Travolta extortion case ends in mistrial

Last update: October 22, 2009 - 8:03 PM

A judge in the Bahamas has ordered a mistrial in the case of an alleged extortion attempt against John Travolta.

Senior Justice Anita Allen said Wednesday night she was reluctantly ordering a new trial because a politician announced that one of the defendants would be freed, giving the appearance of an improper leak from the jury room.

"I am erring on the side of caution. Justice must be transparent," Allen said in court.

Ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne and his attorney, former senator Pleasant Bridgewater, were accused of demanding $25 million from Travolta to keep them from releasing private information about the death of Travolta's 16-year-old son, Jett, at the family vacation home Jan. 2. They denied the allegations.

Jurors were deliberating when lawmaker Picewell Forbes announced at a Progressive Liberal Party convention that party member Bridgewater would be cleared. "Pleasant is a free woman, PLPs!" Forbes said, to cheers.

The judge said that Forbes' comment gave her no choice but to dismiss the jurors.

Bahamas chief magistrate Roger Gomez said the new trial is not likely to start until early 2010. AP

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