John Travolta delivers pivotal evidence in extortion trial

In testimony of such emotional depth it held a whole Courtroom enthralled, John Travolta has given his first evidence in the case against two defendants charged with extortion after the death of his son.

With his wife, Kelly Preston also in attendance, Travolta, 55, told the hushed courtroom that his son, Jett, had a seizure while on vacation in the Bahamas, and that this was due to his autism; A disease he has never previously acknowledged his son even had.

Barely able to suppress the emotional strain, the actor took several breaths, dabbed at his brow and shifted uneasily in the witness box as recalled the night their male nanny, Eli Wheaton,woke them at 2am to tell them that 16-year old Jett was now lying unconscious on the guest-bathroom floor.

“I immediately ran downstairs with my wife,” The Times reports him as saying. They found Jett motionless and showing no signs of life, “Jeff, the other nanny, was doing chest compressions. I was doing the breathing,” the actor explained.

It was at this point that John – a devout Scientologist – admitted what has been rumored for years, but never confirmed — That his son was autistic. “He suffered from seizure disorder. Every five to ten days he suffered seizures which lasted 45 seconds to a minute,” John revealed.

Scientology does not recognize autism as an illness, and for someone with as high a profile in that church to admit his own son had the illness proves the depth to which both he and his wife this loss. In their first trip to the Islands since the event, both actors arrived on board their private jet from their main home in Ocala, Florida. They were flanked by security and rushed straight inside.

John recalled  how Kelly had cradled Jett’s head while he and the nanny worked hard to revive him. Driven by Lightbourne, the ambulance took over half-an-hour to arrive, by which time the two men were using defibrillators to restart Jett’s heart – with no hint of success.

John then asked Lightbourne to take them all to the airport, at which point he was handed the waiver which created this case. He agreed he had signed it, but did not read the details as, “time was so short.” But John then changed his mind and Jett was rushed to an ER. He was pronounced dead shortly after.

Once news of Jett’s death, and John’s Scientology links became public knowledge, Lightbourne, using Bridgewater as his messenger, began the alleged extortion attempt, demanding $25-million not to ‘leak’ that one form.

The testimony which John will deliver over the next few days is said to be so unerringly damming, it could be the key to convicting the two facing trial. The case is ongoing and may last two weeks. If new facts emerge, you’ll find them here.