we want to know how he got there?”, O’Donnell asked Cowan.

But Cowan wrote that the two main reasons he dismissed Herzer’s petition were that Redstone testified via video deposition that he did not want her to make health care decisions on his behalf, as well as the testimony of Redstone’s psychiatrist, Dr. Stephen Read, that it would “be very difficult for Herzer to now act as Redstone’s agent.”

The judge also said that the new evidence cited by Herzer’s lawyers was largely generated by news accounts.

“This court will not draw conclusions upon things that may have been said to reporters or presented only in the media,” Cowan wrote.

Cowan also stated in a footnote in his ruling that he never drew any conclusions as to whether Herzer’s actions were financially motivated. However, he noted that shortly after he dismissed her petition, Herzer filed a lawsuit seeking damages against Redstone’s daughter, Shari, maintaining that she was behind Herzer’s removal.

“The filing of that other case may somewhat undercut Herzer’s professing herein to be interested only in Redstone’s health and welfare,” Cowan wrote.

Ronald Richards, another of Herzer’s lawyers, said gathering the record for the appeals court will be easier than in most cases because Cowan dismissed the case after only one day of trial.

Redstone was executive chairman of both Viacom and CBS Corp. until stepping down in February.

Latest crime and court news.

Related Posts

Scoop Dreams Come True: Van Leeuwen Launches New Beverly Hills Shop

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

Van Leeuwen’s Beverly Hills Opening Comes With Sweet Perks Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, a New York City-born brand celebrated for...

WeHo’s WeHappy Wednesdays Serve Up Big Discounts In Addition to Zero Parking Fees

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

Free Parking and $5 Cocktails? WeHo Makes Wednesdays Worth It The City of West Hollywood and the West Hollywood Chamber...

Saijo Hand Roll Rolls into Culver City with Premium Japanese Ingredients

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Binchotan-Fired Perfection: Saijo Rolls Out Premium Sushi in West LA A new destination for hand rolls and Japanese culinary craftsmanship...

(Video) Check Out Bernie’s, a New Pop Up at Citizen Public Market in Culver City

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Made with fresh frozen fruit and a toasted merengue topping these flavors are irresistible. The pop up will be at...

From Cocktails to Coffee: U.S. Tariffs Threaten Imports, Jobs, and Your Grocery Bill

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Major Price Hikes Expected for Coffee, Wine, Chocolate, and Butter  A sweeping new set of tariffs announced by former President...

Levain Bakery to Open Venice Location with Special Guests and Charitable Twist

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Bigger Than a Cookie: Levain’s Venice Opening Is a Flavorful Fundraiser Levain Bakery, the cult-favorite cookie destination founded in New...

LAX Airport Server Finds Hate-Filled Message From Unidentified Diners

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Waiter Says He Was Stunned by the Message Left by Customers Guillermo Ortiz, who works at Planet Hollywood inside the...

Sunset Strip Staple Le Petit Four Shuts Down After Landlord Pulls the Plug

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

End of an Era: Le Petit Four Forced to Close in West Hollywood In a stunning reversal to the upbeat...

Metro LA Pushes Back Sepulveda Transit Community Meetings

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Environmental Review Delay Prompts Metro to Reschedule  Metro announced that community meetings scheduled for early April to discuss the Sepulveda...

County Board Approves New Homeless Agency, Redirecting Millions from Existing System

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

With Billions on the Line, LA County Moves to Centralize Homeless Response Los Angeles County is making a dramatic shift...

Put the Phone Down: LAPD and CHP Targets Distracted Drivers in April Crackdown

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Hands-Free Law Violations Could Now Cost You More Than Just a Fine Throughout April, the Los Angeles Police Department will...

Five Arrested in Culver City After Attempted Carjacking and Vandalism Incident

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Gun, Warrants, and Broken Glass: Culver City Police Tackle Two Crimes Police arrested four juveniles in connection with an attempted...

Kim Delaney, Partner Cleared After Weekend Arrest in Marina del Rey

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Emmy-Winning Actress and Partner James Morgan Released Kim Delaney, the Emmy-winning actress recognized for her roles in NYPD Blue and...

(Video) Spending an Afternoon at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Go To Pacpark.com For Tickets and More Information. Go To https://t.co/fDDgcY6b3e For Tickets and More Information.#amusementpark #rides #rollercoaster #summer #spring...

Matū Kai to Debut in Brentwood With Grass Fed Wagyu and Global Flair This Week

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Farm-To-Fork Beef, Wood-Fired Flavors, and Sustainability Meet on San Vicente The team behind Beverly Hills’ acclaimed steakhouse Matū will soon...