John Travolta Breaks Silence About Jett's Death
Posted on Nov 09, 2009 @ 10:26AM - 8 comments
John Travolta said family, friends, religion and therapy have been filling his days, in the first interview since the tragic death of his son, Jett.
"We've been working very hard every day as a family to heal," Travolta told USA Today. "We have our own way of doing it, and it has been helping."
EXCLUSIVE: Jury Was Going To Convict Travolta Defendants
Posted on Nov 05, 2009 @ 02:25PM - 2 comments
The jury in the John Travolta extortion trial had the necessary votes to convict the two defendants before a judge declared a mistrial, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively.
Pleasant Bridgewater and Tarino Lightbourne escaped the guilty verdict when a Bahamian lawmaker announced Bridgewaterr had been acquitted - while the jury was still deliberating.
Style File: ‘Exposing’ Celeb Photog Mark Liddell
Posted on Nov 03, 2009 @ 08:48PM - Add a comment
What does it take to get a famed photographer to make a book these days? Apparently Jessica Alba and Barack Obama. That’s how fashion and celeb snapper Mark Liddell got the fever to publish his ten-year Hollywood retrospect Exposed.
“Jessica Alba rang me a year ago to do the Declare Yourself campaign to get kids to vote. That made me, as an Englishman, aware of American politics, which I was blissfully unaware of.”
Alba then turned him on to a then-fledgling politician Obama, whose platform was change.
“[From there], I actually wanted to do something with a purpose.”
Exposed was born, culminating countless star photographs from the likes of John Travolta, Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera, Nicole Richie, Beyonce and Matthew McConaughey.
Liddell began shooting for houses like Versace and Fendi, and upon moving to Los Angeles (on the recommendation of Nicole Kidman), started playing with the lines between stars and style.
Click for more!
Mistrial Declared In John Travolta Extortion Case
Posted on Oct 22, 2009 @ 08:55AM - 15 comments
The trial of an ambulance driver and a former Bahamian senator accused of attempting to extort $25 million from actor John Travolta, after the death of his 16-year-old son Jett, was declared a mistrial Wednesday.
PHOTOS: John Travolta Arriving at Court in the Bahamas
Judge Anita Allen said she decided to nix the month-long trial after learning of a juror's inappropriate communications outside the juror room.
John Travolta’s Attorney Accused Of Hatching Extortion Plot
Posted on Oct 06, 2009 @ 12:38PM - 8 comments
The temperature was hot and tempers were frayed Tuesday in the John Travolta Extortion Trial in the Bahamas.
Travolta Testifies About Son’s Death, Says Jett Was Autistic
Two defendants, Pleasant Bridgewater and Tarino Lightbourne, stand accused of trying to extort $25million from John Travolta following his son Jett’s death on the Island back in January.
Alleged Travolta Extortionists Plead Not Guilty
During cross examination Bridgewater’s attorney Murrio Ducille accused Travolta’s attorney and close friend, Michael McDermott, of being the person that actually hatched the extortion plot. McDermott hotly denied the accusation.
PHOTOS: Travolta Heading To Court
Things got so heated at one point that the judge had to step in and warn both men several times about making comments.
In true Hollywood style, when accused of the being the person that gave birth to the extortion plot, McDermott burst out with the line, “You can’t handle the truth! You can’t handle the truth!” Prompting Ducille to retort, “You’ve watched A Few Good Men, eh?”
John Travolta's Attorney Accused Of Lying
Posted on Oct 01, 2009 @ 04:32PM - 3 comments
There were fireworks in the court Thursday at the trial of Pleasant Bridgewater and Tarino Lighbourne, who stand accused of trying to extort $25 million from John Travolta following his son Jett's death in January.
Extortionists Said They Had Evidence Travolta Intentionally Killed His Child
Tempers flared as Bridgewater's attorney, Murrio Ducille, accused the witness, Travolta's attorney and close friend, Michael McDermott of lying.
Travolta Testifies About Son's Death
In a heated exchange Durrio accused McDermott of being an untruthful witness saying that in his statement there is no mention of Bridgewater demanding money.
Things got so hot that Justice Anita Allen had to calm things down telling them both to "lower the temperature" and that "there is no need for this".
Defendants Plead Not Guilty
But things did not calm down and the judge got so frustrated that she put her hand on her head at one point, and then called for a recess to allow everyone to simmer down.
John Travolta Extortionists Said They Had Evidence He Intentionally Killed His Child
Posted on Oct 01, 2009 @ 12:01PM - Add a comment
John Travolta's attorney and family friend, Michael McDermott took the stand Thursday to testify in Travolta's extortion case in the Bahamas.
Two defendants, Pleasant Bridgewater and Tarino Lightbourne stand accused of trying to extort $25 million from Travolta following the January death of his son Jett.
John testifies about his son's death
John Travolta Extortionists Threatened To Release Story Blaming Him For Son's Death
Posted on Sep 30, 2009 @ 01:30PM - 3 comments
John Travolta took the stand once again on Wednesday in the Bahamas to give testimony in the case against two defendants accused of trying to extort $25 million from the actor following the death of his son Jett in January.
John says Jett was autistic
In his testimony Travolta said that he was told that if he didn¹t pay $25million the extortionists would release stories implying that John was in some way to blame for his son Jett's death, that he was connected in some way.
Travolta explained that he never spoke to either of the defendants about the alleged extortion and that the information that there was a threat was relayed to him through his employee Ronald Zupancic.
Photos of John and Kelly arriving at court
Travolta looked shaken as he spoke and was asked at one point to speak up as he was talking too quietly.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty
Travolta has now been released from the stand, his wife Kelly Preston quickly took his hand to comfort him as he stood down.
Travolta Extortion Case Evidence Destroyed
Posted on Sep 28, 2009 @ 02:37PM - 6 comments
Things are not looking good for the Travolta family in their ongoing extortion case in the Bahamas.
Exclusive video transcript of the blackmailer talking to Travolta's lawyer
First there were rumors swirling of an impending mistrial due to leaked evidence and now key evidence has been destroyed in the case.
Extortion trial jury selected
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Blackmailer Told Travolta Lawyer Deal "Has To Be Done Today"
Posted on Sep 24, 2009 @ 05:42PM - 6 comments
The man charged with blackmailing John Travolta told the actor's lawyer "This have to be done today" in his attempt to extort $25 million, according to an official transcript obtained exclusively by RadarOnline.com of a secretly videotaped meeting.
Tarino Lightbourne was anxious to get his money and worried he might be killed by a hitman. He met with Travolta lawyer Michael McDermott in January, just weeks after Jett Travolta's tragic death in the Bahamas. Tarino and Pleasant Bridgewater are now standing trial on charges of trying to blackmail the actor.
Click here to see a copy of Jett Travolta's death certificate.
The secret video of Lighbourne's meeting with McDermott will be blockbuster evidence for the prosecution and only RadarOnline.com has the official transcript of that video. New pages of the transcript being released by RadarOnline.com show that Lightbourne was in a hurry to get his money.
Here's a partial transcript:
Lightbourne: This have to be done today. This have to be...
McDermott: Well, I'm all for that because I want to get the hell out of here, too.
Lightbourne: Yeah.
McDermott: Because I'm tired of not sleeping and I'm tired of the same bull**** that you're tired of.
Lightbourne: Can I guarantee you again, Mike, you'll never hear about this again. The only two person knows is me and Pleasant.
Only two persons know. I guarantee you that.
Click here to read the newly released transcript of the meeting.
Lightbourne was unaware the meeting was being secretly videotaped. And at one point he admitted he knew what he was doing was a crime.
Click here to read the transcript pages where Lightbourne admits he knows what he is doing is a criminal offense.
The alleged blackmail scheme centered around a document Travolta signed that released medical personnel from liability. It could be interpreted as a refusal of treatment. But at the time Travolta was considering flying Jett to Florida for treatment. The actor testified in Bahamian court Wednesday that he didn't even read the document.
Click here to watch an interview with one of the rescue workers who tried to save Jett Travolta.
In the transcript newly released by RadarOnline.com, it appears that Bridgewater is getting a $5 million cut of the blackmail money. At one point, McDermott, who is cooperating with authorities, is haggling over the amount of money Travolta will supposedly pay and says "Hey Pleasant, you kick in your five million and we'll get back to 10 (million dollars)."
Click here to read an interview with McDermott describing how Travolta cried all night after Jett's death.
Lightbourne later expresses concern he will be killed and says: "How do I know if I got to the States one day, a hit man - it's not a hit on me?"
EXCLUSIVE TRANSCRIPT: Travolta Extortion Defendant Confessed On Video!
Posted on Sep 24, 2009 @ 02:55PM - 2 comments
Tarino Lightbourne, one of the defendants on trial for trying to extort $25 million from John Travolta, admitted on video that he knew he was committing a crime, RadarOnline.com is reporting exclusively.
Click here to read the key pages of the transcript.
RadarOnline.com has exclusively obtained a transcript of a videotaped meeting between Lightbourne, Pleasant Bridgewater and Michael McDermott. Bridgewater was on speakerphone during the meeting and is also a defendant in the trial. McDermott was representing Travolta.
The meeting took place January 20, 2009.
Here is a transcript of one of the key points in the conversation.
McDermott: “You know what we’re both doing here, okay…
Lightbourne: Yes.
McDermott: ...is a criminal offense.
Lightbourne: Yes.
McDermott: Okay. If we get caught, we’re both in trouble.
Lightbourne: Yes.
The transcript also contains a conversation between McDermott and Bridgewater discussing how Lightbourne came up with his $25 million blackmail demand.
Click here to see photos of Travolta arriving in Bahamian court on Wednesday.
Bridgewater tells McDermott: “…he’s probably thinking that he’s going to lose his job cause he’s on suspension and so I guess he—he probably is trying to make it worth his mile – worth his while. I don’t know.”
Click here to read Travolta’s trial testimony about his son’s tragic death.
