The first massage therapist to sue John Travolta of sexual battery is now being represented by Gloria Allred, though it's unclear whether the case will be refiled. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images, left; Johanes Eisele / AFP Getty Images, right / May 16, 2012)
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The John Travolta sexual-battery brouhaha has a new player: Gloria Allred, connoisseur of press conferences and high-profile clients, took over Tuesday as attorney for the massage therapist best known as John Doe No. 1.
Allred’s an ironic choice for John Doe No. 1, who’d gone rogue Thursday with a statement asking those in the court of public opinion to stop the madness, please, and let a court of law pass judgment. She did, however, keep the new-client news relatively low key.
“We are in the process of conferring with him regarding the next steps, which he may wish to take,” Allred said in a statement to People announcing she would be representing the masseur. “Our client and our firm has no further comment at this time.”
John Doe No. 1 and attorney Okorie Okorocha parted ways Friday after a wave of contradictory evidence brought the date of the alleged (and graphically detailed) Beverly Hills assault into question. Okorocha filed Monday for dismissal of his former client’s federal civil case against Travolta.
"My client is completely vindicated by Doe #1 dropping his claims and dismissing his lawsuit,” Travolta attorney Martin Singer told TMZ on Monday, predicting a similar result regarding the claims made by John Doe No. 2.
The second masseur’s lawsuit, alleging similar sexual misbehavior by the actor in Atlanta and seeking at least $2 million in damages, remains in play with Okorocha at the wheel; dismissal of the first case without prejudice leaves the door open for John Doe No. 1 to refile.
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