The tapes of this incident broke up a courtroom watching Crowes pathetic
performance.
Police sued over Crowe 'extortion'
18nov02
THREE men cleared on charges including alleged extortion after a videotaped
nightclub incident involving Russell Crowe are suing the NSW Police Service
for malicious prosecution and wrongful arrest.
Philip Antony Cropper and Malcolm Brian Mercer, both 38, and Mark Potts,
45, had been accused by police of trying to blackmail Crowe for payment
after he was captured on a videotape in a brawl outside a Coffs Harbour
nightclub on November 18, 1999.
They were arrested by police on January 12, 2000.
Mr Potts was eventually released on bail and had his charges withdrawn just
before he was to face trial about two-and-a-half years later.
Mr Cropper and Mr Mercer were eventually cleared by a jury and awarded
costs in June this year.
Today, the trio filed statements of claim in the NSW Supreme Court against
the State of NSW and police officers alleging malicious prosecution,
wrongful arrest.
Mr Mercer and Mr Cropper are also suing for false imprisonment.
All three claim police concealed "evidence of criminality" by Crowe.
Lawyer Greg Walsh, speaking outside the NSW Supreme Court today, confirmed
the three men had commenced proceedings.
"Malcolm (Brian) Mercer, Mark Potts and Phillip Antony Cropper have
commenced proceedings today in the Supreme Court against certain police
officers and the state of NSW," Mr Walsh said.
He said the men were claiming that as a result of being charged by police
and the continuation and maintenance of criminal proceedings, they had
suffered significantly.
Each of the men were seeking unspecified damages, contending "their lives
have been ruined" and that they had suffered enormous financial loss, he said.
According to Mr Walsh, both Mr Cropper and Mr Mercer ran successful
nightclubs in Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie while the latter was also a
businessman on the Gold Coast and Sydney.
The pair ran very successful businesses over many years and their financial
documents indicated they were very successful financially, he said.
"As a result of these charges and having the charges over their heads for
so long and the proceedings themselves ... in effect their businesses were
ruined," he said.
"They've now been bankrupted and unable to continue working at all."
Asked whether Crowe would be called to give evidence during proceedings, Mr
Walsh said that from what he had seen of the video recording of the
incident, at the centre of the legal action, the New Zealand-born,
Australian-reared star appeared to be an integral witness.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,5510486%255E1702,00.html
