Donald Sterling calls wife a pig during heated exchanges in Clippers sale court case
Donald Sterling has said he will never sell LA Clippers basketball team during heated exchanges in court.
Donald Sterling, 80, is contesting in court his wife Shelly’s decision to sell the basketball team franchise to ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
Steve Ballmer wants the judge to confirm she can do so.
The NBA said it wanted to force Donald Sterling to sell after he was recorded making racist remarks in April.
The court case in Los Angeles deals with allegations that Shelly Sterling used medical tests of his mental capacity to remove him as a trustee and deceive him into selling.
In May, Shelly Sterling told her husband to seek an evaluation by two doctors, who declared him “mentally incapacitated” and unfit to administer his duties as trustee of the Sterling Family Trust.
This in effect handed her control of the Clippers.
Donald Sterling is contesting in court his wife Shelly’s decision to sell the basketball team franchise to ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (photo AP)
Shelly Sterling told the court she had sent her husband for medical tests after seeing “frightening changes”.
She was eventually told he had early signs of Alzheimer’s, she said.
There were sharp exchanges in court as Donald Sterling insulted his estranged wife.
“Get away from me, you pig,” he said, adding: “Shelly, how could you lie?”
From the witness box Donald Sterling then shouted: “I will never ever sell this team, and until I die I will be suing the NBA for this terrible violation.”
Donald Sterling argues he could raise more money than Steve Ballmer’s $2 billion offer by selling TV rights and winning an anti-trust lawsuit against the NBA.
If the judge in Los Angeles rules Shelly Sterling acted unlawfully, the deal with Steve Ballmer could be invalidated and the sale of the franchise revoked.
The racism allegations led to the NBA fining Donald Sterling $2.5 million and banning him from basketball for life.
In a 10-minute audio recording published on celebrity website TMZ in April, Donald Sterling was heard telling a woman, subsequently identified as his girlfriend V Stiviano, not to associate in public with black people nor bring them to Clippers games.
The remarks drew widespread condemnation from fans, retired basketball stars and President Barack Obama.
Donald Sterling is suing the NBA, alleging it violated his constitutional rights by relying on information from an “illegal” recording.
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