JOHN TRAVOLTA - DEFENCE RESTS IN TRAVOLTA CASE

DEFENCE RESTS IN TRAVOLTA CASE

The defence in the JOHN TRAVOLTA extortion trial stunned a Bahamas courtroom on Thursday (15Oct09) when lawyers for the two suspects rested their case after calling just one witness.
Former Bahamas senator Pleasant Bridgewater and paramedic Tarino Lightbourne are facing charges of conspiracy to extort $25 million (£17.2 million) from the grieving actor after his teenage son Jett suffered a fatal seizure on the resort in January (09).
The pair reportedly threatened to release a Refusal of Treatment/Transportation form, which Travolta signed after requesting paramedics drive his son to the airport. He initially believed it would be faster to fly the 16 year old to a hospital in Florida for treatment, but subsequently changed his mind.
Bridgewater and Lightbourne supposedly planned to leak the document to the press, suggesting Travolta's actions had delayed treatment for his son.
The defendants began arguing their case on Wednesday (14Oct09), choosing to read prepared, unsworn statements to the jury instead of taking the witness stand.
Bridgewater protested her innocence to the Nassau court, stating, "I will be the first to say I am no saint. But I am no devil", while Lightbourne, who also pleaded not guilty, claimed he had no idea what extortion was and was still unclear as to its meaning.
Their legal team abruptly wrapped its case on Thursday after calling another paramedic, Marcus Garvey, to the stand simply to explain the purpose of the waiver.
Lawyers for the suspects had originally planned to call three other witnesses but claimed they were unavailable.
Presiding judge Justice Anita Allen ordered both sides to return to court on Monday (19Oct09) to present their closing arguments, with jury deliberations expected to begin on Tuesday (20Oct09).