Judge rules that Redstone competency trial should be public

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Cowan ruled that the trial over media mogul Sumner Redstone's advance health care directive should be open to the public,

Reuters reported

. The main issue at the trial will be Redstone's mental competency. Redstone is the controlling shareholder of Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp.

Cowan's ruling said, however, that either side could request to shield specific testimony from the public, according to the report.

Redstone's attorneys had asked the judge to close part of the trial to the public in order to protect their client's right to medical privacy, the article said.

Redstone's ex-girlfriend Manuela Herzer has brought the suit, alleging that Redstone lacked the mental competency to remove her as the person in charge of his health care should he become unable to make decisions on his own. Redstone's lawyers argue that Herzer is seeking financial gain, the article said.

The judge deferred a decision on Herzer's request for Redstone to appear as a witness, the Reuters article said. (Source: Reuters, April 27, 2016.)