A mistrial has been declared in the trial of two people accused of attempting to extort $25 million from actor John Travolta after the death of his 16-year-old son, Jett.

Senior Supreme Court Judge Anita Allen said she believed someone in the jury had been having inappropriate “communication” outside of the jury room, where jurors had been deliberating for eight hours

The judge had received information that an announcement had been made at a local political rally that one of the defendants had been found not guilty. Allen told the court hearing the news left her no choice but to order a retrial. (A new trial date was not set.)

“The dilemma that we face is great,” Allen told the court. “I am erring on the side of caution. Justice must be transparent.”

Though they pleaded not guilty, Paramedic Tarino Lightbourn and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater, who is also Lightbourn’s attorney, had been charged with conspiring to extort $25 million from Travolta.

The prosecution claimed they demanded money in exchange for not releasing private information to the press about the death of the actor’s son, who passed away last January following a seizure in the family vacation home on Grand Bahama island.

The jury, which deliberated about nine hours, had spent a month listening to testimony including from Travolta, who took the stand and recounted his son’s final moments.

Michael Ossi, one of the actor’s attorneys, told the Associated Press his client would cooperate in any way possible and testify again if necessary.

Source

John Travolta, who has kept a low profile during the promotion of his new movie The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is now speaking out to his fans via his official Web site, thanking the movie’s director and actors.

“Tony, Denzel, Luis, John, James and Sony Pictures stepped up without hesitation to help promote this wonderful film, and their unselfish efforts have allowed my family the additional time to reconcile our loss.

I am very proud of the efforts we have all made in making this movie, and I want each and every one of you to enjoy it. So, set your calendars for the weekend of June 12th. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

With Love,

John

John Travolta, who is mourning the death of his 16-year-old son Jett, has canceled his appearance at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, his rep tells Usmagazine.com.

The actor — whose latest movie, Bolt, is nominated for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for his duet with costar Miley Cyrus (”I Thought I Lost You”) — was scheduled to present.

On Thursday, Travolta and wife Kelly Preston held a memorial service for Jett in their Ocala, Fla., hometown. Lisa Marie Presley, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were among the celeb guests.

Jett died of a seizure disorder Jan. 2 while vacationing with his family in Grand Bahamas.

“John just adored him,” his pal Tom Cruise recently said.

Source

John Travolta and Kelly Preston will say their final goodbyes to 16-year-old son Jett at his funeral Thursday afternoon, the Associated Press reports.

Jett will be buried in Ocala, Florida, where he lived with his family for several months out of the year. A time has not yet been announced.

The 16-year-old died from a seizure on Friday afternoon at his family’s home in The Bahamas, according to autopsy results released Monday. His body was cremated on Monday, and his ashes were flown to the U.S.

“John is distraught,” Travolta’s attorney and confidant, Michael McDermott, and Michael Ossi, the family’s lawyer, told Usmagazine.com Saturday during an interview in which they asked to be jointly quoted.

“This is the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to him, and he needs to go through a process of healing,” the lawyers added. “John and Kelly are suffering total misery. They were so close to their son. This is hard to accept.”

The couple thanked fans for their “prayers and support” in a statement released Sunday. Flowers, posters and condolence messages have also been left for the family and their 8-year-old daughter, Ella, at their Florida estate.

Although it’s been reported celebs like Oprah Winfrey and Tom Cruise would attend, Access Hollywood reports they have scheduling conflicts.

Source

John Travolta and Kelly Preston, along with their 8-year-old daughter Ella Blue, returned to Florida Monday night with the ashes of Jett Travolta, who died Jan. 2 while the family was vacationing in Grand Bahama.

Obie Wilchcombe, a member of the Bahamas parliament and a family friend, told the Associated Press on Tuesday, “Everything was in place, the cremation was completed, and they decided to leave.”

Funeral plans have yet to be announced.

In Ocala, Fla., where the Travoltas have a home, Mayor Randy Ewers said the city has sent the family condolences and would afford them time alone with their grief.

“They’re fantastic people, really family oriented,” Ewers said. “We want to respect their privacy as much as possible.”

In a public statement Sunday, Travolta, 54, and Preston, 46, said of son Jett, 16, that they were “heartbroken that our time with him was so brief.”

They also thanked “everyone who has sent their love and condolences.”

Source

A source close the family of John Travolta and Kelly Preston tells PEOPLE that the autopsy on their 16-year-old son Jett revealed his death was caused by a “seizure disorder.”

On Monday, doctors in the Bahamas conducted an autopsy on Jett, though no official results have been disclosed.

Because there was no foul play, the body was released immediately to the Travolta family.

Jett was pronounced dead by an emergency room doctor at 12:14 pm on Jan. 2.
Get up-to-the-minute celebrity news and photos on your cellphone, iPhone or Blackberry at www.people.com!

Source

The autopsy of John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s 16-year-old son, Jett, has been completed in the Bahamas.

No results have been disclosed and the official cause of death still remains a mystery. Bahamian Minister of Health Hubert Minnis did not say whether the report would be made public.

Jett’s body is currently awaiting transfer to the Grand Bahamas Restview Memorial Mortuary, where a viewing may take place tomorrow. The remains are expected to be flown back to the U.S. on Wednesday for a funeral in Ocala, Fla., where the Travoltas have a home.

Two pathologists worked to determine what exactly caused the tragic Friday death. The local coroner in Freeport was joined by a United States-certified specialist, who was flown in from Nassau at dawn.

The dual pathologist reports were intended to ensure accuracy and provide a more thorough analysis of what transpired.

A report out of the Bahamas also claimed that the Travolta family doctor had been flown in to observe this morning’s autopsy after getting special clearance from the health ministry.

Jett’s body was discovered by a caretaker Friday morning and, based on statements by Travolta family lawyer Michael Ossi and Bahamian authorities, the teenager, who suffered from Kawasaki disease, hit his head on the bathtub in his room at the Old Bahama Bay resort after suffering a seizure.

Source