John Travolta on Witness List in Extortion Case

Update

John Travolta on Witness List in Extortion Case

Tue., Jan. 27, 2009 12:06 PM PST by Ken Baker

Courtesy of Travolta Family

John Travolta has officially been named as a witness in the extortion case being prosecuted by the Bahamian attorney general, E! News has exclusively learned.

The court docket filed by prosecutors late Monday at Magistrate's Court in New Providence lists 14 witnesses, among them Travolta; his Bahamian lawyer, Allyson Maynard; and his U.S.-based lawyers, Michael Ossi and Michael McDermott.

Because Gibson has been called as a witness she cannot represent Travolta. Instead, another lawyer from her firm, Damian Gomez, will represent the actor.

"The matter is between the Crown and whoever is accused. Mr. Travolta has an interest in the process as virtual complainant and to the extent that he is interested in this litigation I will be acting on his behalf," Gomez tells E! News.

While he will not be assisting prosecutors, Gomez said he will be ensuring that the Travoltas are "protected."

"The Travoltas are merely protecting whatever privacy rights they have and we are advising them on how to do that," he said, adding, "They have made a criminal complaint."

Paramedic Tarino Lightbourne pleaded not guilty earlier Monday to attempted extortion and conspiracy to extort. His lawyer, Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater, was charged with conspiracy to extort. She has resigned her political post and will be arraigned Wednesday. She has denied the charges.

Travolta pal and M.P. Obie Wilchcombe, who was detained for questioning on Friday, is not currently listed as a witness.

The witnesses "are expected to give evidence against Lightbourn and Bridgewater in court. They would not actually have to do anything until the trial starts," a court insider tells E! News.

"The presence of their names on the dockets just means the prosecution plans to call them as witnesses, and, barring any extenuating circumstances, they will be."

The Travolta camp announced a week ago that the grieving family had been targeted in a $25 million extortion scheme involving their late son, Jett.

As E! News reported yesterday, FBI specialists are assisting local authorities with evidence, but a spokesman says the bureau is not directly involved in the case.

(Originally published Jan. 27, 2009, at 6:50 a.m. PT.)