Caroline-RHONJ Deposed In Maher Lawsuit

Article from NJ.com

Vicki Hyman/The Star-Ledger
“Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Caroline Manzo has been deposed in a $5 million defamation lawsuit filed against Danielle Staub by Staub's ex-husband Kevin Maher.

“Caroline Manzo saw Danielle Staub for who she truly is right off the bat and never gave Danielle the opportunity to hurt her like the rest of the housewives did,” Maher says via email, “therefore we felt that Caroline’s testimony would be impartial and the most valued in these proceedings.”

Maher sued Staub last year after his ex-wife told media outlets that Maher raped her and continually beat her, which Maher has denied. Her relationship to Maher and her criminal past came out during the show’s first season, when Manzo dug up a copy of “Cop Without a Badge,” about Maher’s journey from ex-con to confidential informant; his relationship with Staub, whom he describes as a "coke whore," is a small but very entertaining part of the book.

Also aiding Maher in his lawsuit: Steve Zalewski, whom Staub sued last year over his purported attempt to leak a sex tape (Zalewski returned fire on Staub last month, alleging defamation and harassment), and Daniel Aguilar, a onetime drug drealer with whom Staub was arrested in a kidnapping and drugs scheme. Aguilar spent 15 years in prison after Staub cooperated with authorities in the case, and recently phoned up the reality show star to ask for the $100,000 he paid to bail her out of jail all those years ago, RadarOnline reports. Staub then called police to claim Aguilar is stalking her, says Aguilar, who soon got a call from a detective about the incident.

Maher plans to file another defamation suit against Staub within the next week about her memoir, “The Naked Truth,” in which she further details their allegedly abusive relationship.

Staub's lawyer Bob Cherry had no comment, not even to say whether he was representing Staub in this matter or not.