Donald Sterling: 'I will never ever sell' the Clippers
LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has taken the stand Wednesday for a second day of questioning in the probate trial vs. estranged wife Shelly.
The trial had resumed with Dr. Meril Platzer, who was back testifying after not coming to court Tuesday with her entire file of her examination of Donald Sterling in May. Gary Ruttenberg, one of Donald's attorneys, received the file Wednesday and took up more questioning of Platzer.
Ruttenberg grilled Platzer in his attempt to show that Platzer was, as Donald said in testimony Tuesday, a 'hired gun' whose sole purpose was to assist Shelly and her lawyers in getting Donald certified as mentally incapacitated and removed as a co-trustee from the Sterling Family Trust. Judge Michael Levanas repeatedly told Ruttenberg, 'Let's move on.'
And, indeed, Platzer was asked about her memory of a June 9 phone mail from Donald, a hostile message in which he threatened to sue her and called her 'a horrible woman.' Platzer testified, 'I've been over that tape so many times, I don't even want to listen to it any more.'
It often seems that the lawyers and witnesses are talking a lot about Donald Sterling's mental capacity. But that is not actually a matter to be decided at the trial, which could pave the way for some resolution of the proposed $2 billion sale of the Sterling-owned Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
The two issues that are to be decided by Judge Michael Levanas are:
Longtime Donald Sterling attorney Max Blecher arrives at the Los Angeles Superior court for Day 2 of his client's testimony in theprobate trial vs. estranged wife Shelly.(Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)
*Did Shelly Sterling properly comply with the terms of the Sterling Family Trust in having Donald removed as a co-trustee, or was Donald defrauded by Shelly and/or the two doctors who examined him in May and found him to be mentally incapacitated?
*After Donald Sterling exercised his right to revoke the trust agreement June 9, did Shelly have the legal right to go ahead with the sale of the Clippers to billionaire Ballmer?
Also, Donald Sterling's lawyers continue to maintain that his medical privacy rights are being violated by the testimony of the doctors - Platzer and James Spar - who examined him. Shelly Sterling's lawyers maintain there is a provision waiving those rights in the trust.
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