Truth rating: 10
7:00 pm, October 19th, 2012
(GettyImages.com)
The infamous public meltdown that led to Britney Spears’ January 2008 psychiatric hold and legal conservatorship had its roots in the pop star’s earlier, painful split from Justin Timberlake, her dad’s legal team said in court on Friday.
Leon Gladstone, an attorney for Jamie Spears, alluded to the Timberlake split during his opening statement in the trial pitting Spears’ parents against Sam Lutfi.
Lutfi is suing the family for libel and having allegedly pushed him out of a position as Britney’s manager.
Discussing the singer’s bizarre behavior in 2007 and 2008, Gladstone said Jamie Spears helped save his daughter from a downward spiral that began, in part, with her anger and depression following the 2002 breakup with Timberlake.
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Spears’ defense team is arguing that Lutfi was a manipulator and negative force in Britney’s life around the time of her breakdown.
On Thursday, Lutfi’s lawyer alleged that Spears used crystal meth at the time of her implosion, and that she shaved her head because she feared traces of the drug would show up in her hair.
Lutfi’s side contends that he was unfairly made a “scapegoat” for Spears’ erratic behavior.
Spears herself is not expected to testify during the trial.
Gossip Cop will have updates.
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