Tom Girardi’s legal troubles are far from over. In criminal court, attorneys for Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne’s husband, are still sparing with prosecutors. According to them, Big Tommy is fully competent to face trial.
Radar obtained court documents that show Tom’s legal team is requesting the court reject “expert” opinions provided by the prosecution. Tom was charged earlier this year with embezzling $15 million from clients between 2010 and 2020.
Does he or doesn’t he?
Big Tommy’s relatives confirmed he moved into a senior assisted living home in 2021 after receiving a dementia diagnosis. Tom appointed his brother as conservator to take over in lieu of his new alleged challenges.
Team Tom stood firm on his being unfit to stand trial, but the government wasn’t buying a word of it. Once prosecutors had spoken with Tom and his associates, they had medical specialists compile a report.
The government-employed Dr. Diana Goldstein declared Tom to be “competent.” But back over on Team Tom, “three neurologists, two neuropsychologists, one neuropsychiatrist [and] multiple lawyers” determine the former lawyer is suffering from dementia.
Over the summer, parties to Tom’s criminal case presented at a hearing and that case is still pending. Additionally, Team Tom now claims the government-hired experts lacked the necessary training to “opine on the competency of an older adult with cognitive impairment” in a recently submitted document. “Dr. Goldstein was deemed “not qualified to assess older adults.”
No go for Dr. Diana?
Further, Dr. Goldstein “has no expertise in geropsychology, the psychology of older adults,” according to their claim. They also said she lacks formal education, specialized training, board certification, and research experience with older persons.
They also claimed that Dr. Darby (also employed by the government) ”is not qualified to assess competency at all.” Tom’s lawyers noted, “It is unsurprising that their opinions lack scientific reliability given their lack of expertise and experience.”
The expert assigned to Tom’s team feels their client’s decline was progressing normally, “rather than accelerated as the government experts maintained.” Basically, it’s a whole lot of back and forth over this man’s cognitive abilities.
Tom’s attorney said, “While Girardi’s decline may seem rapid to someone with Dr. Goldstein’s limited experience, Dr. Wood explained that it was entirely expected given the departure of Girardi’s wife and the subsequent ‘failure of informal supports.’” Just a nice little toss under the bus for Erika because she was obviously expected to stay with a criminal.
Allegedly one friend testified in court and said once Erika left the Pasadena Palace in November 2020, he felt “compelled to say” with Tom a few times a week because he “was not in his right mind.”
Team Tom is demanding the trial to be dismissed.
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills continues on Wednesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
TELL US – DOES TEAM TOM HAVE A SHOT AT A DISMISSAL? DO YOU BELIEVE HIS DEMENTIA DIAGNOSIS?
