Britney Spears' former confidante and self-professed manager, Sam Lufti, failed to prove any of his libel and breach-of-contract claims. The music manager made claims against the Britney's parents and her caretakers but the judge dismissed his case mid-trial. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Suzanne Bruguera said a lawyer for the plaintiff had not proven any of his claims in the case, centred on events before the singer's public meltdown more than four years ago.
Sam's side rested its case on Tuesday, however Judge Bruguera agreed with arguments by lawyers for Britney's father and her conservators that there was not sufficient evidence to send any of his claims to a jury.The star's former manager had sued Lynne Spears for libel, and sued the singer's father, Jamie, for allegedly hitting him at the singer's mansion. This incident had allegedly taken place shortly before Jamie Spears and others were granted control over the singer's life. Sam had also claimed he was owed a 15 per cent share of the singer's earnings, but Judge Bruguera disagreed.The case centred on many of Britney's darkest moments, including being admitted to hospital for psychiatric reasons on a number of occasions, that led to her father being named her conservator. The singer's father and her fiancé, Jason Trawick, continue to serve as her conservators. The arrangement is overseen by a probate judge who had directed them not to allow the singer to appear at the trial.
Sam's lawyer Joseph Schleimer had contended in opening statements that his client was made a scapegoat for Britney's downfall. He argued that her mother had lied about claims that Sam drugged the singer and isolated her from the family, and said his close relationship with the paparazzi was a way to get them to be less unruly and more respectful towards the Grammy winner.Yet Sam failed to show he had a binding management agreement that would have entitled him to 15 per cent of the singer's profits from her 2007 album Blackout and other projects. He sued in 2009, the same year that Britney's conservators obtained a restraining order against him to stop trying to contact her or meddle in her affairs.He told jurors he endured death threats after the publication of Lynne Spears' book, Through The Storm: A Real Story Of Fame And Family In A Tabloid World, and he claimed the experience left him depressed and suicidal.
