Tom Girardi interrupts court hearing to curse at prosecutor
During a court hearing in Los Angeles, Tom Girardi, the disgraced former attorney and estranged husband of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne, let out an expletive as witnesses testified to his mental competency. As Assistant US Attorney Ali Moghaddas cross-examined Dr. Stacey Wood, a neuropsychologist and expert witness for the defense, Girardi muttered “f–k you” towards Moghaddas. The prosecutor brought this to the judge’s attention, and Girardi and his lawyers did not deny it.
Moghaddas argued that Girardi’s outburst was evidence that he was aware of what was happening around him. According to Moghaddas, Girardi made the comment because he believed he had nothing to lose. Wood, on the other hand, deemed the remark as “rude and inappropriate” and expressed that the prosecutor deserved respect.
Throughout the proceedings, Girardi has remained quiet and still, except for this outburst. Girardi, the founder of Girardi & Keese, was diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in March 2021 and is now under the care of his brother-turned-conservator, Robert Girardi. He was indicted in February for allegedly embezzling over $15 million from former clients. Girardi’s defense team claims that multiple medical professionals have determined his dementia, making it impossible for him to be aware of the accusations against him.
However, the federal government is suspicious of the timing of Girardi’s diagnosis, as it came shortly after the allegations against him surfaced. In December 2020, victims of the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash filed a class-action lawsuit against both Girardi and his estranged wife, accusing him of using their settlement money to fund their extravagant lifestyle. Jayne filed for divorce one month before the indictment but denies any knowledge or involvement in her husband’s alleged crimes. She was dismissed from the lawsuit in January and has since met with some of Girardi’s alleged victims to understand what happened and find a way to move forward together.
Jayne consistently asserts that Girardi has experienced significant mental decline in recent years.
Tom Girardi dropped an F-bomb in court as witnesses testified to his mental competency.
The disgraced former attorney and estranged husband of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne muttered “f–k you” to one of the federal prosecutors during Wednesday’s hearing in Los Angeles.
According to Courthouse News, the prosecutor — Assistant US Attorney Ali Moghaddas — brought the cursing to the judge’s attention, and neither Girardi nor his lawyers denied it.
Moghaddas was cross-examining Dr. Stacey Wood — a neuropsychologist and expert witness for the defense — when the 84-year-old’s outburst occurred.
The Girardi & Keese founder then stared coldly at Moghaddas, who argued that the incident was evidence that the defendant was cognizant of what was happening around him.
According to Moghaddas, Girardi made the comment because he knows he has “nothing to lose.”
Meanwhile, Wood called the remark “rude and inappropriate” and told the prosecutor, “You deserve our respect.”
Per Courthouse News, Girardi has otherwise remained quiet and still since proceedings began Monday.
The disbarred lawyer — who was diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in March 2021 and is now under the care of his brother-turned-conservator, Robert Girardi — was indicted this past February for allegedly embezzling more than $15 million from former clients.
Tom’s team has argued that “three neurologists, two neuropsychologists, one neuropsychiatrist [and] multiple lawyers” determined that he suffers from dementia. Therefore, they insist he “cannot maintain awareness” of the accusations.
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However, the federal government is suspicious of the timeline of Tom’s diagnosis, as it came “mere weeks” after his alleged misdeeds first came to light.
In December 2020, the loved ones of the victims of the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash filed a class-action lawsuit against both Tom and his estranged wife, accusing the former of stealing their settlement money to fund the couple’s lavish lifestyle.
Jayne, 52, had filed for divorce just one month before; however, she has repeatedly denied having knowledge of or participation in her longtime spouse’s alleged crimes.
The Bravolebrity was dismissed from the suit last January and then met with several of Tom’s alleged victims in July in an effort to “listen to what’s going on, hear what happened and figure out how to be a part of how to move forward together in a way that’s beneficial for” them.
Jayne has consistently maintained that Tom has suffered from severe mental decline in recent years.
