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The family of Carl Westcott, the 85-year-old disabled veteran battling Katy Perry in court, do not believe he will make it to February when phase two of the trial starts, In Touch can exclusively report.
Carl’s family tells In Touch, “Our dad has been bedridden in a care facility as slowly we watch his health decline. Huntington’s disease, like Alzheimer’s, is a horrible disease and each and every day is different.”
They added, “For the many families that have or are affected by this experience, our hearts go out to you as this is one of the most difficult processes our family has had to navigate.”
Carl’s family continued, “Our family fears that our father will not make it to the trial date of February 25.”
As In Touch first reported, Carl and Katy have been going back and forth in court in the months since the pop star won possession of Carl’s $15 million mansion in Santa Barbara, California.
Back in 2020, Carl sued Katy’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi, to undo a deal to sell his home. He said he was under the influence of pain medicine following a surgery when he executed the deal.
He claimed Katy’s team refused to back out despite him explaining the situation.
The first phase of the trial went down in November 2023. The court sided with Katy and ordered Carl, who founded 1-800-Flowers, to finalize the deal.
Phase two of the trial was set for Katy’s team to make her case for alleged damages. Carl’s lawyer said Katy initially requested $2.67 million in damages for loss of use.
He said that that amount has increased to $3.5 million. In addition, he said Katy’s manager recently added another $2 million in damages due to Carl’s allegedly negligently maintaining the property before transferring it to Katy.
“It is obvious what is happening,” Carl’s lawyer wrote. “The purchase price that Katy Perry agreed to pay” was $15 million. Carl’s lawyer continued, “In stipulations this court approved in April, it was agreed that Mr. Westcott would transfer his house to Katy Perry, and she would deposit in escrow only $9 million of the $15 million price that she owes to Mr. Westcott.”
Carl’s lawyer said Katy was to take the amount she was awarded in phase two of the trial and deduct it from the $6 million still owed on the purchase price.
His lawyer said, “Now that she owns title to the property, however, Katy Perry is increasing her damages claim to as close to the $6 million as possible. The desired goal is obviously to get to buy the house she agreed to buy for $15 million for just $9 million. To accomplish this, she has recently designated 25 new so-called witnesses on the repairs the home allegedly needs.”
Carl’s lawyer continued, “The elderly Mr. Westcott, as the court knows, has been in a residential mental health hospital for dementia since September 2021.”
Carl and his team denied the property was negligently maintained. They claimed a full-time team was employed to maintain every aspect of the home ever since Carl was placed in a facility.
“Based on the 15 depositions Mr. Westcott has taken thus far, it is apparent that [Katy’s manager] (really, Katy Perry’s) actual goal is to remodel the property at the expense of Mr. Westcott, even though Mr. Westcott was never negligent in maintaining the home,” his lawyer added. “This is the house that Katy Perry bought — she is not entitled to a disguised remodel at Mr. Westcott’s expense.”
The motion added, “This court may have ruled that Mr. Westcott must sell his home, but before allowing Katy Perry to pay a sick old man just $9 million of the agreed $15 million price, Mr. Westcott deserves the right to perform the discovery and trial preparation the case deserves in light of Katy Perry’s new army of expert witnesses.”
As In Touch first reported, Katy’s fiancé, Orlando Bloom, was recently issued a subpoena as part of the case.
English (US) ·