Tom Cruise gave a closely guarded deposition before Christmas — where he outlined “Mission Impossible”-type restrictions on how his testimony would be used — in connection to a wiretapping case involving the actor.
Magazine editor Michael Davis Sapir filed a $5 million lawsuit in 2009 against Cruise and his lawyer, Bert Fields, accusing the duo of conspiring with private investigator Anthony Pellicano to tap Sapir’s phones.
The lawsuit came after Cruise in 2001 sued Sapir after the editor offered a $500k reward for evidence proving Cruise was gay. Sapir claimed he received a videotape, but it was later found that there was no videotape of Cruise in gay activities and the suit was settled.
According to RadarOnline, Cruise on Dec. 18 gave a lengthy videotaped deposition at the Mandarin Hotel in New York for the case, but laid down strict rules before he sat down for questioning to ensure his testimony would never be leaked to the public.
RadarOnline reports the actor detailed in court documents that “only one original videotape of the deposition shall be made.” He also stated that “no copies of the videotape, or any video or audio portions thereof, may be made and no one other than the counsel for the Parties and the Custodian, as defined below, may have access to the videotape.”
In court documents, RadarOnline reports Cruise insisted that a custodian be the only person who has the original video tape and they “shall safeguard and permit no one to view, audit or copy the videotape,” without instructions from the court.
Even if the case goes to trial, Cruise has assured the tape will remain secure. RadarOnline reports the actor demanded in papers: “Counsel for Plaintiff, Johnson & Johnson, shall take custody of the videotape and shall maintain and make use of same (including adaptations) through the conclusion of trial; provided, however, that Plaintiff Sapir shall not be permitted to view, use or access the videotape (or any adaptation made there from) at any time prior to trial and, during trial, Sapir’s access to the videotape will be limited to viewing the videotape during open court proceedings.”
Once the case has been resolved, Cruise also demanded the videotaped deposition be returned “directly” to his lawyer.
Apparently the only thing Cruise did not outline in papers is that the videotape deposition would self destruct in five seconds after the trial ended.