Legal news
Eric André Sues Atlanta Airport Police Over “Unethical” Drug Search Program
Eric André and fellow comedian Clayton English have filed a lawsuit against the police program at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport claiming they violate the constitutional rights of passengers — particularly Black passengers. According to The Associated Press, the suit filed Tuesday (October 11th) alleges that André and English were racially profiled and illegally stopped while boarding a flight, as part of the police program’s effort to combat drug trafficking. Their lawyers claim that Clayton County police officers and investigators from the county district attorney’s office selectively stop passengers in the jet bridges while boarding, interrogate them, inspect their boarding pass and ID, and sometimes search their luggage before allowing the passengers to board. André...
Bill Murray Paid $100,000 Settlement for “Inappropriate Behavior”: Report
Bill Murray paid a $100,000 settlement to a female staffer on the now-shelved movie, Being Mortal, according to a report in Puck. The news comes as Geena Davis’ new memoir alleges that Murray screamed at her on the set of their 1990 crime comedy, Quick Change. Being Mortal was set to be director Aziz Ansari’s feature film debut before it was shelved due to Murray’s “inappropriate behavior.” At the time, Murray said, “I had a difference of opinion with a woman I’m working with. I did something I thought was funny, and it wasn’t taken that way.” He added, “The world is different than it was when I was a little kid… What I always thought was funny as a little kid isn’t necessarily the same as what’s funny now. Things change and the times change, so it’s...
Rex Orange County Charged With 6 Counts of Sexual Assault in the U.K.
British singer-songwriter Rex Orange County has been charged with six counts of sexual assault in his native U.K., Billboard has confirmed. The charges stem from an accusation that the artist (born Alexander O’Connor) twice assaulted a woman in the West End on June 1. That was allegedly followed by four additional assaults against the same woman the following day: once in a taxi and three more times at his home in London’s Notting Hill district. On Monday (Oct. 10), O’Connor denied all counts during an appearance at Southwark Crown Court in London. He has been set free on unconditional bail ahead of a provisional trial date on Jan. 3. The news was first reported by The Sun. “Alex is shocked by the allegations which he denies and looks forward to clearing his name in court,” said a represen...
Elton John Group Sues Daily Mail for “Criminal Activity and Gross Breaches of Privacy”
Elton John is part of a group suing the publishers of the UK tabloid The Daily Mail for “abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy,” Deadline reports. Prince Harry, actors Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, activist Doreen Lawrence, and John’s partner David Furnish are also joining the suit. The Daily Mail is helmed by Associated Publishers, who also pub The Mail on Sunday and The Mail Online. In a statement, lawyers for the plaintiffs accused Associated Publishers of hiding listening devices in their cars and homes with the aid of private investigators. They allege that the publishers also obtained confidential information by paying cops “with corrupt links to private investigators,” as well as impersonating individuals to a...
Rust and Alec Baldwin Reach Settlement with Halyna Hutchins’ Family, Production to Resume
The family of late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has reached a settlement in their wrongful death lawsuit against producers of Rust including Alec Baldwin, Deadline reports. Production on the Western film is expected to resume in January with Matthew Hutchins, Halyna’s widower, now serving as executive producer. “We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust, including Alec Baldwin and Rust Movie Productions, LLC,” Matthew Hutchins said in a statement. “As part of that settlement, our case will be dismissed.” He added, “The filming of Rust, which I will now executive produce, will resume with all the original principal players on board in January 2023.” “I have no interest in engaging in re...
Angelina Jolie Says Brad Pitt Choked One Child and “Struck Another in the Face”
Angelina Jolie has accused Brad Pitt of choking and striking their children on a 2016 plane ride that took place just days before she filed for divorce. As the New York Times reports, Jolie detailed the altercation in an October 4th filing in a Los Angeles court, which was a response to a lawsuit from Pitt about a French winery the couple once owned together. According to the new filing, “Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face.” He also allegedly “grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her,” and at one point, “he poured beer on Jolie; at another, he poured beer and red wine on the children.” Pitt and Jolie have six children together who currently range in age between 14 and 21. Federal authorities investigated the incident but ultimately declined to...
Kim Kardashian Charged By SEC for Unlawfully Promoting Crypto Currency
Kim Kardashian has been charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission for unlawful promotion of a crypto currency and agreed to pay a $1.26 million fine. According to the SEC, Kardashian used her social media to tout EMAX tokens, a crypto currency sold by EthereumMax, without disclosing the payment she received for the promotion. “This case is a reminder that, when celebrities or influencers endorse investment opportunities, including crypto asset securities, it doesn’t mean that those investment products are right for all investors,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler in a statement. Advertisement Related Video Kardashian neither admitted to nor denied the SEC’s findings, but “wanted to get this matter behind her to avoid a protracted dispute. The agreement she reached with the SEC allows he...
Rammstein Get Restraining Order Blocking Viagogo From Reselling Concert Tickets
Ticket resell websites infamously charge exorbitant rates to concerts and sporting events, and, like the rest of us, Rammstein have grown frustrated with the practice. As such, the German metal band have filed a restraining order against one such website, Viagogo, effectively blocking the platform from selling tickets to their shows. As Louder reports, the restraining order, actioned by the city of Hamburg, prevents Viagogo from reselling tickets to Rammstein’s upcoming 2023 European tour. “Buyers often do not realise that they are not buying their tickets from the organiser but on the secondary ticket market,” attorney Sebastian Ott said. “The legislature has recognised this deficiency and acted. We are pleased that the district court of Hamburg shares our opinion and consistently prohibi...
California Bill Restricts Rap Lyrics from Being Used as Criminal Evidence
Creative expression has scored a major victory in California, as Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill restricting rap lyrics from being used as evidence in court. The Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act was unanimously approved by the state’s senate and assembly back in August before being signed into law. Per Variety, a virtual signing ceremony was held featuring speeches from rappers including Killer Mike, Meek Mill, Too $hort, YG, E-40, and more. CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr. and leaders from the Black Music Action Coalition and Songwriters of North America also joined the ceremony. “For too long, prosecutors in California have used rap lyrics as a convenient way to inject racial bias and confusion into the criminal justice process,” Dina LaPolt, entertainmen...
District Attorney Signals Alec Baldwin May Be Charged in Fatal Rust Shooting
Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies has signaled that Alec Baldwin may soon face charges for his role in the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, Rust. In an August 30th letter first reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican, Carmack-Altwies requested $635,500 to aid in prosecuting the shooting. “If charges are warranted, the [First Judicial District Attorney] anticipates prosecuting up to four individuals. My expenses for the Rust [case] will begin immediately and will be costly,” she wrote. “One of the possible defendants is well-known movie actor Alec Baldwin,” she added, though the letter does not identify other suspects who may be charged. The state gave the district attorney’s office $317,000, and acco...
Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears Child Molestation Lawsuit Dismissed
Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears are no longer facing a child molestation lawsuit after it was dropped by the plaintiff, according to TMZ. The Jane Doe who filed the suit asked the judge to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled. “My family and I have known Tiffany Haddish for many years — and we now know that she would never harm me or my brother or help anyone else do anything that could harm us,” the woman said in a statement. “We wish Tiffany the best and are glad that we can all put this behind us.” In the lawsuit, the plaintiff, now 22, and her brother, now 14, recounted being filmed for sketch videos by Haddish and Spears in which they performed sexually suggestive acts. It accused both comedians of intentional infliction of emotional distress, gross negli...
Ezra Miller Believed They Were “The Next Messiah,” Would “Lead An Indigenous Revolution”
More details have emerged about Ezra Miller’s troubling behavior, with a new report revealing that The Flash actor’s patterned “ebb and flow relationship with mental health” and alleged bouts with “illusions of grandeur” escalated to the point of believing to be “the next Messiah.” The report from Vanity Fair examines the tenuous history of Miller’s mental health crises through the experiences of over a dozen close contacts, who referred to their time with the actor as a “nonconsensual emotional BDSM relationship” and “every interaction with Ezra is an altercation.” Some sources suggest the actor first began to spiral following their parent’s divorce in 2019, but others point to the initial fan-choking incident in Iceland in April 2020. At that time, Miller had hired North Dakota medicine ...
