Son Testifies on Actress’ Death

Timothy Scott Roman, son of actress Susan Cabot, testified Thursday that his mother attacked him with a barbell and scalpel the night she died in her Encino home.

Roman, 25, on trial in Van Nuys Superior Court for bludgeoning to death the 1950s-era B-movie actress, portrayed his mother, 59, as suffering from increasing physical and mental deterioration. He said her doctor had told him to call paramedics if need be.

“She was screaming . . . calling for her mother . . . talking to herself. I thought I’d better get help,” he said. But when he picked up a phone, she screamed at him to put it down, Roman testified.

“Then she started saying, ‘Who are you?’ ” Roman said, tearfully.

At that point, he said, his mother attacked him. “I was trying to push her away . . . just to get out of that room.” He said the next thing he realized, his mother was dead.