A New Orleans judge's decision that Saints and Pelicans Owner TOM BENSON is “mentally competent was left standing after the Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeal denied a challenge by the 88-year-old's estranged heirs” yesterday, according to a front-page piece by Katherine Sayre of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. Benson's daughter, RENEE BENSON, and grandchildren, RITA and RYAN LEBLANC, “challenged Orleans Civil District Judge KERN REESE's decision in June that the billionaire is competent to make decisions about his affairs." Tom Benson “did not testify during an eight-day trial last year examining his mental health.” Renee Benson, along with Rita and Ryan LeBlanc, “argued in their lawsuit that Tom Benson is in mental decline and being unduly controlled by his wife, GAYLE BENSON, and an inner circle of Saints executives.” The lawsuit “sought to have Renee Benson and Rita LeBlanc take control of the Tom Benson's affairs.” RANDY SMITH, an attorney for Renee Benson and Rita and Ryan LeBlanc, in a statement said that they are “disappointed by the appeals court's decision, and they are considering whether to turn to the Louisiana Supreme Court.” Tom Benson yesterday “mentioned his recent settlement of a lawsuit in San Antonio over who should control a collection of Benson family car dealerships, real estate and a bank.” Renee Benson sued last year to “take over the assets being held in a family trust fund.” Tom Benson agreed last week to “step aside and grant Renee Benson's request to be the new trustee” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 2/25). ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett wrote most important is that Tom Benson is "trying to remove non-voting ownership shares in both teams from a group of family trusts." Benson can "remove the teams if he replaces them with assets of equal value.” The former heirs “have also petitioned the Louisiana Supreme Court to open some of the court records from Benson's competency case to the public" (ESPN.com, 2/24).
