Legal news
Drake Bell Pleads Guilty to Child Endangerment
Former child actor Drake Bell has pleaded guilty to felony attempted child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. Bell, former star of Nickelodeon’s Drake and Josh, entered the guilty plea via Zoom in a Cleveland, Ohio court on Wednesday. According to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Bell, 34, engaged in an inappropriate online relationship with an underage girl that, “at times, was sexual in nature.” Prosecutors say the girl, then 15, also attended Bell’s 2017 concert in Cleveland. Related Video The attempted endangering children charge relates to the concert, where Bell “violated his duty of care and, in doing so, created a risk of harm to the victim,” according to prosecutors. The dissemination charge ties back to Bell’s online correspond...
Britney Spears Asks for End of Conservatorship at Court Hearing
Britney Spears appeared in Los Angeles court on Wednesday and formally asked a judge to end her decade-long conservatorship. The pop star appeared in court virtually via Zoom, during which she made a strong case for removing her father, Jamie Spears, as conservator. She gave examples of how the conservatorship is abusive, including being put on Lithium and not being able to get married and have a baby. Update: You can read a full transcription of Spears’ remarks in court below. From the very onset of her remarks, she was on the offensive, objecting to a petition for a closed hearing: “They’ve done a good job at exploiting my life. So I feel like it should be an open court hearing and they should listen to what I have to say.” Comparing her situation to “sex trafficking,” Spears said she wa...
Chris Brown Accused of Hitting Woman
Chris Brown has been accused of hitting a woman in Los Angeles, TMZ reports and NBC News confirms. According to a spokesperson for the LAPD, officers responded to reports of an argument at a residence in the San Fernando Valley. The altercation is being investigated as a battery, though it’s not clear at this time if Brown will face charges. Via TMZ’s anonymous police sources — who are often, though certainly not always, accurate — the alleged victim received a smack across her head that caused part of her weave to come out. Reportedly, she sustained no injuries, and Brown has not been arrested. If true, the troubled singer would likely face misdemeanor charges — if he were charged at all. No other relevant information can be confirmed at this time, but the story will be updated as news co...
Report: Britney Spears Has Been Pushing to End Her Father’s Conservatorship for Years
Ahead of Britney Spears’ appearance in court on Wednesday to address the status of her conservatorship, The New York Times has published an expansive report detailing her behind-the-scenes push to change the situation. According to confidential records obtained by The Times, the pop singer has for several years called for the removal of her father from his role as conservator. During a 2014 hearing closed to the public, Britney’s lawyer Samuel Ingham III told the court his client wanted to explore the removal of her father from control of her finances and career. According to Ingham, Spears had raised a “shopping list” of grievances including his drinking. In 2016, a court investigator assigned to Britney’s case reported she felt the conservatorship had become “an oppressive and controllin...
Polo G Arrested in Miami for Battery Against a Police Officer
Polo G was arrested in Miami early Saturday morning on charges of battery against a police officer, resisting arrest, and criminal mischief. The Miami Herald reports that Polo G was booked into the Guilford Knight Correctional Center around 8:00 a.m. local time on Saturday. He was subsequently released after posting a $19,500 bond. In a video uploaded to Instagram, Polo G’s mother and manager, Stacia Mac, said that police pulled over her son and his younger brother while they were riding in a car following an album release party for Polo G’s Hall of Fame, which dropped earlier on Friday. Related Video “My kids called me in a frenzy saying the police are behind them, 20 cars behind them,” Mac said, adding that “They refused to let me speak to my minor son, who is 16 years old.” It’s un...
Lil Reese Arrested on Domestic Violence Charges
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-06T17:47:17+00:00“>June 6, 2021 | 1:47pm ET Lil Reese was arrested late last month on charges of domestic battery. According to a report by TMZ, the “Traffic” rapper was taken into custody on the evening of May 29th after the police were called to his Chicago home following a heated physical confrontation with his girlfriend. The unnamed woman allegedly told police Reese had pulled her hair and struck her in the face with his closed fist — resulting in a visible abrasion to her lip — during an argument. While he was charged with a misdemeanor, Reese soon posted a $10,000 bond and was subsequently released from custody. His spokesperson denied the charge against him, saying, “That...
Drake Bell, Star of Drake and Josh, Charged with Crimes Against a Child
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-04T17:58:13+00:00“>June 4, 2021 | 1:58pm ET Jared Drake Bell, the veteran television actor who starred in Nickelodeon’s Drake and Josh, has been arrested and charged with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and attempted endangering children, according to a local Fox affiliate in Ohio. Details are scarce at this time, but the alleged incident occurred on December 1st, 2017. The actor’s mug shot is dated yesterday, June 3rd, and court documents name the arresting agency as the Cleveland Division of Police. He’s been released on a $2,500 bail bond, which is surprisingly low, and may suggest that the crime is not considered serious. For comparison, when Bell was arre...
Arrest Warrant Issued for Marilyn Manson Over Alleged Assault of Videographer
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-26T00:58:48+00:00“>May 25, 2021 | 8:58pm ET A New Hampshire police department has announced an arrest warrant for Marilyn Manson on assault charges tied to an incident in 2019. Manson (whose real name is Brian Warner) is facing two counts of simple assault for allegedly spitting on a videographer during a concert at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion on August 18th, 2019. Video obtained by TMZ (see below) shows Manson spitting directly into a camera that was being used as part of the in-venue feed. The videographer alleges that some of Manson’s saliva also got on their person, prompting the individual to press charges. Related Video In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Gilford Polic...
Danny Masterson Ordered to Stand Trial on Three Rape Charges
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-21T20:40:27+00:00“>May 21, 2021 | 4:40pm ET On Friday, a judge ordered That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson must stand trial on three counts of rape. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo made the ruling on the fourth day of a preliminary hearing. Masterson, who pleaded not guilty during a January court appearance, faces up to 45 years to life in prison if convicted on all three charges. Each of the three victims gave emotional accounts of how he raped them between 2001 and 2003 during the hearing, which began on Tuesday. As reported by the Associated Press, Olmedo found the women’s testimony credible for the purposes of a preliminary hearing, where the...
Bomb Pussy? Gwyneth Paltrow Sued Over Exploding Vagina Candle
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-18T17:44:21+00:00“>May 18, 2021 | 1:44pm ET Gwyneth Paltrow’s vagina candles keep exploding. In January, shortly after her company Goop unveiled “This Smells Like My Vagina”, a UK woman reported that the new flammable product had ignited in her living room. Now, via TMZ, a Texas man is alleging another fiery eruption, and has filed a lawsuit against Goop for $5 million in damages. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Colby Watson claims to have purchased the candle in January and lit it for the first time in February. After burning for “an estimated three hours or less,” the vagina candle became consumed in flames, shooting off fiery debris like some kind ...
15-Year-Old Admits to Being Trigger Man in Pop Smoke’s Murder, According to Detective’s Testimony
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-09T21:30:55+00:00“>May 9, 2021 | 5:30pm ET A 15-year-old has allegedly admitted to being the trigger man in the murder of rising hip-hop artist Pop Smoke. The revelation came during testimony of LAPD Detective Carlos Camacho at a preliminary hearing for a different defendant in the case, 20-year-old Corey Walker. According to Camacho, the shooter, the youngest of four defendants in the case, admitted to a cellmate at a juvenile detention center that he indeed was the one who pulled the trigger on Pop Smoke. The interview from last May was recorded by police (via The Daily News). According to Detective Camacho’s testimony, the 15-year-old “admitted that they asked for the jewelry”...
Michael Jackson’s Likeness Only Worth $4 Million, According to Tax Court Ruling
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-04T01:58:56+00:00“>May 3, 2021 | 9:58pm ET More than a decade after his death, the value of Michael Jackson’s image and likeness has sunken to a measly $4.15 million. This estimation was set by US Tax Court Judge Mark Holmes, who ruled that the late King of Pop’s worth had drastically declined at the time of his death and has only slid further since then. According to court documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Holmes largely sided with Jackson’s estate in its battle against the IRS. Citing the megastar’s negative public perception even before his death, Holmes pointed out Jackson’s legacy has been further tarnished in recent years. He wrote, “From the time he was a ...
