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An emotional confrontation between Tom Benson's granddaughter, Rita Benson LeBlanc, and wife, Gayle Benson, that briefly turned physical during a New Orleans Saints home game last season happened days before the 87-year-old billionaire decided to sever ties with his family members and cut them out of his estate plans.

Two sources who witnessed the incident said Rita Benson LeBlanc confronted Gayle Benson in Tom Benson's suite on the 400 level of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome before the Saints' game against the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 21.

The two sources, who are employed by the Saints and Pelicans, asked not be named because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The pregame encounter occurred in front of dozens of friends and guests of the Bensons and quickly escalated after Rita Benson LeBlanc, whom sources described as the aggressor, approached Gayle Benson.

Tom Benson Family Tree graphic

Benson Family Tree

At one point, the two sources who witnessed the incident said, Rita Benson LeBlanc, then 37, grabbed Gayle Benson by both shoulders and shook the then-67-year-old repeatedly during a confrontation that lasted several minutes.

"She (Rita) was shaking her (Gayle) to emphasize her point and to be heard," said one of the sources who was in the suite and witnessed the incident. "It was pretty ugly.

"I remember the pyrotechnics going off in the stadium (during pregame player introductions) and thinking fireworks were also going off in the suite."

Not every guest in the crowded suite was aware of the incident, one source said, because it occurred off to the side of Benson's luxury box, which is perched above the 50-yard line overlooking the Saints' sideline.

Eventually, Saints president Dennis Lauscha was summoned from his nearby suite to act as an intermediary and restored order to the situation, another source familiar with the situation said. Rita Benson LeBlanc returned to her suite next door, and the rest of the game proceeded without incident or engagement between the two parties.

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