The son of a veteran entangled in a legal dispute with Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom has criticized the singer for lacking ’empathy’.
In 2020, Carl Westcott sold his Santa Barbara residence to Katy Perry for $15 million. Shortly after, the veteran claimed he was not in a ‘sound mind’ when he made the decision and sought to rescind the sale.
This led to a legal battle over the property, and although a judge decided in Perry’s favor, allowing her to evict Westcott, the ‘Firework’ singer is scheduled to appear in court later this month, having sued the 85-year-old Westcott for $6 million in damages.
Initially, Westcott agreed to sell his home to Perry, but later insisted on keeping it, arguing that his Huntington’s disease diagnosis rendered him of ‘unsound mind’ at the time of the agreement.
“Huntington’s disease causes nerve cells in the brain to decay over time. The disease affects a person’s movements, thinking ability and mental health,” Mayo Clinic explains.
Despite this, in 2023, a judge supported Perry’s claim, and keys were reportedly exchanged in May 2024. Perry has since filed a lawsuit seeking $6 million in damages from Westcott for lost rental value and deferred maintenance, according to court documents referenced by the Wall Street Journal and quoted by Clarion Ledger.
Westcott’s son, Chart, expressed to the US Sun that the family was ‘shocked’ by Perry’s decision to sue for damages.
“If an old man apologizes and says he made a mistake [about the house sale], and she’s a rich pop star who can buy any other house in the world, you’d think she would let the old man go on his way,” he said.
Given Westcott’s ‘bedridden for well over 18 months’ state and the ‘horrible condition’ he’s in, as well as the family’s struggle with witnessing his ‘painful decline,’ Chart accused Perry of lacking ’empathy’ and behaving like an ‘entitled celebrity’.
Chart suggested there’s ‘no real explanation other than greed’ for Perry’s lawsuit seeking damages from his father.
“This is such a small deal to be worried about – I think its a matter of privilege – her lawyers and her business manager are dealing with it,” he said.
He accused Perry and Bloom of having ‘sold their souls’ and described their conduct as ‘unforgivable’.
Chart emphasized that the family aimed for a ‘reasonable outcome for all involved’ but felt they were treated ‘like dirt’ by the ‘Hollywood elite system’.