Crowe blackmail trial postponed

The trial in Australia of three men accused of trying to blackmail film star Russell Crowe over his alleged role in a fight was postponed today after claims of prejudicial media coverage.

Philip Antony Cropper, 36, and Malcolm Brian Mercer, 37, are both accused of attempting to extort money from Crowe. They also are charged, along with Mark James Potts, 42, with perverting the course of justice.

They face a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail if convicted.

The trio is accused of attempting to extort a large sum of money from Crowe in exchange for destroying a security video which allegedly shows him involved in a fight outside a night club in 1999 in Coffs Harbour, the town on Australia’s east coast where the Gladiator star owns a ranch.

In a pretrial hearing at the Coffs Harbour District Court today, Judge David Freeman agreed to postpone the trial because of concerns about media reports which had appeared over the weekend.

Defence lawyers argued that some of the reports were prejudicial to their client’s case.

‘‘There are some difficulties as to potential unfairness as to material provided in one (media) outlet,’’ Freeman said without elaborating.

Freeman said it was not his intention to muzzle the press. ‘‘I am simply asking that you exercise good judgment,’’ he told reporters.

Crowe was not in court for today’s hearing.

The case is expected to resume in June, but no firm date was set.