Legal news
Bam Margera Sues Jackass Producers Claiming Mental Health Discrimination
Former Jackass star Bam Margera is suing producers of the upcoming Jackass film claiming that his exclusion from the project was the result of mental health discrimination. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Margera filed the suit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, seeking an injunction on the release of Jackass Forever, as well as monetary damages. Margera specifically claims that Paramount Pictures, MTV Networks, Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze, and other associated entities violated his civil rights when they forced him to sign a “Wellness Agreement” and then fired him after a positive drug test. Advertisement Related Video According to Margera, the Wellness Agreement required him to blow into a breathalyzer three times a day, submit to a urinalysis twice a week, ha...
Aaliyah’s Albums Coming to Streaming Services Beginning August 20th
For several years now, Aaliyah’s uncle Barry Hankerson has promised that the late R&B pop star’s music would finally be uploaded to streaming services. This time, it’s actually going to happen. In an interview with Billboard, Hankerson revealed that all of Aaliyah’s music will be available on Spotify, Apple Music, and the like starting on August 20th. Technically, fans have had access to Aaliyah’s 1994 debut album Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number and a few early singles for a while now. But the majority of her catalog, including 1996’s One in a Million and 2001’s self-titled album, have been unavailable to stream this whole time. According to Hankerson, who owned the original Blackground Records and the majority of Aaliyah’s masters aside from her debut LP, that decision was in accordanc...
Dizzee Rascal Charged with Assault in London
Dizzee Rascal, a pioneer of UK grime that influenced modern British hip-hop, has been charged with assault following an incident in south London that left a woman with minor injuries. London’s Metropolitan Police released a statement earlier today about Dylan Kwabena Mills, Dizzee Rascal’s birth name. “Dylan Mills, 36, of Sevenoaks, Kent, has been charged with assault after an incident at a residential address in Streatham on 8 June,” it reads. “Officers attended and a woman reported minor injuries. She did not require hospital treatment.” Dizzee Rascal was arrested at the scene on suspicion of common assault, but he was later released on bail. According to the Associated Press, he’s now expected to appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court in south London on September 3rd. Police did not provi...
Britney Spears Files to Have Her Father Removed From Conservatorship
After being granted the right to hire her own lawyer earlier this month, Britney Spears is ramping up her efforts to end her conservatorship: On Monday, the singer’s new lawyer filed to have Spears’ father removed from the 13-year conservatorship, the New York Times reports. The petition was filed in Los Angeles probate court by Mathew S. Rosengart, a well-known Hollywood lawyer who recently took over to represent Britney in the ongoing #FreeBritney case. According to the Times, the filing also requests that Jason Rubin, a certified public accountant in California, be named the new conservator of Britney’s estate. Advertisement Related Video Declarations from Britney’s mother, Lynne, and the conservator of her person, Jodi Montgomery, are attached in support of Britney’s petition, accordin...
Liam Gallagher’s Son and Ringo Starr’s Grandson Headed to Trial for Racially Aggravated Assault
Liam Gallagher’s son, Ringo Starr’s grandson, and model Noah Ponte are headed to trial next year after being charged with racially aggravated assault, affray, and theft. The inciting incident occurred back in May 2019 when Gene Gallagher and Sonny Stark, who were 17 years old at the time, allegedly started a fight in a Tesco alongside Ponte. Late one night inside a Tesco Express in Hampstead, North London, the three teenagers were described as “windmilling” down an aisle when one of the shopkeepers tried to stop them exiting the store. Things got violent after Ponte was denied trying to buy beer after midnight — the store’s cut-off for alcohol purchases goes into effect at 11:00 p.m. — and threatened to act out. He allegedly told an employee, “You bloody Indians. Go back to where you came ...
Lawmakers Introduce Conservatorship Reform Bill Inspired by Britney Spears
Britney Spears is on everyone’s mind lately, not just celebrities and longtime friends. A new bipartisan bill has been introduced to the US House of Representatives that’s directly influenced by Spears’ ongoing conservatorship battle. If passed, the bill would make it easier for people under conservatorships to seek a different guardian other than the one appointed to them by the court if they’re experiencing abuse or fraud, reports The New York Times. Introduced by Representatives Charlie Crist (D-Florida) and Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina), the bill is called the Freedom and Right to Emancipate from Exploitation Act, or the FREE Act — a clever nod to the #FreeBritney movement that the pop star herself has embraced. It was introduced by the sponsors Representatives Charlie Crist (D-Florida...
Diplo Sexual Assault Accuser Drops Lawsuit
A woman who accused Diplo of sexual assault has filed to dismiss her lawsuit. According to documents viewed by Consequence, the case will be dismissed with prejudice, which would forbid the plaintiff from pursuing another lawsuit on the same grounds. “In light of the evidence and after consultation with my attorneys, I have decided to withdraw my lawsuit,” the plaintiff, known as E.K., said in a statement. “No payment was offered or requested. I regret filing the lawsuit.” E.K.’s attorney confirmed that the lawsuit has been withdrawn. “As we said when we first learned of this lawsuit, there was absolutely irrefutable evidence that proved that the allegations it contained were false,” said Diplo’s attorney Bryan Freedman. “As soon as we shared that plethora of evidence with the plainti...
Two Former Sex Pistols Sue John Lydon over Music Licensing in Danny Boyle Miniseries
Two former Sex Pistols — guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook — are suing John “Johnny Rotten” Lydon for blocking the licensing of the group’s music for Danny Boyle’s Sex Pistols miniseries. Pistol is a six-episode limited series that’s been adapted from Jones’ 2017 memoir Lonely Boy: Tales From a Sex Pistol. It’s been causing tension among the onetime bandmates ever since it was announced, and while legal action isn’t a surprise, the direction of it is. In April, it was Lydon who threatened to sue, called the decision not to hire him as a consultant “disrespectful.” His attempts to curmudgeon his way into a check didn’t work, and he’s now trying to grind the production to a halt by refusing to grant permission for the group’s songs. As The Associated Press reports, J...
Britney Spears Uses #FreeBritney Hashtag in Instagram Post Celebrating Court Ruling
The #FreeBritney movement has been pop culture canon for quite a while now, and it’s been cemented even further now that its namesake has finally utilized the hashtag on her own social media. Celebrating Wednesday’s court ruling that she can at last hire her own lawyer, Britney Spears shared a gleeful Instagram post expressing her gratitude with clips of herself horseback riding and doing cartwheels. Tacked on at the end of the caption was a cheeky “#FreeBritney.” “Coming along, folks … coming along,” Spears wrote, with a middle-finger emoji for good measure. “New with real representation today … I feel GRATITUDE and BLESSED !!!! Thank you to my fans who are supporting me … You have no idea what it means to me be supported by such awesome fans !!!! God bless you all !!!!! Pssss this is me ...
Judge Approves Britney Spears’ Request to Hire Her Own Lawyer
A judge has approved Britney Spears’ request to hire her own private counsel to represent her in her ongoing conservatorship case. In the wake of Britney’s damning public testimony last month, her court appointed attorney, Sam Ingham, tendered his resignation. During a hearing on Wednesday, Judge Brenda Penny approved Ingham’s request to remove himself from the case, while allowing Britney to retain her own representation for the first time since the conservatorship was put into place some 13 years ago. TMZ reports that Britney has already picked Matthew Rosengart to replace Ingham. A one-time federal prosecutor, Rosengart is now a go-to attorney for A-list clients including Madonna, Sean Penn, and Steven Spielberg. Advertisement Related Video Britney herself appeared in court on Wednesday...
Roy Moore’s $95 Million “Pedophile Wand” Lawsuit Against Sacha Baron Cohen Thrown Out
Sacha Baron Cohen’s money, like teenage girls, should be kept out of Roy Moore’s reach. That’s the gist of a ruling from a New York judge, who has tossed out a $95 million lawsuit alleging that a segment in the show Who Is America? made Moore appear even more like a pedophile than he already did. During their interview, Cohen used a wand said to detect child sex offenders on Moore, and it beeped. That made Moore angry enough to seek legal recompense, but according to court documents viewed by TMZ, he actually signed a waiver ahead of filming giving up his right to sue. The judge also noted that Who Is America? is clearly satire, and protected as free speech under the 1st Amendment. Moore is one of the more loathsome footnotes in America’s political history. He twice ser...
Drake Bell Sentenced to Two Years Probation for Child Endangerment, Victim Calls Him a “Pedophile”
Jared Drake Bell, best known for Nickelodeon’s Drake and Josh, has been sentenced to two years probation for child endangerment, People reports. He is also required to complete 200 hours of community service. Charges were brought against the former child star in early June, and on June 24th he pleaded guilty to felony attempted child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. On Monday, July 12th, the 35-year-old actor appeared virtually in a Cleveland court to hear his sentence. His victim, now 19, made a public statement for the first time during the hearing. She called the actor, “The epitome of evil,” claiming that he began grooming her at the age of 12 and allegedly sexually abused her at the age of 15, sending her photos of...
