In re the Succession of Wesley

174 So. 3d 23, 2014 La.App. 1 Cir. 1114, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 922, 2015 WL 2126822
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 6, 2015
DocketNo. 2014 CA 1114
StatusPublished

This text of 174 So. 3d 23 (In re the Succession of Wesley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re the Succession of Wesley, 174 So. 3d 23, 2014 La.App. 1 Cir. 1114, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 922, 2015 WL 2126822 (La. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

THERIOT, J.

|2The administrator of the estate of Richmon Troy Wesley, Milton Bendily, Jr., appeals the judgment of the Twenty-first Judicial District Court that declared the decedent’s last will and testament null and void. For the following reasons, we reverse the judgment of the trial court.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The decedent, Richmon Troy Wesley (“Ricky”), died in Walker, Louisiana on October 12, 2011. He was survived by his wife, Becky Leonard Wesley (“Becky”), with whom he had no children.1 Ricky had no other children, but did have two surviving siblings, Randall Wesley (“Randy”) and Kimberlon Wesley Hodgeson (“Kim”), the appellee in the instant case.

Ricky was diagnosed with colon cancer in October of 2010. On April 15, 2011, Ricky executed a notarial last will and testament (“will”), in which he made several specific legacies to various relatives and friends, and named Becky as the heir of the remainder of his estate. The remainder of the estate was of a considerable value, as it consisted of Ricky’s interest in properties and businesses owned by the three Wesley siblings. His best friend Milton Bendily, Jr. (Milton) was appointed administrator of the estate. Both Randy and Kim were excluded from their brother’s will.

On October 21, 2011, Becky and Milton filed a petition to execute Ricky’s will and have Milton appointed as executor. On June 25, 2012, Kim filed a petition to annul the last will and testament and appointment of independent testamentary executor.

A trial on the petition to annul was held on November 22, 2013. Kim presented three witnesses, namely: herself, Randy, and Dr. Alfredo Suarez. | aMilton presented six witnesses, namely: himself, Tam-berlyn Bendily, Becky, Barbara Gatewood, Mary Heck Barrios and Dr. Richard Byrd (via deposition).

Randy and Kim testified that they had both been estranged from their younger brother Ricky for some time prior to his death. Kim detailed a physical altercation between Ricky and herself in 1996, after which she stated their relationship changed to “cordial.” Kim stated that Ricky did not inform her that he was diagnosed with colon cancer in October 2010. She- found out in April 2011, through Ricky’s attorney who called her and said Ricky was in the hospital; Randy also testified that he was not close to Ricky. The relationship between Randy and Ricky deteriorated after Ricky filed a lawsuit against Randy seeking to nullify or rescind the act of contribution whereby all the properties co-owned by the siblings' were divided into separate limited liability companies. Ricky alleged that he was unfairly compensated by the land deal and was confused about the documents when he signed them.2

From ’ October 2010 to October 2011, Randy’s and Kim’s personal contact with Ricky was very limited. Kim recalled seeing Ricky in the hospital in August of 2011, and occasionally on the property they co-owned. However, it is clear that she did not have personal contact with Ricky on or around April 15, 2011, when Ricky execut[26]*26ed his will. Randy testified he probably saw Ricky twice between October 2010 and 2011. The first time was during a deposition, and the second time was on property owned by the family in Walker. Randy testified that he did not have personal contact with Ricky on or around April 15, 2011.

|4To prove Ricky’s lack of testamentary capacity, Kim called Dr. Alfredo Suarez, deputy coroner for the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office, as an expert in forensic pathology. The court conducted a Daubert3 hearing before qualifying Dr. Suarez to testify as to the effects certain narcotics have on the human body based on the record of prescribed dosage.

Dr. Suarez testified that he had never met Ricky. Dr. Suarez testified that he reviewed Ricky’s pharmaceutical and medical records and saw that Ricky had been prescribed medication that contain the narcotic drugs hydrocodone and alprazo-lam and that Ricky was prescribed to take those drugs on April 15, 2011. Dr. Suarez admitted, however, that he had no personal knowledge as to whether Ricky actually consumed those drugs on April 15, 2011, or on any date prior to April 15, 2011.

Dr. Suarez opined that based on Ricky’s pharmaceutical records that Ricky might have taken forty hydrocodone pills between April 4, 2011 and April 15, 2011. Dr. Suarez discussed the various effects of hydrocodone on the body, including drowsiness, mental cloudiness, and impairment of mental and physical performance. He stated that he knew of these symptoms from literature published by the pharmaceutical company that manufactured the drug. Dr. Suarez classified the taking of forty hydrocodone pills in 11 days as abuse, and that if Ricky was taking hydro-codone in that amount at that time, then Ricky “had to have been drowsy.” Dr. Suarez also stated, “If [Ricky] was taking that many pills in a short period of time ... my opinion is that he will probably be with a cloudy mind. In other words, he didn’t know what he was doing.” Dr. Suarez admitted, however, that he could not know which side effects, if any, Ricky |ficould have experienced. Dr. Suarez also admitted that he could not find any record of Ricky being prescribed alprazolam on or prior to April 15, 2011.

Tamberlyn Bendily, Milton’s wife, testified that she knew Ricky since high school. She testified that she would see Ricky at least weekly during the last two to three years of his life. At no time during her discussions with Ricky did Tamberlyn believe Ricky was confused or had difficulty in understanding what he was doing. She testified Ricky delivered his will to her for safekeeping. Tamberlyn believed Ricky delivered the will to her the same day it was executed, but she was- not certain it was delivered the same day. She testified Ricky was “perfectly fine” on the day he delivered the will to her.

Milton also testified at trial. He testified that he was aware of Ricky’s intent to draft a will for one or two months prior to it being drafted. Milton testified he would see Ricky at least a couple of times a week during 2011, and never noticed any signs of confusion. Milton testified that he witnessed no lack of understanding in Ricky with respect to his will or his health conditions and that Ricky was able to make decisions regarding both on his own. Milton testified that Becky did not view the will until after Ricky’s death.

[27]*27Barbara Gatewood, Ricky’s aunt, testified that she saw Ricky at least on a weekly basis. She stated Ricky never showed signs of incompetence.

Mary Heck Barrios, the attorney who drafted the will, testified. It was stipulated that Ms. Barrios has practiced law for over thirty years. She testified that Ricky first broached the subject of a will at the end of the summer of 2010. Ms. Barrios further testified in detail regarding several conversations she had with Ricky regarding his last will and testament and that at no time did Ricky appear confused. Ms. Barrios explained how | fiRicky, like other clients, filled out a ten-page questionnaire prior to the will being drafted. Several days prior to executing the will, Ricky delivered the questionnaire to her office and discussed the contents with Ms. Barrios. On the day the will was executed, Ms. Barrios testified she spent approximately forty-five minutes with Ricky. At no point during any of her conversations with Ricky did Ricky appear confused.

Ricky’s wife Becky testified at trial. She stated that she observed Ricky daily from April 4, 2011 to April 15, 2011.

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Bluebook (online)
174 So. 3d 23, 2014 La.App. 1 Cir. 1114, 2015 La. App. LEXIS 922, 2015 WL 2126822, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-succession-of-wesley-lactapp-2015.