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In The News

Angelina’s Bodyguard Pens Tell-All Book

In The News

Mickey Brett, former bodyguard to Angelina Jolie, is writing a book about his days with the star, including details of the beginnings of her relationship with Brad Pitt. The book’s ghostwriter Robin McGibbon has commented “This is going to be a very revelatory book.” She doesn’t believe printing the truth will upset Jolie, since “she knows the truth,” according to a story in Grazia, a UK magazine.

Bodyguard Brett was employed by Jolie from 2000 to 2007 and was with her around the clock during that time. In gratitude of his service, not only was the bodyguard undoubtedly well-paid, but also was given gifts, including an Aston Martin car, worth approximately $200,000. Supposedly, the book is expected to not only address precisely when their relationship started, but also stories related to their private sex life.

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BGC: Yet another example of unprofessional behavior that reflects poorly on our business. Stories like this make me cringe. This so undermines the trust clients need to feel when hiring someone to protect them. The general public just doesn’t understand what it would be like to be a celebrity. These people don’t WANT to hire bodyguards; they have no choice. Can you imagine how YOU would feel if you had to have someone shadowing you 24/7?

Can you imagine how it would feel to have to spend anywhere from $50K and up on a salary for protection, only to have that individual turn around and disregard protecting your personal life by writing a book? This man was with her for 7 years. This betrayal is appalling, and his career as a bodyguard is over. I suppose he thinks this book will see him through retirement. I won’t be purchasing a book because that would mean I support his despicable behavior.

John Mayer and Bodyguard in Fracas With Paparazzi

In The News

On Wednesday,November 19th 2008, Musician John Mayer’s bodyguard crossed a line. Mayer was enjoying a night out on the town in Hollywood, dining at The Steakhouse, one of Wolfgang Puck’s Beverly Hills eateries, when he decided to leave from the front entrance of the restaurant,rather than the planned exit out of the back of the establishment. Mayer and his bodyguard walked into a throng of paparazzi, all eager to snap pictures. Just as Mayer was ducking into his BMW, one photog was over-eager and Mayer’s bodyguard pushed him to the ground, grabbing him by the throat according to onlookers. The photographer went to the Tarzana hospital to be checked for injuries, and is reportedly planning to contact his lawyers.

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Here’s another story to file under: What Were They Thinking?!

First of all, both Mayer and the bodyguard need to be held accountable.

Physical contact and altercations like this should not be happening, and a well-trained bodyguard knows better than to shove, and then worse, to grab an individual by the throat, once he’s down!? These moves are aggressive and out of control. Why anybody would think this physical maneuver was acceptable is beyond me–and to make such an error in judgment in front of a crowd of paparazzi and fans? It just make Mayer look bad, and most certainly opens him up to a lawsuit.

Secondly, my guess is Mayer’s bodyguard was not prepared for Mayer’s sudden change in plans to leave The Steakhouse via the front entrance.

Surely, Mayer had to have known that leaving from the most public access point was fool-hardy and maybe just a little self-involved…or perhaps he was in some way impaired in his decision-making ability. It begs the question, “Did he WANT the attention?” Surely, his bodyguard advised him against exiting from the front of the restaurant. Well, if there is indeed a lawsuit, then I suspect the cost of that “attention” will be significantly more than he intended to pay.

 

Former Bodyguard to Benazir Bhutto Killed: Was Televised Footage to Blame

In The News

Khalid Shahenshah, 45, a longtime loyalist of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was killed on Tuesday when unidentified gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on his vehicle in Karachi. Shahenshah was former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s Chief of Security, and was with her when she was assassinated December 27, 2007.

Police believe it was a targeted killing, and have opened an investigation into his death. Although they don’t yet know the motive of the attack on Shahenshah, rumors are widespread in the southern port city as to the mysterious forces behind his murder, which occurred outside his home.

Shahenshah has been providing security for Bhutto’s widower, Asif Ali Zardari. Zardari took over her party following her death. Zardari and is a prominent leader in Pakistan’s present coalition government.

There has been some speculation that Shahenshah may have been involved in Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. In video footage of the event, which aired on Pakistani television on Tuesday, Shahenshah was shown

READ MORE: Times Online

Family Claims Bodyguard Victim Of “Excessive Force” By Police

In The News

The former bodyguard of Louis Antonelli, a jeweler who was shot on April 29, was himself shot to death Tuesday morning by law enforcement. The deceased, Jason Aiello –36, was a retired police sergeant and one-time protector to Antonelli.

Police officers were dispatched after two 911 calls from the Aillo home.

The first call was for shots fired and 5 minutes later a second call was made for a domestic dispute between the couple.

Aiello was at Bayley Seton Hospital, where his family had checked him into the psychiatric ward at 10:00 p.m. the night before. Aiello had been under extreme pressure to answer questions from detectives and the FBI regarding Antonelli’s shooting, and had become “delusional.” Sometime between 3 and 4 a.m., after becoming agitated, Aiello escaped, according to the family’s attorney Peter Antioco.

Law enforcement claims that Aiello brandished two guns and fired at officers seven times. The police returned fire–a total of19 rounds–three of which hit Aiello. Officers claim they repeatedly asked Aillo to drop his weapon, but he refused and then fired at him. Law enforcement sources believe Aiello was seeking to commit “suicide by cop,” but family members and their attorney are denying Aiello was suicidal.

Antioco reported that when the police arrived, one of Aiello’s family members had taken away one of the two 9mm guns Aiello had in his possession. Aiello’s wife took away the second 9mm gun and threw it out of the car window, and screamed to the police “I have the gun, stop shooting!” But officers continued shoot. According to Antioco, “There is a serious question whether or not he fired his gun, at all.”

The family is claiming that 20 to 25 shots were fired at Aiello, as he sat in his cousin’s car. His wife was in the passenger seat with him, but was not shot. The couple’s three children, aged 2, 5, and 6 were in the vicinity and were quickly removed from the scene.

Police detectives and the FBI had been questioing Aiello repeatedly regarding the circumstances of his employer’s shooting death. He was never charged, but there was some suspicion as to what role, if any, he may have played in Antonelli’s death. To all appearances, Aiello was one of the only people who knew he and Antonelli would be at the El Sabor Tropical Restaurant the night Antonelli was shot, and the usually armed Aiello was without his fire arm that night. Antonelli had also walked out of the restaurant alone.

Aiello claimed he had nothing to do with the shooting. He also claimed that he didn’t know any of the suspects arrested in connection with the crime.

His family called him “a family man” with a 15-year history in the Brooklyn police department. He’d been retired from the police force for the past two years.

 

Bodyguard Commits Suicide After Wife Leaves

In The News

IN THE NEWS

July 4th, 2008

After a series of violent fights, one of the senior bodyguards to the Duchess of Cornwall shot himself. When his wife of 20 years left him, Sgt. Richard Fuller sent a text message to his wife, saying he “could not live without her.” Fuller was 55 and the father of four adult children.

Two weeks into the couple’s trial separation, Fuller shot himself with his hunting rifle at his home in Bremhill, Wilts

Fuller had been in charge of security at Raymill House, the six-bedroom home in Wiltshire the Duchess bought after her divorce from her first husband. Fuller had a commendation for bravery in an exemplary career that spanned 29 years. He was a trained armed response officer with Wiltshire Police.

According to the inquest, a complaint had been made against him in 2006 claiming he’d used excessive force during an arrest. He was acquitted of the charge, but the incident caused depression and weighed heavily on the man. He felt he was “losing control” of his personal and professional lives, and was prescribed anti-depressant drugs by the psychiatrist who was helping him.

The separation in February was the couples 2nd, the first was in January last year, due to Fuller’s aggressive behavior towards his wife. Mrs. Fuller spent time at their home to prepare meals and tend to their horse.On

March 9th, just two weeks after the 2nd trial separation, Mrs. Fuller, received the text message from her husband. Alarmed, she contacted a colleague in the police department and they found him dead of gunshot wounds in his bed.

As is customary, all guns were removed from his home after he took time off work with depression, and Fuller’s firearms permit was revoked in January 200.7. However, the permit was reinstated in May that year.

Mark Johnson, Sgt Fuller’s son from his first marriage, expressed concern at the inquest. He felt given his father’s mental state, he didn’t understand why the police had allowed his father to keep guns. After the inquest, Superintendant Matt Pullen of Wiltshire police stated “Because of the critical nature of a firearms officer’s duties, they are subject to constant, rigorous and regular checks, and there was no breach of any of these processes.”

 

The Price of Going Without Personal Protection

Executive Protection Articles, In The News

According to the Associated Press, Javon Walker was beaten and left unconscious on a street in Las Vegas. The Oakland Raiders wide receiver had been partying, and was found a little after 7:00 a.m. He was hospitalized with “significant injuries.” A large amount of cash and some jewelry were taken.

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This goes in the “what was he thinking?” file. Walker is rumored to have dropped $15,000 on the party the evening prior to discovering him unconscious on the street. He has a six-year, $55 million contract with the Raiders, where was his security?

I shudder to think just how bad this whole situation might have turned out. What if he had been permanently injured or crippled by his attackers? His career would be over. The cost to hire a few bodyguards for the night is so minimal for a man with his affluence–it’s laughable. It’s like you or I purchasing a pizza! Given the average cost of a visit to the emergency room, the surgery, medications, and the stay in the hospital, he has far surpassed the cost of hiring personal protection.

Perhaps he felt his size as a ball player would intimidate any would-be attackers, and so he didn’t feel the need for protection? I’ve no idea, I’m speculating. I’m guessing it was a group of men who attacked him, and even the biggest of men can’t thwart an attack by 2, 3 or 4 guys!Â

Beyond preventing a physical attack, Walker needs to think about public perception. Having a bodyguard or two on hand would have meant that someone had his back. After a night of heavy partying, his security would have arranged to get him home safely. Being found unconscious on a street after a party paints a very negative picture of the man. Let’s be honest here, we’re all thinking he must have been extremely intoxicated and disoriented, and clearly, he was unprotected.

I hope that other celebrities and sports figures heed this story.

 

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