Mistrial declared in John Travolta extortion trial; Travolta and wife at Scientology party

(CNN) — A mistrial has been declared in the trial of two people accused of attempting to extort millions from actor John Travolta after the death of his 16-year-old son, Jett.

Judge Anita Allen thought someone in the jury had had inappropriate communications outside of the jury room, where jurors had been deliberating for eight hours.

The judge received information that an announcement had been made at a local political rally that one of the defendants had been found not guilty.

Paramedic Tarino Lightbourn and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater, who is also Lightbourn’s attorney, were accused of trying to extort money from Travolta.

Jett Travolta died last January after suffering a seizure at the family’s vacation home on the island of Grand Bahamas, where the family was spending a New Year’s holiday.

Lightbourn and Bridgewater allegedly tried to get Travolta to pay them $25 million to not make public a medical document, declining to have Jett transported to a nearby hospital. Travolta refused a demand for money.
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While giving testimony at the trial, John Travolta acknowledged publicly for the first time that his son had suffered from autism — a condition not recognized by the Scientology cult he is a member of.

In other news…

John Travolta, Kelly Preston attend Scientology event, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes both present

John Travolta and Kelly Preston were surprise guests at a Scientology event in England, where Tom Cruise showed his key involvement with the religion.

The Hollywood couple – who are still mourning the death of their 16-year-old son Jett, who tragically died in January – made a rare public appearance at the 25th anniversary of the International Association of Scientologists at Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, West Sussex, last weekend.
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