NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A judge has ruled that he will bar the public from a trial in which estranged heirs of New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson intend to argue that their patriarch was mentally unfit when he ousted them from ownership stakes in the franchises.
New Orleans civil court Judge Kern Reese says Tuesday's ruling is meant to protect Benson's medical privacy rights and confidential information about the business operations of the NFL and NBA clubs.
Reese says it would not be practical to constantly open or close court as testimony warrants because nearly every witness will be asked about Benson's mental health.