John Travolta: Testifies at Bahamas extortion trial

John Travolta: Testifies at Bahamas extortion trial

Actor John Travolta has produced evidence during an extortion trial in Bahamas.

Pleasant Bridgewater, a former Senator for the Bahamian Progressive Liberal Party, and a paramedic Tarino Lightbourne are accused of demanding money from the star after his son died in January. Both of them demanded $25 million in return for keeping secret a document relating to Travolata's son jett's treatment. Lightbourne was a paramedic at the scene. Bridgewater's role was not clear.

Jett Travolta's death certificate listed the cause as seizure disorder.

John Travolta along with his wife, Kelly Preston, appeared in a Bahamian Supreme Court on Wednesday. He told the court about his desperate attempts to save his 16 year old dying son after he suffered a seizure at their holiday home in the Bahamas.

Bernard Turner, the Bahamas prosecutor, testified on Tuesday that Travolta was threatened with the release of potentially damaging statements if money was not paid.

The 55 year old actor told the Court that his son was autistic and suffered from a seizure disorder that triggered a seizure every five to 10 days, lasting 45 seconds to minutes.

John Travolta said that on January 2 around 10:15 a.m., while staying at the Old Bahama Bay Resort, he was awakened by Eli Wheaton, one of Jett's nannies, who was pounding on his bedroom door. Travolta said he and his wife ran downstairs.

The actor said, "I saw him on the bathroom floor. Jeff Kathrein, his other nanny, and a woman from Old Bahama Bay were doing CPR".

Travolta continued saying that after he saw his son lying on the bathroom floor, he took over the CPR and that a visitor at the resort who had medical experience helped with the chest compressions and also fitted his son with a defibrillator. An ambulance arrived after about 35 minutes.

Andrew Wells, a police inspector, told the court on Tuesday that Travolta wanted his son to be flown to the United States instead of the nearest Bahamian hospital.

Wells also said that Lightbourne asked him to witness a statement confirming that Travolta gave up medical treatment for his son.

Travolta said that he signed the medical liability release document because he was distressed at the time and tried to save his son's life.