Relative Blames Paula Abdul For Death Of Idol Contestant 11/14/08

The brother of the American Idol contestant found dead near Paula Abdul's home has blamed the star for the tragic incident. Police found the body of 30-year-old Paula Goodspeed in a parked car in Abdul's Sherman Oaks, California neighborhood - and pronounced her dead at the scene on Tuesday (11Nov08).

Goodspeed's brother, Charles McIntyre, has disputed tentative police reports she committed suicide in her car and has blamed the Idol judge for crushing her dreams of stardom. Goodspeed auditioned for season five of the hit U.S. reality show in 2006 but did not make it past the initial stage.

McIntyre tells the New York Post, "(Abdul) didn't speak up for her. She let everyone take her down. She said she was 'speechless', when she could have said something in her defence. "When someone sees you on American Idol being told you're no good... her career just went downtown after that." A spokesperson for Abdul has declined to comment.