A shocking claim was made during the opening statement of Britney Spears’ civil trial yesterday in Los Angeles.
Attorney Joseph Schleimer, who represents Spears’ former manager Sam Lutfi, accused the pop singer of using crystal meth and tried desperately to hide her alleged habit during her infamous head-shaving public breakdown in 2008.
According to Schleimer, Lutfi “was made a scapegoat for drug abuse and erratic behavior of” Spears, who allegedly used amphetamines regularly — including the January 2008 night she was placed under a 5150 psychiatric hold,” GossipCop reports.
Additionally, he alleged that a drug-sniffing dog found crystal meth in Spears’ home and the reason the singer shaved her head was eliminate traces of the drug in her hair in case of a drug test.
“He was terrified of being her manager when she overdosed,” Schleimer said.
Lutfi is suing Spears’ parents as well as her conservators for defamation, breach of contract and is seeking millions in alleged unpaid management fees. He claims that three chapters in Spears’ mother’s book “Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World,” lied about him drugging and isolating the pop superstar. In the book, he was described a “general” to the paparazzi and he is portrayed as a man trying to manipulate the singer.
Superior court Judge Susan Bruguera told Lutfi’s lawyer that he must provide evidence during the trial to support the claims. “You can’t waste time on statements just thrown in the air. Everything has to have evidence.”
However, according to old footage obtained by TMZ, Lufti was caught saying the opposite of what his lawyer claimed in court yesterday.
In 2010, the gossip site approached Lutfi about the head-shaving incident. Lutfi told their reporter that Spears shaving her head was “a cool thing … somebody expressing their artistic side.”
He added: “I think she was just expressing her independence and her freedom … there’s nothing wrong with Britney. She’s awesome.”
Attorneys for the defense are set to make their opening statement Friday afternoon. It is unlikely that Spears will make an appearance during the case as she remains under a conservatorship.