Close

Wonderwall

Jurors in Spears trial say evidence was weak

Related: Britney Spears
The Associated Press, Friday, November 2, 2012, 12:13pm (PDT)
  • LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jurors who heard libel and breach of contract claims by Britney Spears' ex-confidante said they were unimpressed by his case and agreed with a judge's ruling to dismiss his case mid-trial.

    Thursday's ruling by Superior Court Judge Suzanne Bruguera was also praised by attorneys for Spears' family and her conservators, who said it was the right result after years of legal fights with Sam Lutfi, who claimed he was the singer's manager and entitled to a share of her fortune.

    RELATED: Check out Britney's 'X Factor' style

    "It was a very weak case," said Veronica Jones, one of the jurors who spoke to reporters after being released from service Friday morning. "I wasn't convinced that he had a real case, a real strong case. I kept wondering how it got this far."

    Jones' comments were echoed by other jurors who sat through more than a week's worth of testimony. Lutfi sued Spears' conservators, claiming he had a valid agreement to serve as her manager. He also sued the singer's mother, Lynne Spears, for libel, and her father for hitting him during a confrontation toward the end of her public meltdown in early 2008.

    Fellow juror LaJuan Collins said she felt there was a lack of evidence and that the case Lutfi presented seemed "inconsistent each day."

    Lynne Spears, who was sued over passages in her book that described Lutfi as a Svengali who used paparazzi as his henchmen, said her daughter was pleased with the outcome. "She's so excited that justice has prevailed," Lynne Spears said.

    RELATED: Surprising celeb couples

    The singer's father, Jamie Spears, has served as her conservator of her personal affairs since February 2008, and was joined earlier this year by her fiancé, Jason Trawick, who now serves as co-conservator.

    "Finally, it's over. The system worked," said Andrew Wallet, an attorney who serves as co-conservator over Britney Spears' estate. "The truth came out," he said, adding that the trial definitively showed that Lutfi never served as Spears' manager.

    Jones agreed, saying Lutfi's actions didn't demonstrate work that a manager would have to perform.

    She said she sympathized with Spears' mother, who sat through the trial as photos and videos of the singer's erratic behavior were shown and Lutfi's attorney repeatedly described her as a drug addict.

    Colins said she also empathized with Britney Spears, who didn't attend the trial, and her parents. "This could be any family," she said. "I feel they did the right thing. They were trying to save their daughter."

  • Jones, a worker for the city of Pasadena, said the case demonstrated for her the high price of fame, and how she wouldn't want her family to go through similar troubles.

    "I would rather go to work every day than have my daughter go through all that," Jones said.

    RELATED: Celebs who hook up with the help

Get out the vote

  • button.LOL
  • button.AWW
  • button.OMG
  • button.FAIL

Wonderwall Video

  • Carrie Underwood's Evolving Looks
  • 'Fast & Furious 6' Cast Yearbook Photos
  • Worst Celeb Sunburns
  • Celeb Twins
  • Celebs Who Work Out on the Beach
  • Country Music's Hottest Couples
  • Worst spring wardrobes
  • Leonardo DiCaprio's Romance Retro
  • WATN: 'Boy Meets World'
  • Tim McGraw's changing looks
  • Craziest Kim Kardashian pregnancy rumors
  • Celebs Who Look Like Their Pets
  • Mariah & Nick's Matching Style
  • Hollywood's Tomboys
  • The Royal Couple's Favorite Sports
  • Kim Kardashian's Curvy Maternity Style
  • WATN: 'Jurassic Park'
  • January Jones' Retro Looks
  • The Rock's Soft Side
  • WATN: 'Veronica Mars'
  • WATN: 'Beetlejuice'
  • Fergie's Changing Looks
  • Star Twitter Quitters
  • Hollywood's Hottest Ryans
  • Insured Celebrity Body Parts
  • Most Expensive Celeb Engagement Rings
  • Sweetest Celeb PDA
  • Kim Kardashian's Tightest Looks
  • Olivia Wilde's Best Street Style
  • Justin Timberlake's Many Looks
  • Hottest Royal Beach Bodies
  • Celebrity Pets with Famous Names
  • Michelle Williams' Best Fashion Moments
  • Lindsay Lohan's Changing Looks
  • Justin Bieber's Changing Hair
  • Most Awkward People on the Red Carpet
  • WATN: '7th Heaven'
  • Ke$ha's Worst Looks
  • Worst Oscar Fashion
  • George Clooney's Oscar Dates
  • Most Embarrassing Celeb Splits
  • Stars Before They Were Oscar Nominees
  • Jennifer Lawrence's Best Fashion Moments
  • Rihanna's Sexiest Grammy Style
  • Drew Barrymore's Craziest Looks
  • Jennifer Aniston's Changing Looks
  • Worst Dressed Celeb Designers
  • Anne Hathaway's Oscar Looks
  • Grammy's Hottest Couples
  • Taylor Swift's Best Grammy Fashion
  • WATN: 'Wonder Years'
  • Destiny's Child's Most Iconic Looks
  • Best Off-Season Bikini Bods
  • Emma Stone's Best Red-Carpet Looks
  • Celeb Flashers
  • Mariah Carey's Biggest Feuds
  • Mariah Carey's Wacky Wardrobe
  • Britney Spears' Wackiest Red Carpet Poses
  • Celeb Makeup Mistakes
  • Ryan Gosling's Leading Ladies
  • Nicole Kidman's Golden Globe Fashion
  • Katy Perry's Year as a Single Gal
  • Celebs Who've Removed Romantic Tattoos
  • Most Memorable Celeb Holiday Cards
  • Five of the Worst Celeb Winter Wardrobes
  • Jennifer Aniston & Justin Theroux's Romance Retro
  • Stars Who Are Aging in Reverse
  • Christina Aguilera's Worst Looks
  • 2012's One Hit Wonders
  • Celebs Without Makeup
  • Best and Worst Beach Bodies of 2012
  • 2012 Fashion Don'ts
  • Celebs Who Survived Cheating Scandals
  • The Turkeys of 2012
  • Kristen Stewart's Best Red Carpet Moments
  • WATN: 'Less Than Zero'
  • Star Couples Who Went from Friends to Lovers
  • The Most Famous Celebrity Pets
  • The Hottest Celebrity Halloween Costumes
  • WATN: 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'
  • Jessica Biel's White Hot Red Carpet Style
Show Comments
When using Facebook Connect your image and name may display on Wonderwall. All Privacy Settings are controlled by Facebook

More Wonderwall

aa