Ex-Wife’s Civil Case in Beating Reaches Final Arguments

Closing arguments are expected today in a civil trial in which a Newbury Park woman accuses her ex-husband of attacking her with a metal flashlight three years ago.

Linda Morrisset, 51, sued her former spouse, Lee Mannheimer, 59, after sustaining severe head injuries during a near-fatal attack Sept. 11, 1999, in the hallway of her home.

Morrisset testified that Mannheimer bludgeoned her with a flashlight, but he denied beating her.

Mannheimer repeated that testimony Tuesday when called as a rebuttal witness by his attorney, Greg Ramirez. Asked if he had any reason to harm his ex-wife, Mannheimer said, “No, absolutely none.”

Morrisset’s attorney, Allen Ball, contends Mannheimer flew into a rage amid a child-custody mix-up and battered his client in front of their child.

Last week, Maxx Mannheimer, 12, testified he was not present during the assault on his mother. The boy said he was home with his father at Mannheimer’s house in Westlake Village.