Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom’s Montecito Mansion War: Neurologist Says ‘Ludicrous’ to Conclude Home Owner Was Delirious
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Katy Perry’s camp rested their case Thursday in the wild trial over a Montecito mansion that the pop star and her partner Orlando Bloom once described as an “emotional purchase” they made while awaiting the birth of their daughter during the COVID lockdown summer of 2020.
The 80-year-old businessman who accepted their offer claimed days later that he was mentally “incapacitated” when he signed the paperwork. He sought to void the deal, citing a combination of cognitive decline linked to Huntington’s disease and the heavy painkillers he was on following a back surgery.
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Closing arguments in the breach of contract case are set for Nov. 3. If Perry wins, she’s due to take the witness stand to testify about her alleged losses.
Perry has faced intense backlash online from people accusing her of trying to put an elderly man out of his home during his twilight years. Lawyers representing her business manager Bernie Gudvi — who’s the one named in the lawsuit — argue that the Texas multi-millionaire, Carl Westcott, knew what he was doing and stood to make a substantial profit.
Westcott first purchased the stunning property for $11,250,000 on May 29, 2020. Just weeks later, he was contacted by a representative for Maria Shriver and entered an NDA with the famed journalist on July 8,2020, to entertain an offer. Before Perry and Bloom even entered the mix, Shriver offered $13 million. Westcott countered with $13.5 million, then $15 million, Gudvi’s lawyers argue.
During the seven-day trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court, dueling experts weighed in on Westcott’s mental capacity around the time of the eventual sale to Perry. An expert for Westcott said it was “clear” to him that the founder of 1-800-Flowers “wasn’t competent” when he signed a contract on July 15, 2020, agreeing to sell to Perry and Bloom if they paid $15 million.
The psychiatrist, Dr. Gary Small, testified that Westcott was suffering from impairment due to Huntington’s disease as well as dementia, post-operative delirium linked to a July 10, 2020 back surgery, and “polypharmacy” — meaning the use of multiple drugs.
On Thursday, a medical expert for Perry’s side called Dr. Small’s opinion “ludicrous.” He testified that Westcott was examined by two doctors leading up to his back surgery, and both found Westcott was able to knowingly consent to the serious medical procedure. The neurologist also said his review of Westcott’s text messages and emails between July 8 and July 22, 2020 led him to conclude the entrepreneur was not incapacitated.
“I can say with medical certainty there’s no reason to question the cognitive capacity of Mr. West with regard to the real estate transaction and contracts,” Dr. Daniel Thomas Franc, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Los Angeles, testified.
He said Westcott presided over a “bidding war” between Shriver and Perry, something that would be too sophisticated for someone who “lacked capacity.”
“I think this gets to the fact that he has an understanding of the parameters, in a broad sense, of this transaction,” Dr. Franc told Judge Joseph Lipner during the last day of testimony in the bench trial. “To imagine he could be delirious at this point is, frankly, ludicrous.”
Westcott’s live-in girlfriend at the time of the sale also testified Thursday. She said Westcott was “loopy” for two or three days after his surgery, but that was it.
In emotional testimony on Wednesday, Westcott’s son Court Westcott, the husband of “Real Housewives of Dallas” cast member Kameron Westcott, testified that his dad was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease in 2015 and appeared to be suffering from disturbing personality changes in the years that followed. The son said he only had telephone contact with his father in July 2020, but he believes his dad lacked capacity to sell the house.
“This is the worst brain disease you can get,” Court said of Huntington’s disease.
In testimony earlier this week, Carl Westcott’s neuropsychologist, Dr. Rebecca Goodman, declined to say she thought Carl Westcott was incapacitated in July 2020. But she said in general, she advises patients to wait a week after major surgery before making any big decisions.
Gudvi’s lawyers later pointed out that Carl Westcott was directing his assistant to show his home in Dallas to prospective buyers on July 11, 2020, the day after his surgery. That sale closed Oct. 16, 2020, and Court Westcott confirmed no one has alleged his dad lacked capacity during those negotiations.
Meanwhile, court filings state Westcott flew from Texas to California on July 17, 2020 and was present when Perry, Bloom, and Perry’s sister toured his property before they officially accepted his $15 million counteroffer. That was a week after his surgery, Perry’s lawyers argue.
It wasn’t until two days after that — on July 20, 2020 — that Westcott first reached out to his real estate rep and said he wanted to renege. Westcott allegedly cited short-term capital gains taxes and pressure from his girlfriend to keep the house, the rep said in deposition testimony.
The sprawling nine-bedroom estate at the heart of the real estate war has been languishing empty for the last two years after Westcott was admitted to a series of medical facilities starting in late 2021.
Shortly after accepting the purchase agreement, Perry and Bloom wrote a letter to Westcott on July 22, 2020, that made it clear they considered the sale final.
“We are writing this letter to you to express our appreciation with regard to your agreement to sell your property to us and to communicate our joy at being able to call it our home,” the letter attached as an exhibit to a prior filing said.
“As you know, we are expecting a baby next month and know that this will be the best place to bring her home to and raise her in. Though there were other properties that did interest us, yours will provide us the comfort of security, privacy, and safety. These three details are of the utmost importance to us and the reason we were willing to pay a premium and move forward on your property specifically,” they wrote.
“This home will be a respite, one where we will be able to grow together as a family. We have gone through some challenges in the past week, our beloved dog Mighty passed away. With such devastating news, being the lucky people to purchase your home is a shining light to help get us through such a difficult time. We hope you can appreciate that you are turning your home over to a very loving couple who are expecting their first baby and have nothing but joy at the thought of making their life and future memories there. Best and Respect, Katy and Orlando,” they wrote.
Perry previously was locked in a lawsuit with nuns who tried — but failed — to block her purchase of a hilltop convent overlooking Los Angeles. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles blessed Perry’s offer, but the nuns wanted to sell to a different buyer. Perry, the daughter of Pentecostal pastors, prevailed.
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