Delaware judge proposes October trial over removal of Viacom directors

By Tom Hals and Jessica Toonkel
A security guard speaks into a microphone in his sleeve as he stands outside the Viacom Inc. headquarters in New York in this April 30, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo

By Tom Hals and Jessica Toonkel

(Reuters) - A Delaware judge on Friday ruled that Sumner Redstone's lawyers must defend in a trial his move to oust five directors from Viacom Inc's <VIAB.O> board.

Judge Andre Bouchard proposed Oct. 17 for the beginning of the trial.

In June, 93-year old Redstone, through his National Amusements Inc holding company, removed five of Viacom's directors, including Chief Executive Philippe Dauman, from the company's board.

National Amusements owns 80 percent of voting shares of Viacom and CBS Corp <CBS.N>. The move was the latest in the wrangling for control of the media mogul's $40 billion media empire, amid questions over whether Redstone is making his own decisions or is even of sound enough mind to do so.

When they made the move, Redstone and National Amusements sought the approval of the Court of Chancery in Delaware, where Viacom is incorporated. Viacom's lead independent director, Frederic Salerno, filed a lawsuit in the same court seeking to block the move.

(Reporting By Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Nick Zieminski)