Madonna's former friend is seeking to have sanctions imposed on the pop superstar for halting a planned sale of her personal items simply in an act of revenge.
Art consultant Darlene Lutz had teamed up with bosses at Gotta Have It! Collectibles in July (17) to auction off a number of old items, including a letter sent to Madonna by her ex-boyfriend, late rapper Tupac Shakur, while he was in jail, a hairbrush containing strands of her hair, and a pair of her unwashed panties.
The Material Girl hitmaker obtained a temporary restraining order blocking the sale, alleging the collectibles had been wrongfully taken from her, and then filed suit in New York in August (17).
Lutz has been fighting the legal action ever since, and last month (Sep17), argued the case should be dismissed after Madonna admitted in a deposition that she had no reason to believe her ex-pal had stolen the items from her during their friendship. She also confessed three of the pieces, including the underwear, were no longer hers to claim as she had given them away as gifts.
Lutz maintains she collected the memorabilia from the star's assistants, who had reportedly been throwing the belongings out.
Now Lutz's attorney, Judd Grossman, wants Madonna punished for appearing to waste the court's time with such a frivolous lawsuit, reports the New York Daily News.
"(Madonna) filed this action solely to exact personal revenge on an old foe," he declared in papers filed on Wednesday (25Oct17). "Having abused the process, (Madonna) must now face the music."
Justice Gerald Lebovits heard the motion for sanctions during a hearing on Thursday (26Oct17), when Grossman claimed Madonna had lacked credibility when answering his questions during the August (17) deposition.
"She visibly was uncomfortable," he said. "There were periods of times when she closed her eyes struggling to find an answer."
Lebovits has yet to issue a ruling. Possible punishments include ordering Madonna to cover Lutz's legal fees.
