A judge Thursday named Nichelle Nichols’ son as the permanent conservator of the 86-year-old”Star Trek” actress, who suffers from dementia.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Barbara Johnson appointed 67-year-old Kyle Johnson — who is not related to the judge — as the permanent conservator of his mother’s person and her estate.
In her ruling, Johnson said a conservatorship is appropriate because of Nichols’ dementia.
“At a certain age stuff happens,” the judge said.
A smiling Johnson, who had a major role in the 1969 film “The Learning Tree,” praised the ruling.
“I’m tremendously relieved,” he said after the hearing.
On Sept. 10, the judge named Johnson as the temporary conservator of his mother’s person and Marina del Rey psychologist B.J. Hawkins as the temporary conservator of the actress’ estate to manage her financial matters. Johnson now will serve in both roles.
Most of Nichols’ assets are in her Woodland Hills home, which her son’s court papers state is worth nearly $2 million.
Longtime Nichols friend Angelique Fawcette had earlier opposed Johnson’s petition, but her attorney, Troy Martin, told the court that despite some “bumps in the road,” his client had received the visits she sought with the actress.
Fawcette said Nichols has been a victim of elder abuse by people who do not have her best interests at heart. Fawcette said during a previous hearing that she called authorities when she suspected Nichols was the victim of financial abuse and bought her a new set of clothes when some of the actress’ wardrobe turned up missing.
“All I can say is that I hope everything turns out for the best for Ms. Nichols,” Fawcette told the judge.
The judge declined to hear objections to Johnson’s petition brought on behalf of another person who said he also was a longtime friend of the actress.
Nichols played Lt. Uhura, a translator and communications officer, aboard the USS Enterprise in the “Star Trek” series that ran on NBC from 1966-69, and also appeared in some of the later “Star Trek” movies.