Photographer Convicted in Cameron Diaz Case 7/26/05

A photographer who took topless pictures of Cameron Diaz before she hit fame has been convicted on all three counts leveled against him following a bitter court battle.

John Rutter, 42, faces up to six years in prison after a jury convicted him of forgery, attempted grand theft and perjury this morning (25JUL05) for a scheme to sell the images back to the actress 11 years later for millions of dollars.

Rutter is due to be sentenced on 15 September (05).

Diaz was not present in Los Angeles Superior Court when the verdict was read.

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for more than two hours on Friday (22JUL05) and announced they had verdicts less than two hours after returning today.

During the trial, which began on 13 July (05), Rutter told the jury that while a model release form giving him ownership of the photographs was forged, he didn't do it.

But under cross-examination, Rutter acknowledged lying to Diaz and in a court declaration. He also admitted to asking Diaz to pay him $3.5 million in two days or he would sell the snapshots around the world to coincide with the 2003 release of her movie Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.

Rutter said he believed he had a right to do so and was simply giving the actress "right of first refusal".

Diaz testified that Rutter warned her buyers of the snaps were "going to use this against you" by portraying her as a "bad angel" in a huge magazine spread and bus and billboard ad campaign. When he wouldn't identify the purported buyers, Diaz suspected blackmail and contacted the police.