In September there was a mild controversy over an incident in which cops used a young attractive woman in sunglasses who was departing the same plane as Jamie Lynn Spears to divert paparazzi away from the star. Jamie Lynn Spears and her newborn baby Maddie left the airport from the tarmac while the other woman was used as a decoy. There was an internal investigation at the LAX police department afterwards as cops had acted out of order by providing special services for a celebrity.
The woman who served as the fake Jamie Lynn Spears is demanding a $2 million settlement from the LAX police department under threats that she’ll sue. Adessa Eskridge says through her lawyer that she was whisked away by police once she got off the plane and had no idea what was going on. She was then surrounded by paparazzi and had her face plastered all over the news and the Internet. Eskridge claims that her privacy was also invaded as her name, phone number and address were leaked to some reporters who actually contacted her. She likens it to a false arrest and claims she suffered “great humiliation” after the “demeaning and traumatic ordeal.” She’s willing to deal with it though, if the LAX police department coughs up $2 million for her pain and suffering:
I represent Adessa Eskridge… On September 10, 2008 by client was singled out by the LAX police to be part of a ruse to protect Jamie Lynn Spears. We are not yet aware of whether or not Ms. Spears or her agents were involved in the ruse. Our client was not given any details as to the nature of the task or of the potential danger involved. She simple followed the instructions of the police as most good citizens would do.
Ms. Eskridge had no idea and was never informed that upon deplaning, she would be mobbed by the paparazzi, that she would be in fear of her well-being, that her picture would be taken, that video of her would be all over the world wide web as well as being played and replayed on TMZ…
She was deceived and manipulated by the LAX-PD and suffered and continues to suffer great humiliation. Since this demeaning and traumatic ordeal ensured, our cilent’s name and identity, phone number and home address has been leaked to some media outlets. She has been contacted by members of the media demanding an explanation of her “role” in the ruse and her connection with the Spears family, among other things…
Our client intends to file a lawsuit if this matter is not resolved satisfactorily. At this time, she is willing to consider a reasonable and fair settlement that fully compensates her for the humiliation, fear and harassment that she has been subjected [sic] at the hands of LAX-PD. It is demanded that LAX-PD pay the sum of $2,000,000.
[Transcribed from legal letter from Adessa Eskridge’s lawyer, full letter below]
I understand that sometimes the only way to get things done in the US is to threaten to sue, but $2 million is hardly “reasonable and fair.” Maybe they set the figure high and are hoping for six figures at least. Cops shouldn’t have grabbed this woman without her consent and it was wrong that they forced her to go through this scenario without telling her what was going on. It was blip on the media radar though and surely this woman is making her brief exposure to the public worse by suing. Maybe she’ll get some cash out of it though and won’t have to work for a while.
The letter from Eskridge’s lawyer, below, is dated September 30, but it has just been made public for some reason. Credit: Splash News Online
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