Video Defense: Will It Ruin Speidi And Save Bruno?
June 8th, 2009Video killed the radio star, but the real question is whether it can kill a plaintiff and a few reality tv stars, too.
Two high-profile disputes — one among Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag and the producers of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! and the other between Richelle Olson and the Bruno movie — have something in common: alleged video evidence.
Speidi claim that producers of I’m A Celebrity tortured them by, among other things, locking Heidi in a Costa Rican “dark room for 3 days with no food or water.” The production company, however, says Speidi’s description of their accommodations is false and that videotape will prove it.
Likewise, NBC Universal contends that video footage will prove plaintiff Olson’s lawsuit — which alleges that Sacha Baron Cohen aka Bruno ambushed bingo night, assaulted her, and left her in a wheelchair — is “baseless” and “frivolous.” Universal issued this statement:
“[F]ilmed footage of the full encounter, which took place more than two years ago, clearly shows that Ms. Olson was never touched or in any way assaulted by Sacha Baron Cohen or any member of the production and suffered no injury.”
Yes, video can be helpful in any dispute; however, it’s not necessarily a slam dunk. Remember, a jury acquitted R. Kelly of child pornography charges last year, even though the prosecution showed the jury video footage of what they say was R. Kelly having sex with a minor.
The solution: show us the video now!
















