Diaz fights snapper
From correspondents in Los Angeles
July 14, 2005
From:
Court battle ... Diaz is fighting a snapper over topless pictures / AFP
CAMERON Diaz will testify today against a photographer who filmed her in a pornographic video.
Diaz, one of Hollywood's leading actresses, made the film
She's No Angel in 1992, before she was famous and alleges photographer John Rutter tried to extort $4.3 million from her, in return for not releasing the pictures and video.
The
Something About Mary and
Charlie's Angels star is expected to tell the court Rutter forged her signature on a release form, allowing him to distribute the video and pictures.
Rutter, who has denied forging the model release, could face up to six years in prison if convicted.
His lawyer Mark Werksman said Rutter was "guilty of being a nice guy" for giving Diaz the first opportunity to buy the photos which had been taken in a 1992 session in which "she was willing to literally expose herself in order to gain that exposure."
Werksman said the case against Rutter was about "a rich and powerful movie star ... seeking to crush and destroy John Rutter" and "forever bury" embarrassing photographs.
Rutter is charged with attempted grand theft, perjury and forgery. His lawyer said he expected the jury to be 'star struck' by Diaz's evidence.
"I imagine they'll hang on every word Ms Diaz says," Mark Werksman said.
"It's certainly not going to be a run of the mill criminal case." Mr Werksman claims Diaz approached Rutter in 1992 and acted in the video and posed for pictures to raise her profile.
"The whole purpose of the photo shoot was that she wanted to gain exposure as a model internationally," he said.
Two years later, Diaz starred with Jim Carrey in movie
The Mask and has since become one of the highest paid actress in Hollywood.
In 2003, when Diaz was earning up to $26 million a film, Mr Werksman said Rutter told her he would sell the photographs back to her for $4.3 million. "He was just trying to do the decent thing," Mr Werksman said.
"If he had gone ahead and simply sold the photographs to the highest bidder, we wouldn't be here." Rutter faces up to five years in prison if found guilty.
Diaz has also filed a civil suit seeking damages against Rutter that is scheduled for trial in October.
Meanwhile, The
Daily Star in London reports Diaz has turned down the role of Wonder Woman because she wants to be taken more seriously as an actress.
Diaz reportedly refused to even look at the script for the crime fighting femme fatale. - with
Reuters
news.com.au
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