Thu, March 05, 2009
BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Britney Spears' hairdresser testified Wednesday that the pop superstar told her she was scared of her former manager and friend, Osama "Sam" Lutfi.
Hairdresser Roberta Romero said Spears' comments came after Lutfi repeatedly sent her text messages, trying to ask her to convey them to the singer, including that he was making efforts to "free" her.
In the text messages described by the hairdresser and another witness, a former bodyguard for Spears, Lutfi criticized Spears' parents and the conservatorship. “I've done everything I can to free her from this. Very close to getting her free now,” he wrote in a message last December.
Romero, who has worked as Spears' stylist for more than a year, said the singer told her to tell Lutfi to leave them alone.
The testimony bolstered claims by attorneys for Spears’father, Jamie Spears, that Lutfi is part of a conspiracy with two other men, an ex-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib and a lawyer Jon Eardley, to terminate the conservatorship.
Jamie said Lutfi has used drugs and mind games to control her.
A judge on Wednesday extended temporary restraining orders against Lutfi and planned to hear further testimony April 1.
Lutfi's attorney, Bryan Freedman, declined to comment after the hearing about the text messages.
Spears is not expected to testify in the case. She opens a tour for her hit album "Circus" on March 3 in New Orleans. The 27-year-old pop singer was placed under a court-ordered conservatorship more than a year ago.
(Agencies)
