Spears’ ex-manager Sam Lutfi amended his complaint for libel and defamation damages to include Thomas Publishing Inc., the publisher of her mother’s book Through the Storm, A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World, last Friday according to new filings at a Los Angeles County courthouse.
The move came after Lynne Spears filed an appeal on Aug. 11, 2009 against a judge’s earlier decision to uphold Lutfi’s case. In short, the judge ruled that it was uncontested that Lynne had published a book, and that testimony namely by Lutfi, Adnan Ghalib, Britney’s ex-boyfriend, and Felipe Texeira, a paparazzo, established a legal basis to uphold Lutfi’s suit.
“Lynne Spears – both in the book and her declaration (first submitted in Feb. 2008 to secure a restraining order against Lutfi from Britney) submitted herewith – asserts that Lutfi and Ghalib said and did certain things which Lutfi and Ghalib deny doing. This operates to establish the elements of falsity required for the claims, and the contradiction also logically that Spears acted with a reckless disregard for the truth as she reported statements which the alleged speakers deny ever making,” says the judge in a July 29, 2009 minutes order.
The judge further determined that Lutfi had made a case for both libel and defamation. Therefore the judge dismissed Lynne’s motion from June based on an Anti-SLAPP motion in its entirety.
The next hearing is Oct. 1 according to the online case summary. Lutfi’s motion against Lynne is part of an overall suit naming Britney, a conservatee, her father Jamie Spears her co-conservator along with Andrew Wallet, and Lynne claiming libel, defamation, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract. He filed the suit in Feb. 2009 just days after Jamie Spears requested a judge to order temporary restraining orders against Lutfi, Ghalib and Jon Earley, an attorney, claiming their conspiracy to derail the conservatorship.
Pic Source: Kill the Lights
Related court documents:
Lufti Aug 20 amendment to complaint, names Thomas Nelson Inc.
Lynne’s notice of appeal Aug 11
Sam Lutfi Lynne Judge rule Jul 29 13 pages
Lynne’s motion to strike, Anti-SLAPP Jun 2009
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