Travolta plot: Ex-senator bailed
A former Bahamas senator has been granted bail on charges she conspired to help extort 25 million dollars (£17.4 million) from actor John Travolta after his son died from a seizure at a family holiday home.
Pleasant Bridgewater is accused of plotting with an ambulance driver to demand the money in exchange for suppressing a document related to the treatment of the celebrity's son. She was not required to enter a plea at the hearing.
The document would have released emergency crews from liability if the family refused an ambulance, but it did not come into play in 16-year-old Jett Travolta's case, according to police.
Celebrity news website TMZ.com has reported that Travolta, an experienced pilot, considered flying his chronically ill son to Florida before he was driven to the hospital on Grand Bahama island.
It is unclear why the pair allegedly believed the Travoltas would pay to keep the document from being released.
Bail was set at 50,000 dollars (£34,000) for Bridgewater, a lawyer from Grand Bahama who resigned her Senate seat following her arrest last week on charges of abetment to extort and conspiracy to extort. Her next court date was set for February 11.
The other suspect, paramedic Tarino Lightbourne, was among those who tried to revive Jett after he collapsed on January 2. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to extort and conspiracy to extort from the movie star.
The actor and his wife, Kelly Preston, returned home to Florida with the ashes of their son shortly after his death.
