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Diaz topless photo trial begins

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Macam

Banned
Before anyone asks for pics, the last bolded part holds the key to your answer:

Hollywood actress Cameron Diaz is expected to appear at the Los Angeles trial of a photographer accused of attempting to blackmail her. John Rutter, 42, is charged with forging her signature on a model release form and attempted grand theft. The provocative photos were taken in 1992 before Diaz was famous. Mark Werksman, representing Mr Rutter, said his client was "guilty of being a nice guy" for giving Diaz the first opportunity to buy the photos.

Cameron Diaz is among Hollywood's highest paid actresses

The then 19-year-old model made her screen breakthrough in The Mask two years later. Mr Rutter is accused of trying to sell the pictures back to the actress in 2003 shortly before shopping them around elsewhere for a reputed $5m (£2.8m). By then, Diaz was one of the world's leading actresses and was about to appear in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. She has maintained that she never signed a release form.

'Nice guy'

In opening statements, prosecutor David Walgren told the jury that Mr Rutter had presented Diaz with "a forged document and, in essence, attempted to blackmail her out of her money." Mr Werksman maintained that the actress had been "willing to literally expose herself" in order to gain exposure. He added that the case was about "a rich and powerful movie star ... seeking to crush and destroy John Rutter" and "forever bury" embarrassing photographs.

The case, like so many celebrity trials, appears to come down to the word of a big name star against that of an ordinary mortal.

"I think people are intrigued by celebrities but I don't think that necessarily means that they believe them more than someone who is not a celebrity," said Steve Cron, an LA defence lawyer who is familiar with celebrity cases.

During the jury selection process Superior Court Judge Michael E Pastor attempted to weed out potential members of the panel that may be swayed by the alleged victim's notoriety.

"Who has not heard of the actress Cameron Diaz," he asked.

Only two people raised their hands.

"I think it's hard for most people to relate to the lifestyles of the rich and famous - especially if you're living in an area that's not as affluent," said Mr Cron.

Lock and key

"In that respect it could work against her if her credibility is an issue."

By definition, the issue at stake is unique to the celebrity world. Salacious photographs come with a price tag only when their subject is famous.

"It doesn't have to be an actress," said Mr Cron. "It could be a politician. If it was Hillary Clinton or Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Speedo someone might be willing to pay money for those photographs, but if it's you or me, unfortunately no-one cares."

Handwriting experts are likely to offer the jurors a professional assessment of whether Diaz's signature was forged. For now, the photographs at the heart of the case are being kept under lock and key by the authorities. The judge ordered them to be sealed two years ago - until the dispute is settled. Diaz's side has argued that the release of the pictures could tarnish her reputation. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
 
She giggled about her early modeling career and describing the May 1992 photo shoot in an abandoned warehouse, in which she wore fishnet stockings and leather boots in hopes of appearing in edgy European magazines.

Confronted with the 1992 photos — including one shot in which she's holding a chain attached to a male model's neck — Diaz said she wasn't enthusiastic about releasing the pictures, although she said she believed she looked good topless. "At least I have that going for me," she recalled thinking.

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=196658

Yep, these are the S&M ones already released. Nothing new here, move along.
 
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Uhhhhh... What happened to the gorgeous young vivrant thang that I saw while watching The Mask the other night?

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Wtf, man. Wtf.
 
Man guilty in Cameron Diaz topless photos case

A photographer who took topless pictures of actress Cameron Diaz before she was famous was convicted on Monday of charges stemming from what prosecutors said was a bid to blackmail the "Charlie's Angels" star for $3 million (1.7 million pounds).

John Rutter, who was accused of faking Diaz's signature on a 1992 release form and telling the actress he would publish the steamy, bondage-themed photos if she did not buy them back, was convicted of attempted grand theft, forgery, and perjury.

The 42-year-old photographer, who had been free on $250,000 bond, was taken to jail immediately after the verdict was read, leaving his mother sobbing in a courthouse hallway. The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for about four hours before finding him guilty on all three counts.

Rutter, who faces more than five years in prison when he is sentenced on September 15, testified at the trial that he believed the signature was genuine and that he was giving Diaz the opportunity to keep them out of circulation.

Outside court, defense attorney Mark Werksman portrayed the case as a dispute between Diaz and Rutter that the powerful movie star had won with her wealth and fame.

"This was an epic battle between a rich and famous celebrity and a hard-working photographer," Werksman said. "She brought some very powerful and enormous interests to bear against him."

He added: "John is devastated by this. This is the blackest day of his life and the bleakest."

Though Los Angeles authorities have in recent months promised to crack down on crimes against celebrities, prosecutor David Walgren said Diaz was given no special treatment.

"We don't tolerate forgers and criminals who seek to take advantage of celebrities or anyone else," he said. "Had the victim been anyone other than Cameron Diaz, he would have been prosecuted in the same courts, in the same manner and with the same diligence."

Diaz during her testimony acknowledged posing bare-breasted more than a decade ago when she was an unknown, 19-year-old model, but said she never signed the release and felt betrayed when Rutter tried to sell them during a meeting in June 2003.

The California-born actress, who shot to fame after starring opposite Jim Carrey in the 1994 comedy "The Mask," was not in court for the verdict.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/News/new...205227Z_01_MOL568301_RTRUKOC_0_CRIME-DIAZ.xml
 
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