Secret Tape Could Tell Travolta's Story
John Travolta could be back on the stand by this afternoon in the Bahamas. He's already told a jury in a Nassau courtroom about his frantic attempts to save his son Jett, but he hasn't yet explained the alleged blackmail plot.
However, as CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella reported, a videotape secretly recorded by the Bahamian police may do the explaining for him.
Travolta is the prosecution's key witness, and they reportedly have a key piece of evidence as well: former ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourn on tape negotiating with Travolta's lawyer.
According to a People magazine reporter who's seen the tape, Lightbourn asks for $25 million, explaining, "I was poor all my life. ...I wanted to do things for charity..."
Travota's lawyer laughs and says, "You're a Bahamian Robin Hood, man!"
Prosecutors say Lightbourn and local politician Pleasant Bridgewater threatened to go public with a medical form related to the emergency care of Travolta's son, Jett. Travolta's 16-year-old son died in January following a seizure at the family's vacation villa.
Lightbourn, Cobiella reported, was one of the first emergency workers on scene and drove the ambulance that took Jett and his parents part of the way to the hospital. Lightbourn told "Inside Edition" how John Travolta reacted to his son's death.
Lightbourn said, "John himself went in went behind the curtain with tears in his eyes. I can see the sorrow. I can see the love in his eyes for his son."
According to People magazine, Lightbourn settles for $15 million on the tape and promises, "Once this is closed, it's buried deeper than the Titanic."
Both defendants pleaded innocent to extortion charges. Cobiella reported defense attorneys are fighting to keep that videotape out of evidence in the trial. Cobiella said the judge could rule Monday whether the tape could be admitted as evidence.