Archive for 'Legal Drama'
Kate Winslet Wins Law Suit Against ‘The Daily Mail’ UK
Posted on 04. Nov, 2009 by CSS.
Lawyers for Kate Winslet say the actress has accepted more than $40,000 in damages after The Daily Mail falsely reported in January she lied about her exercise regime.
Winslet — who won a Golden Globe and an Oscar earlier this year for the 2008 film The Reader –has been an outspoken critic of excessive dieting. In 2007, she won damages against a British magazine which wrongly stated she had visited a diet doctor.
Kate was not in court for yesterday morning’s settlement, but wanted an apology “to demonstrate my commitment to the views that I have always expressed about body issues, including diet and exercise,” her lawyer said.
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France Convicts The Church Of Scientology Of Fraud
Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by CSS.
The Church of Scientology was convicted of fraud and six of its members ordered to pay as much as $595,000 each, prosecutors in France said Tuesday.
The suit was brought by two plaintiffs, who testified that the Church — which is classified as a sect in France — and its members defrauded them through the use of a so-called electropsychometer, or E-Meter, that allegedly measures spiritual well-being, Religion News Blog has learned.
The plaintiffs said they were encouraged to pay thousands of dollars for unnecessary vitamins and books after the device was used on them.
The judgment comes in the middle of a tough week for Xenu followers; on Monday, Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis severed ties with the Church after more than 30 years and just last Friday Celebrity Center boss Tommy Davis walked out of an interview with Nightline’s Martin Bashir, after the two sparred over Bashir’s line of questioning.
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Al Pacino Male Gigalo
Posted on 13. Oct, 2009 by CSS.
Meet Al Pacino, Male Gigolo. The 69-year-old film legend has confessed that as a young struggling actor he once sold his body in exchange for food and shelter.
Pacino — who would go on to star in classic motion pictures like The Godfather Trilogy, Scarface, and Carlito’s Way — had been living in his family’s native Sicily after dropping out of school to pursue his dream of acting.
“At 20, I lived in Sicily by selling the only asset I had – my body,” Pacino told The New York Post Monday. “An older woman traded food and housing in return for sex. I woke mornings not really loving myself.”
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Britney Spears Is Going To Petition The Court For Full Custody Of Her Sons
Posted on 07. Oct, 2009 by CSS.
Britney Spears is preparing to move for full custody of her two sons with former husband Kevin Federline, The National Enquirer claims in its Oct. 19 issue.
The “Toxic” star is considering filing a motion to restore her rights as primary guardian of sons Sean Preston, 4, and Jayden James, 3, once her conservatorship with father Jamie Spears ends in November.
“She is ready to fight to get her boys back. Britney feels that leaving Kevin in charge has turned her sons into cursing, ill-mannered little boys who don’t behave. Britney wants to be the one who chooses where the boys go to school and where they go to church,” a spy spilled to The Enquirer.
Tipsters say Britney is concerned about the way her sons are being raised by Federline — who was accused this week of property damage and failing to keep up with rent payments on his Tarzana home.
“She wants full custody and for Kevin to have visitation. Britney feels that Kevin is now the one with problems that the judge needs to hear about. She believes he’s become a poor role model for Sean and Jayden,” the insider added. “The boys are used to Kevin’s foul-mouthed, lazy, unemployed dancer friends, who either live at the house or hang out there. Britney doesn’t want the boys growing up thinking that kind of lifestyle is acceptable.”
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Latest Update In The Death Of A.J. Jewell Ex-Fiance To Kandi Burruss, “The Real Housewives Of Atlanta”
Posted on 07. Oct, 2009 by CSS.
The ex-fiance of “Housewives” star Kandi Burruss was walking and talking after the fight that led to his death.
Initial reports made it seem like Ashley “A.J.” Jewell was left for dead after the fight — which occurred outside of a strip club in Atlanta on Friday night — but law enforcement sources say that wasn’t the case.
Witnesses told authorities A.J. was walking and talking after the fight — and he didn’t even take an ambulance to the hospital, instead hitching a ride with one of his friends.
Suspect Fredrick Richardson is being held without bail and has been charged with voluntary manslaughter.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office says A.J.’s body showed evidence of a physical altercation — and they’re trying to determine the extent of those injuries while also looking to see if there “was another cause of death.”
The M.E.’s Office also says contrary to other reports, there were no stab wounds found on Jewell’s body.
Fredrick Richardson is being represented by Atlanta defense attorney Dennis Scheib.
Here’s what the AJC had to say about yesterday’s court appearance:
Richardson, his right fingers in a cast, said little during his first court appearance Tuesday morning.
Coming into the jail courtroom, Richardson waived to his 70-year-old mother and one of three children sitting in the rear, behind a glass partition. He spoke only to acknowledged to the judge that he understood the charges against him and that he had an attorney.
While waiting for the hearing to start, Scheib told reporters Jewell started the dispute with Richardson, the general manager at the club since May.
Scheib said Jewell was stretched out on Richardson’s sofa in his office “with a gun” beside him earlier in the day Friday.
Richardson said to Jewell “‘what are you doing?’ He [Jewell] said ‘I’ve got something for you,’” Scheib said.
According to Richardson, Scheib said, Jewell then pulled back the slide on the handgun.
Later in the parking lot, “A.J. comes out and says ‘I’ve got something for you.’ He takes off his shirt.. and hits Richardson twice,” Scheib said.
The two exchange blows and then Richardson leaves the parking lot. He went to the hospital to have his broken index finger treated. Scheib said. As Richardson was driving out of the parking lot, “A.J. was walking away. He wasn’t beaten to death,” Scheib said.
Jewell died later that night at Piedmont Hospital
“We don’t know what killed him,” Scheib said, complaining that a manslaughter charge is premature.
Scheib said Jewell may have had a health problem that caused his death.
Detectives said the deadly argument apparently came out of a slight and a disagreement over the club.
“They had some words about a business decision,” said Lt. Keith Meadows, head of the Atlanta Police Department’s homicide unit. “It seems like there was a struggle for power over the club.”
Fredrick is due back in court on October 20.
It is going to be very interesting to hear all the facts come out in this case. From the argument Fredrick’s attorney is making, it appears Jewell may have been the cause of his own fate.
On a sidenote: The Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion show was set to tape today-no word on if that has been postponed or how involved Kandi will be.
**AJ’s funeral will be held Friday at the Ray of Hope Christian Church on Snapfinger Road in DeKalb County. The time has not yet been determined. A visitation will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Donald Trimble Mortuary in Decatur.
Related Stories:
“The Real Housewives Of Atlanta” Kandi Burruss Releases Statement Following Death Of Her Ex-Fiance Ashley ‘A.J.’ Jewell
‘Real Housewives Of Atlanta’ Star Kandi Burruss Former Fiance AJ Jewell Murdered.
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Erin Andrews Thanks Law Enforcement For Catching Stalker Michael David Barrett
Posted on 05. Oct, 2009 by CSS.
ESPN reporter Erin Andrews has issued a statement thanking Assistant United States Attorney Wes Hsu and Special Agents for their “dedicated service” in arresting a reporter accused of filming the reporter without her knowledge or consent on multiple occasions while she was staying in hotels around the country.
Michael David Barrett was arrested on a charge of interstate stalking at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport on Friday night. The Chicago-area man is charged with filming surreptitious nude videos of Andrews and later trying to sell them to TMZ.
“I hope that today’s action will help the countless others who have been similarly victimized,” Andrews said in a statement Sunday. “I will make every effort to strengthen the laws on a state and federal level to better protect victims of criminal stalking. I am also grateful to those who have expressed their concerns and good wishes for my family and me.”
Erin’s attorney, Marshall Grossman, credits the lady herself for the advancement in this case: “She has worked side by side with law enforcement to reconstruct the events and provide leads which have led directly to [Friday's] action.”
Mark David Barrett, a 47-year-old Chicago man will be arraigned later today.
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Jon Vs. Kate: The Battle Continues… Jon Gosselin Cleans Out Joint Bank Account
Posted on 04. Oct, 2009 by CSS.
According to RadarOnline, Jon cleared out the couple’s joint bank account to the tune of $200,000, leaving his estranged wife with just $1,000. A second account, set up for the Gosselin children, was untouched, Radar claims.
Earlier this week, Jon waged war against TLC, the parent network of his family’s reality series Jon & Kate Plus 8, recently-renamed Kate Plus 8, after demanding the network halt production on the show.
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Michael David Barrett Arrested For Making Video Tapes of Erin Andrews In Her Hotel Room
Posted on 03. Oct, 2009 by CSS.
A Chicago-area man accused of taking nude videos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews in a hotel room and then putting them on the Internet was arrested at Chicago’s O’Hare airport Friday night, the FBI said in a statement Saturday.
Michael David Barrett, 48, has been slapped with federal charges of interstate stalking for taking the videos, posting the videos online and trying to sell them to celebrity website TMZ.com, according to federal officials.
Barrett, of Westmont, Ill., was arrested after returning from a trip to Buffalo, N.Y., authorities said.
Seven of the eight videos posted online were taken through a modified door peephole while Andrews was alone and undressed in hotel rooms in Nashville, Tenn., in September 2008. Investigators believe the eighth video was taken in a hotel in Milwaukee in July 2008.
FBI agents believe Barrett requested a Nashville hotel room next to Andrews’ and rigged the door’s peephole.
Erin Andrews has covered hockey, college football, college basketball and Major League Baseball as a sideline reporter for ESPN since 2004.
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Beyonce’s Father Mathew Knowles Paternity Suit
Posted on 03. Oct, 2009 by CSS.
Papa Knowles Was A Rolling Stone…A Los Angeles woman has filed a paternity suit against music mogul Mathew Knowles, father of R&B superstar Beyonce Knowles-Carter and singer Solange Knowles.
According to a scoop from TMZ.com, Alexsandra Wright, who is in her late 30s and six months pregnant, filed a petition for child support in Los Angeles Superior Court last week, claiming Mathew is the father of her unborn child. The expectant mother is represented by attorney Neal Hersh.
Mathew and wife Tina Knowles have been married since 1980.
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Mel Gibson Petitioning California Court To Expunge 2006 DUI From His Record
Posted on 29. Sep, 2009 by CSS.
Mel Gibson has petitioned a California court to have a notorious drunk driving arrest expunged from his record.
In June 2006, the Braveheart actor was arrested after getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, and was sentenced to three years’ probation the following month on a misdemeanor driving under the influence (DUI) charge.
He successfully attended a 12-step program for 11 months, underwent an alcohol abuse education course, and also handed over his driver’s license for 90 days as part of his rehabilitation. Now the soon-to-be father of eight has filed legal papers, obtained by TMZ.com, that indicate his lawyer will be in court in next month to have the DUI removed from his record because he has completed the terms of his probation.
