Britney Spears’ family is off the hook in a battery and defamation lawsuit filed by the pop star’s former manager Sam Lufti. Los Angeles judge Soussan Brugera dismissed the entire suit on Thursday, ruling that Lufti and his legal team failed to validate any of his allegations with sufficient evidence. Outside the courtroom, Lufti said he will appeal the ruling.
In his lawsuit originally filed in February 2009, Lufti accused the Spears family of defamation, breach of contract, libel, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In addition to claiming he was owed 15 percent of Spears’ earnings as her manager, Lufti accused the singer’s mother Lynne of defamation and libel for statements made in her 2008 book "Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World.” He also claimed that Spears’ father Jamie punched him.
Thursday’s court documents says Lufti was “unable to point to any evidence, let alone clear and convincing evidence, that Lynne Spears subjectively believes the questioned passages in her Book were false, or even entertained serious doubts respecting their truth. The evidence is unequivocal that Lynne relied on her own personal observations and what Sam Lutfi told her. Her testimony in this regard was clear, unequivocal and unshaken during cross examination.”
"I really thought long and hard about this. It's the right thing to do,” Bruguera said of dismissing the case.
Spears attorney Leon Gladstone said the family is “delighted” with the ruling.
###
Click here for more Entertainment News
