‘It is vindicating’: Britney’s supporters believe she will soon be free from her dad
There were no leaks of the courtroom audio this time but the voice of Britney Spears was heard just as loudly in her latest call for release from a controversial legal conservatorship.
Three weeks ago, when the performer first laid out her anguish at the impact of the arrangement on her life, the feed from a system designed to let people listen in remotely during the pandemic was streamed illegally online. The system has since been shut down.
So, as she embarked on round two of her assault on the legal system, it was just those packed inside Department 4 at the Los Angeles County Superior Court who could hear her plea for freedom.
What is perhaps most illustrative of the complexity of the conservatorship web surrounding Britney Spears is how long it takes to get all the relevant parties together in the same courtroom. More than a dozen lawyers appeared remotely or in-person at the hearing.
One of those lawyers alone mentioned a figure of $3m (£2.2m) racked up legal fees in this case – and this conservatorship has been going for 13 years.
During both of her appearances at the hearings, both times on the phone, the emotion was palpable. For the second time, she spoke so quickly the judge had to ask her to slow down for the sake of the court stenographer.
The words tumbled out: “I’m here to get rid of my dad. I want to press charges for abuse of conservatorship. I want an investigation on my dad,” she said. The arrangement is “literally letting my dad ruin my life”.
Her supporters believe she is close to being free of the conservatorship. Pic: AP
When she broke down crying, upset at what she saw as her family not caring for her, judge Brenda Penny told her softly to take a minute to compose herself.
Her allegations against her father and conservator Jamie were labelled “unsubstantiated” by his attorney.
The major victory for his daughter was permission to choose her own lawyer. Her choice Mathew Rosengart has represented a slew of Hollywood stars over the years and indicated that ending the conservatorship will be his first task.
“If he loves his daughter, it is time to step down,” he said of Mr Spears.
Many of the lawyers agreed that the conservatorship system is broken and not working in the interest of the person it is designed to protect. Campaigners say there are possibly millions of people in the same situation.
Spears’ new lawyer Mathew Rosengart has a big reputation. Pic: AP
Once again the cool austerity of the courtroom was in contrast to the boisterous support for Britney Spears in the heat on the street outside. It seems to grow with every hearing.
Of the latest legal victory, Leanne Simmons, one of the original organisers of the Free Britney campaign, told me: “It is vindicating. It’s been tough. We’ve been laughed at, we’ve been called conspiracy theorists, so to hear Britney confirm these things we’ve been fighting for, it is a little validating.”
Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump he “will not back down” from Russia’s goals in Ukraine during a phone call today, the Kremlin has said.
The Russian president spoke to his US counterpart for almost an hour, and Mr Trump “again raised the issue of an early end to military action” in Ukraine, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
In response, Mr Putin said “Russia will not back down” from its aims there, which include “the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs,” Mr Ushakov said.
The phrase “root causes” is shorthand for Moscow’s argument that it was compelled to invade Ukraine in order to prevent the country from joining NATO.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Trump and Putin’s latest call on Ukraine
Ukraine and its European allies say this is a pretext to justify what they call an imperial-style war, but Mr Trump has previously shown sympathy with Russia.
At the same time, Mr Putin told the US president that Russia is ready to continue negotiating, the aide said.
The Russian president said any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine give up its NATO bid and recognise his country’s territorial gains.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, seen with Mr Trump in June, is pushing for Ukraine to join NATO. Pic: Reuters
He also briefed Mr Trump on agreements made last month, which saw Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war and dead soldiers.
Specific dates for the third round of peace talks in Istanbul were not discussed – nor was the US decision to halt some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine.
Mr Putin and Mr Trump’s call came after the Pentagon confirmed some weapons due to be sent to Ukraine have been held as it reviews military stockpiles.
The paused shipments include air defence missiles and precision-guided artillery, two people familiar with the situation have said.
Read more:
Putin threatens nuclear strike
Western brands on Russian shelves despite sanctions
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
The decision led to Ukraine calling in the acting US envoy to Kyiv on Wednesday to underline the importance of military aid from Washington.
Kyiv also cautioned that the move would weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against intensifying Russian airstrikes and battlefield advances.
Mr Putin and Mr Trump’s phone call was the sixth they have publicly disclosed since the US president returned to the White House in January.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike