Natalee Holloway’s Parents Sue Van der Sloots

The surprise law suit by the parents of Natalee Holloway has in many respects altered the dynamics of the Natalee Holloway investigation. For the first time in a long time the Van der Sloots have been put on the defensive.  What was supposed to be a media event by the Van der Sloots on ABC TV ironically enough became one that they were center stage in that they did not plan on. Joran Van der Sloot and his parents were served yesterday in New York City.

In documents filed with the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch national, is accused of “malicious, wanton and willful disregard of the rights, safety and well-being of the plaintiffs and their daughter, Natalee Holloway.”

As per CNN, the 16 page law suit makes its case with a mixture of fact and supposition, using a dramatic opening paragraph:

“This is a case about a high-school graduation trip to a tropical paradise that turned to tragedy. The trip was an opportunity for a group of young people to celebrate the end of one phase of their lives and the beginning of another. But for one young woman on that ill-fated trip, paradise it was not. For that young woman, Natalee Holloway, the trip was a brutal contrast to a life full of promise and hope.”

The Van der Sloots were in NYC to do a TV interview with ABC. They had been tracked by a PI team and served simultaneously after they had arrived in New York.

A private detective hired by Holloway’s parents was monitoring their movement and arranged that they be served with the court documents on arrival in the US.

A rather bizarre set of circumstances as they Van der Sloots received much publicity in the media due to this lawsuit. Attention, I am sure they did not intend. It has been reported that the attorney of Joran Van der Sloot, Antonio Carlo, was not thrilled about this trip to New York City. I guess we can now see why.

Joran is represented by lawyer Antonio Carlo, who is also Paulus van der Sloot’s boss on Aruba. Carlo indicated he was not happy about Joran’s trip to America for the ABC interview. “I’m on Aruba, you can draw your own conclusions,” he said. (Expatica)

The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan’s state Supreme Court, seeks unspecified money damages against Joran van der Sloot and his father. There were 3 counts against Joran Van der Sloot and one against his parents, Paul and Anita.

(MSNBC)

(AP) Referring to van der Sloot as “the predator,” the lawsuit says that on at least three occasions young Aruban women have complained they were the victims of “date rape” by him and his accomplices.

(AP) The lawsuit says the father, Paulus van der Sloot, was an enabler of his son’s “violent and anti-social lifestyle.” Court papers say that on the night of May 29, 2005, he went with his underage son to a casino to play poker. It was at that casino that the younger van der Sloot met Holloway, the lawsuit says.

According to the court documents they present a partly speculative version of what occurred the night that was the last that Natalee Holloway was ever seen.

“The next hours of Natalee’s young life were marked by torment, terror and debasement,” court papers say, describing an imagined sexual assault. “Natalee has not been seen or heard from since entering Deepak’s car with Joran.”

MSNBC Video