Stephen Fires Back At Mel B In Brutal Court Docs: There Is 'No Basis' For Her Demands
Stephen Belafonte has fired back this Tuesday morning against estranged wife Melanie Brown, RadarOnline.com has learned. While the former Spice Girl filed a petition to close all further cases to the public (in order to protect her children's safety and privacy) Belafonte has claimed, via legal court documents, he does not support her decision. Her objective "can be accomplished through less restrictive means," read the documents.
READ THE SHOCKING COURT DOCUMENTS
Since she did not meet all of the court's requirements for a sealed case, her petition should be denied, according to Belafonte's legal team, and documents should be available to the public as they would in any other case.
As RadarOnline.com has learned, Brown, 42, stated that her children would "suffer irreparable harm" if the courtroom records were not sealed, yet Belafonte's legal team believes that is not the answer.
Say the court documents: "No basis exists for concluding that court records should be differentiated from courtroom proceedings, like divorce proceedings themselves, are presumptively open."
Adds Belafonte's team: "We believe that the public has an interest, in all civil cases, in observing and assessing the performance of its public judicial system, and that interest strongly supports a general right of access in ordinary civil cases."
- ‘Parental Alienation’: Spice Girls Star Mel B Accuses Ex-Husband Stephen Of ‘Brainwashing’ Their 11-Year-Old, Rushes to Court in Fight Over Visitation
- Mel B’s Ex-Husband Shut Down in Demand For $80k From Spice Girls Star in Divorce Battle After Custody Win
- Spice Girls Star Mel B Shut Down in Plea For Primary Custody of 11-Year-Old Daughter, Judge Rules Teen Will Stay in America
The papers also suggest that Brown is choosing to ask for a closed case in order to prove her own point, now that she has made domestic violence allegations against Belafonte, 42.
Read the documents: she "now seeks to seal the record all BEFORE Respondent presents his evidence and his defense at the time of the upcoming trial."
As RadarOnline.com readers know, Brown and Belafonte's divorce battle has turned increasingly sour in recent weeks. The sleazy producer has even accused her of being addicted to cocaine and alcohol and therefore ruining their marriage.
The legal fight escalated when he shared private messages between him and Brown's therapist. The texts made it clear that she was on medication for her addictions.
Brown has said that their relationship went downhill after Belafonte had sexual relations with their children's nanny without her permission. However, things have escalated greatly since then.
Stay with RadarOnline.com for the latest updates on the case.
We pay for juicy info! Do you have a story for RadarOnline.com? Email us at tips@radaronline.com, or call us at (866) ON-RADAR (667-2327) any time, day or night.