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John Travolta Will Testify at Extortion Trial

Saturday – September 19, 2009 – 12:55pm

John Travolta will testify at an extortion trial involving the death of his son, Jett, set to begin next week in The Bahamas, TMZ.com confirms.

Tarino Lightbourn, a paramedic who responded to Travolta's call for help as Jett suffered a massive seizure in January, and Pleasant Bridgewater, a former Bahamian senator, face charges of conspiring to extort $25 million from Travolta so they wouldn't go public with a document detailing Jett's emergency care that day. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Lightbourn performed CPR on Jett at the Travoltas' Bahamian vacation home on Jan. 2, and also escorted the boy via ambulance to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Bahamian police allege that Lightbourn held on to a "refuse to transport" document -- which waives responsibility from the ambulance crew if a patient does not want to be taken to a hospital -- that Travolta allegedly signed that morning.

Two weeks after Jett's death, Bridgewater, an attorney for Lightbourn, contacted Travolta's lawyer to attempt to sell the document to the actor, according to Bahamian police.

Travolta filed an extortion complaint shortly after. Bahamian law dictates that he testify in person. 

The Travolta family has largely shied from the spotlight since Jett's death. Travolta, 55, and his wife Kelly Preston, 47, appeared publicly for the first time Sept. 12 to promote 9-year-old daughter Ella Bleu's Disney film Old Dogs.
 

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  • September 23, 2009 - 1:37pm sherry Says:

    to the person who says john is the scumbag. DO YOU KNOW THE FACTS? I DON'T THINK SO. IF YOU DID YOU WOULD SHUT YOUR FACE. THEY did TRY DIFFERENT MEDS, and nothing WORKED FOR JETT. you shouldn't pass judgment till you know the facts. they loved their children more than anything else. that boy went everywhere with them, and had a glorious life. let them grieve without the guilt!
  • September 23, 2009 - 1:31pm sherry has consoled kellie Says:

    my heart absolutely breaks for john and kelly. no matter what the circumstances are they lost the love of their life..thier son.now to have to re live the event is just going to kill them. these are decent people who have suffered a huge loss. leave them the he#@ alone!!
  • September 21, 2009 - 2:22pm anon Says:

    If Travolta was rightly charged on the spot for child endangerment for witholding treatment for the seizures--in accordance with Scientology dogma, this extortion could not have happened.
  • September 21, 2009 - 7:38am Anonymous Says:

    This is and should have stayed a private matter on all levels. It is impossible for any of us to think we know even 5% of the details of this case. How on G-d's green earth does anyone assume they know all about what meds may have been tried and what other courses of treatment were attempted and what kinds of specialists have been consulted? All I know is that Jett's parents loved him dearly and were very devoted. For 11:36 to hold herself up as some kind of standard for sacrifice to take care of a family member and pet with epilepsy and at the same time suggest the Travolta's were not nearly as devoted to their own son is terrible. Their dear son died and they have been grieving his loss and are obviously very pained -- made worse by the extortion. They deserve our compassion, not judgment. I hope the trial moves swiftly and the paramedic and politician get life w/out parole. I also hope the Travoltas can get thru this and be content that they knew Jett and he touched their lives in a beautiful way -- they should not berate themselves with 'what-ifs'. Nothing will bring Jett back and I'm sure like any of us, he would want his loved ones to enjoy life and carry-on.
  • September 20, 2009 - 7:24pm PeetMoondance Says:

    This is so sad, my thoughts and prayers are with the Travoltas, may Jett rest in peace...it must be such a difficult thing for John to have to do, I hope and pray for strength for him.
  • September 20, 2009 - 3:01pm !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Says:

    Someones beliefs or religion beliefs makes no difference here. A PARENT LOST A CHILD HERE...YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES JUST NEED TO HAVE SOME FUCKING HUMANITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • September 20, 2009 - 12:03pm Lori Says:

    Prayers to you John. This has to be difficult for the family.
  • September 20, 2009 - 11:45am Anonymous Says:

    September 19, 2009 - 11:25pm Anonymous Says: Why are ppl on here so nasty??? No matter what religion John was, he is still a father and he still loved his son dearly. It is hard when you lose a love one, but it was his time to go. You shouldn't judge a person unless you are that person. So, please keep your rude comments to yourselves. ----------------- Maybe it wouldn't have been "his time to go" if he had rec'd proper medical care.
  • September 20, 2009 - 11:36am Anonymous Says:

    I would imagine that Jon is mad at himself as well. As reported, it said only ONE anti-seizure med/ drug was tried for his son's seizures. It was reported it was stopped due to side effects. I have no idea if that is true, just what was reported. If true, that is horrifying on many levels. Anyone familiar with seizures/ epilepsy and the treatment of it, knows that one often has to try numerous drugs or even a combination of them to stop the seizures AND they ALL have side effects. Like any other disorder, one has to weigh the side effects of the treatment against the outcome if not used. With seizures/ epilepsy, death is very often the result of no treatment. Yes, I know about this as a close relative and my dog both suffer seizures. The relative had to try numerous drugs to get them under control and find one that had livable side effects. My dog has to take a canine and a human anti-seizure drug combo and it took numerous visits to canine specialists/ neurologists at universities and a lot of trial and error to get a combo that worked and left him a happy dog. He still has the rare seizure and in those cases, if an injection of Diazepam doesn't stop it, I have to rush him to the vet to be sedated. Human level care for a dog equals human level medical bills but I don't want him to die, so we do whatever it takes. So, like many, my mind is boggled at why with the Travolta's money and connections, the earth wasn't moved to find a med that controlled his seizures. Had this been any non-celeb parent, I think the legalities of non-treatment would have been looked at, especially after his death. Look at the recent mom that went on the run with her son because of religious reasons and her son's wishes, refused chemo for his cancerous tumor- a warrant was issued for her arrest. Celebs should not be immune from laws concerning anything, especially when it relates to their kid's life. If the story of non-treatment or only one drug being tried is NOT true, then they should speak out. As for the extortion, that is almost as wrong and I do hope those responsible pay in some way.
  • September 20, 2009 - 10:09am GoodKidsGoneFab Says:

    http://goodkidsgonefab.com/ previews and features Alexander Wang's Womens Spring 2010 Collection (+ The Must have shoe!)
  • September 20, 2009 - 4:54am Get Fucked Says:

    You people who are regulars here really are the drudges of society. Get a life you overweight saps! If you were standing in front of me right now, id probably beat you to death. You disgust me. Just die.
  • September 20, 2009 - 2:19am vt Says:

    i hope travolta wins. its hard enough to lose a child but for losers to use that moment in their life to extort them i hope they get life in jail. people like this should be locked up. and all my best to the travoltas. i just lost my nephew so i know the loss its horrid. AND THEN TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE LOSERS. they are still grieving!!!! what is wrong with people today???
  • September 19, 2009 - 11:25pm Anonymous Says:

    Why are ppl on here so nasty??? No matter what religion John was, he is still a father and he still loved his son dearly. It is hard when you lose a love one, but it was his time to go. You shouldn't judge a person unless you are that person. So, please keep your rude comments to yourselves.
  • September 19, 2009 - 9:27pm Anonymous Says:

    skbaby; john doesnt believe in God, but im sure he appreciates the gesture =0 people, learn what Scientology is before you go sticking up for people who neglect their children up till death. Oh yes John loved him sooo much, thats why he opted for him to die... come on. It is a cult, not a religion.
  • September 19, 2009 - 9:24pm Anonymous Says:

    I hope they get sent to prison for what they've done! I don't understand John and Kelly's religious beliefs or why their son's seizure disorder wasn't treated but I know they've suffered every day since their son's death and shouldn't have to deal with an extortion plot. It just makes me sick to think about what lengths people will go to just to get money. They probably wouldn't have even thought about it if John was a celebrity.
  • September 19, 2009 - 8:29pm Anonymous Says:

    John looks goofy in this picture.
  • September 19, 2009 - 7:36pm skbaby Says:

    i hope those scumbags get wats coming to them. i love John and he loved his son dearly, he has suffered enough and he should have justice. may GOD bless them
  • September 19, 2009 - 4:55pm Anonymous Says:

    Travolta's the scum, give him the chair. What kind of freaking idiot watches and waits for their child to die!?! No matter what the freak you believe that just goes against human nature to refuse help for a kid! Especially one who couldnt very well speak for himself. This man and his wife are brainwashed by evil people
  • September 19, 2009 - 2:23pm CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS WELL DESERVED IN SOME CASES Says:

    GIVE THEM THE CHAIR!!!! THE ARE SUBHUMAN WASTE AND DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE.
  • September 19, 2009 - 2:17pm Beth Says:

    SCUM OF THE EARTH.....That is what those extortionists are. Anyone that would try to benefit from someone while they are in their deepest sorrow is PURE SCUM.

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