Britney Spears has been granted a five-year restraining order against her former friend and ex-manager Sam Lutfi, according to The Associated Press.
The document requires that Lutfi, 44, stay at least 200 yards away from the Toxic singer at all times. It also restricts him from contacting and disparaging Spears’s family: father Jamie Spears, mother Lynne Spears, and sons Sean and Jayden Federline.
The decision to extend the temporary restraining order issued on May 8 was ruled by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny on Thursday.
Lutfi was accused of threatening, denigrating and harassing the Spears family via text messages and social media, which reportedly negatively impacted the singer’s mental health while she was receiving care in a psychiatric facility.
“Mr. Lutfi’s actions have caused severe mental trauma at a time where Ms. Spears is recovering from stress related to her father’s health and her work,” reads the initial document. “Mr. Lutfi’s unjustified interference in her life threaten Ms. Spears’ safety and well-being.”
Penny reportedly made the final decision after hearing testimonies from Lutfi and Spears’s father. Spears, 37, was not present at the hearing.
READ MORE: Britney Spears takes out restraining order against ex-manager Sam Lutfi
Lutfi’s attorney, Marc Gans supposedly argued that the document would be an “unconstitutional restraint” on Lutfi’s free speech, however, the judge rejected his argument, calling the former manager’s testimony “evasive.”
This wasn’t the first time the Spears family was granted a restraining order against Lutfi either.
WATCH: Britney Spears’ Manager Speaks Out
He was ordered to stay away from the singer in 2008 after Jamie alleged that Lutfi had drugged Britney, preventing his daughter from making contact with the family in an attempt to control her career and funds, according to Rolling Stone.
The first restraining order was short-lived, and another one was filed that July for undisclosed reasons. It lasted three years.
READ MORE: Britney Spears checks out from psychiatric facility
Although Jamie Spears, 66, admitted to Gans — under questioning — that he had a “strained” relationship with his daughter, he supported her appeal during his testimony, claiming that Lutfi was a “predator” who had been harassing their entire family for more than a decade.
Furthermore, he claimed that he was concerned with Lutfi’s intentions. “I worried that he was trying to take down the conservatorship,” he admitted.
“I was very angry. I was worried that we were right back in 2008,” he concluded in reference to the first restraining order made against the ex-manager.
Jamie served as Britney’s conservator for 11 years until he was hospitalized earlier this year with a ruptured colon. As a result, Lynne Spears now holds conservatorship.
After attempting to persuade Lynne to allow him to be Britney’s new conservator, Lutfi admitted that he had contacted the mother, however, in his defence, claimed that he was only exercising his right to freedom of speech.
Backed up by his attorney, he claimed that neither Lynne Spears nor James Watson — Britney’s brother-in-law — asked him to stop contacting them. “I had a great relationship with Lynne Spears,” he said.
Gans added that his client had not made direct contact with Britney herself since 2009.
READ MORE: Britney Spears accuses paparazzi of altering photos to make her look bigger
The lawyer argued that many of Lutfi’s tweets in question, including one which read “#raisehell,” were too vague to be considered disparagement against the Spears family.
The judge rejected Gans’s argument, citing the tweet as “illegal incitement.”
Back in April, after a month of receiving care, Spears checked out of the mental health treatment facility where she was residing.
She returned home to her family and boyfriend Sam Asghari on April 25.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help.
The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Depression Hurts and Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 all offer ways of getting help if you, or someone you know, may be suffering from mental health issues.
— With files from The Associated Press
Comments