A Louisiana judge ruled on Thursday that New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson was within his right mind when he decided to cut his daughter, Renee, and two grandchildren, Ryan and Rita LeBlanc, out of both his business and personal life.
While mentally competent from a legal standpoint, the 87-year-old has clearly been bothered by the way things have unfolded.
The New Orleans Advocate provided an inside look into what was a closed-door trial, with Benson not taking the witness stand and meeting with Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Kern Reese and attorneys privately on multiple occasions. Renee, Ryan and Rita had argued that Benson’s decisions were the result of manipulation from his third wife, Gayle Benson.
After hearing from a dozen witnesses and three psychiatrists, Reese determined that Benson’s short-term memory loss is not enough to declare him mentally incapacitated and prevent him from making his own business decisions. Reese reportedly relied heavily on the testimony of Takiyah Daniels, one of Benson’s former nurses.
One revelation Daniels made was that Benson “agonized” over his decision to essentially cut his family out of his life.
Summoned to the witness stand on the first day of Benson’s trial by Renee, Rita and Ryan, Daniels testified that the Saints and Pelicans owner “agonized over distancing himself from his family members” and even wept about it.
Nonetheless, Daniels watched as Benson three times read over a Dec. 27 letter in which he essentially disowned Renee, Ryan and Rita, Reese said.
Renee was dismissed from her duties at her father’s hunting ranch in Texas, his banks and his car dealerships. Ryan was relieved of his role at his grandfather’s ranch and car dealerships.
Daniels also noted that “no one stood over (Benson) while he signed (the letter),” including his wife Gayle.
Two of the three psychiatrists agreed that Benson has “mild cognitive impairment” that would not prevent him from making reasonable decisions. The third, who represented Benson’s daughter and grandchildren, called Benson’s impairment “moderate to severe” and urged the judge to strip him of the power to control his own business.
Benson, who also owns the New Orleans Hornets, has left Gayle in line to take over all over his business ventures when he dies.
