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Harvey Weinstein: Three Decades More Than Enough

Celeb News, Celebrities, Harvey Weinstein

The New York Times lit a match and set Harvey Weinstein’s career ablaze on October 5th, 2017 with a scathing report that the Hollywood power player has been sexually harassing actresses and female employees for decades.

The report is a play-by-play of assault and harassment that makes Bill O’Reilly look downright saintly. There is the story of Ashley Judd meeting Mr. Weinstein at his hotel for what she thought was a business meeting. Instead, she was sent to his room, greeted by Weinstein in a bathrobe, and asked “if he could give her a massage of she could watch him shower.” There’s the particularly troubling story of Emily Nestor, who only made it one day as a temp for Mr. Weinstein. She, too, was invited to his hotel, but made another offer, according to the New York Times. Weinstein allegedly told her that if she was sexual with him, he would give her career a much needed boost. Nestor reported him to her colleagues. The next year, another assistant’s account of harassment upset her colleague to the point that she wrote a memo that read, “There is a toxic environment for women at this company.” Toxic? That’s perhaps the understatement of the year! Her memo also poignantly points out just how easy it was for one of Hollywood’s most powerful men to take advantage of women as he did. “I am a 28-year-old woman trying to make a living and a career. Harvey Weinstein is a 64-year-old, world famous man and this is his company. The balance of power is me: 0, Harvey Weinstein: 10.”

Adding to the New York Times expose was the second punch by the New Yorker. This article, written by Ronan Farrow (son of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen), included even more serious claims — allegations of rape. Farrow said, “Three women told me that Weinstein raped them, allegations that include Weinstein forcibly performing or receiving oral sex and forcing vaginal sex. Four women said that they experienced unwanted touching that could be classified as an assault.” In fact, in 2015 the NYPD engaged in a sting operation in which an audio recording captured Weinstein admitting to groping a model named Ambra Battilana Gutierrez. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office declined to press charges. This decision apparently surprised the officers involved in the operation but recently the prosecutor’s office said this about their decision: “While the recording is horrifying to listen to, what emerged from the audio was insufficient to prove a crime under New York law, which requires prosecutors to establish criminal intent.”

We at PROOF do not agree with this legal determination but perhaps there are other factors we are not privy to that played into this decision. We do believe, however, that this is Harvey’s last lucky break. NYPD and the DA’s office will no doubt be looking more seriously and closely into the claims of rape. Currently, there are allegations that at least one of them occurred in New York. Note that for at least the last ten years, New York does not have a statute of limitations on rape so many cases will not be time barred. And, as of this writing, there are 4 sexual assault investigations underway in London. There is no statute of limitations on sex crimes in the United Kingdom.

Over the years, Weinstein has settled at least eight claims that were brought against him for inappropriate behavior toward women. We do not yet know if the settlements stemmed from incidents of alleged assault or harassment because the settlements are confidential. The parties to the settlements could not divulge information or talk about them BUT that does not mean the information and the witnesses (parties, victims) can’t be subpoenaed in future legal actions, including criminal investigations. While some of the clauses in the agreement will likely receive protection if/when the agreements lose their “confidential status” much of their contents will be discoverable whether it is a civil or criminal matter.

The news is coming out fast and furious about Weinstein. As of this writing, his wife has left him, he has been fired by his own company, he has been kicked out of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences, USC has returned his $5 million donation, and near daily women are reporting their experiences with him. Just about everything about this matter is disgusting and what makes it even worse is the way that Weinstein presented himself as a supporter of women. His company distributed “The Hunting Ground” a movie about sexual assault on college campuses. He donated and held fundraisers for Hillary Clinton, he employed Obama’s daughter Malia as an intern. He joined a women’s march in Utah. Talk about a sheep in wolf’s clothing.

It seems as if it has been weeks since his initial statement to the press (as of this posting it has been only 10 days), when, in explaining his conduct, he said, “I came of age in the 60’s and 70’s, when all the rules about behavior and workplaces were different. Really? Actually, they weren’t so different. Women didn’t enjoy being harassed or assaulted back then either. He continued though by saying that he learned from the past and has changed. He acknowledged that his behavior “has caused a lot of pain, and [he] sincerely apologizes for it.” Standard issues, boilerplate mea culpa from Weinstein. In light of the breadth and depth of his misconduct, we at PROOF can’t recall a more hollow and meaningless public apology.

What about that defamation suit Weinstein threatened to file against the New York Times? He has already fired the lawyer he hired, Charles Harder. (Harder famously won Hulk Hogan a $140 million settlement against Gawker, click here to read more about that.) For anyone who still cares about Weinstein’s described as his motives for the suit, here’s his explanation: I am suing because of the Times’ inability to be honest with me, and their reckless reporting. They told me lies. They made assumptions.” Okay, Harvey.

The Hollywood casting couch has been around since the early 1900s. Most in Hollywood knew of Weinstein’s couch or what we at PROOF like to call an entire furniture store. There were jokes on sitcoms (30 Rock), comments on award shows (Seth MacFarlane at the 2013 Academy awards), and general conversations among scores of women in Hollywood about his behavior. Perhaps not everyone knew (Meryl Streep?!) about Hollywood’s biggest yet dirtiest little secret but it’s well past the time to expose it and to expose it on the level in which it is being exposed. Maybe this will be the tipping point in the way Hollywood has been run for decades, maybe it will serve as a deterrent we are hopeful that it will be. In the meantime, we will keep a careful eye on all the legal issues that will be the very predictable fallout surrounding this former Tinseltown titan.

Jeffrey Tambor Leaves ‘Transparent’ Amid Accusations of Sexual Misconduct

Celeb News, Celebrities, Jeffrey Tambor

The flood of accusations of sexual misconduct continue to flow in from Tinsel Town. We can now add Jeffrey Tambor to the list of names that is the ever-growing list of predatory men in Hollywood. Tambor was accused of sexual misconduct by both his assistant, Van Barnes, and his co-star, Trace Lysette, and the story is really heating up.

On November 8^th, 2017, Deadline broke the news that, just three weeks after Amazon Studios’ Roy Price resigned over sexual harassment claims, Amazon was also looking into allegations against Transparent actor Jeffrey Tambor. Tambor’s assistant, Van Barnes, made claims of sexual misconduct in a private Facebook post (lol? Private Facebook post?) and stated that her former boss had propositioned her, made lewd comments towards her, and groped her. Then, he threatened to sue her if she spoke up. Barnes did not use Tambor’s name but it was clear he was the boss in question. Abuse of power?

True to Hollywood form, Tambor immediately called the accusations “baseless” and went so far as to suggest that Barnes was a “disgruntled assistant.”

Initially it seems as if some people may have believed him (we at PROOF were a wee bit surprised but sadly it’s pretty damn hard to be surprised by any of this anymore), especially considering the zeal with which Tambor denied the allegations. But then, his co-star Trace Lysette leveled similar accusations against the actor. She wrote on Twitter that Tambor had “made many sexual advances and comments at me, but one time it got physical. She then goes on to describe a disturbing encounter after a scene in which she was wearing pajamas. When Tambor saw her in her costume, he “sexualized [her] with an over the top comment.” Women are all too used to just shutting down those comments and moving on, which is what Lysette did in this situation. But then, it got physically uncomfortable.

“Later, in between takes, I stood in a corner on set…My back against the wall in a corner as Jeffrey approached me. He came in close, put his bare feet on top of mine so I could not move, leaned his body against me, and began quick, discreet thrusts back and forth against my body.” Again, Lysette “shook it off.” And how utterly humiliating it must have been to have to shake it off. We’re proud of her for deciding that she had shaken it off enough, and for calling Amazon to action.

In response to these allegations, Tambor admitted that he “can be volatile and ill-tempered…But I have never been a predator—ever.” Well, Tambor, your volatility and ill-temperament have no place in Hollywood. And, sorry, they seem predatory and unsafe and violative.

Amazon had opened an investigation into the actor’s conduct, but before they could make the results of that investigation public, Tambor resigned from the role of Maura Pfefferman on Transparent.

Tambor gave the following statement on the matter to NPR:

“Playing Maura Pfefferman on Transparent has been one of the greatest privileges and creative experiences of my life. What has become clear over the past weeks, however, is that this is no longer the job I signed up for four years ago. I’ve already made clear my deep regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being aggressive, but the idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue. Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to ‘Transparent.’ ”

It looks like it’s a “politicized atmosphere” that is keeping Tambor from returning to set, which reads a whole lot like “people are believing these women over me and I don’t want to argue for myself anymore.” It also sounds like Amazon was on their way to writing Tambor out of the fifth season of the show, which is similar to the decision made by Netflix writers who are now deciding how to handle Kevin Spacey’s exit from House of Cards after allegations of sexual misconduct were levied against him.

So far no lawsuits have been filed against Tambor but we can’t express how proud we are of these women who continue to speak up after years of being silenced. As with all the other victims we’ve written about, Lysette and Van Barnes, we stand with you.

Murder, Trademark Violations and the Drug Cartel: A Popular Netflix Show Finds Itself in Legal Trouble

Celeb News, Celebrities

No doubt Netflix didn’t expect all of this when they greenlighted the series about the drug cartel, but things are getting scarier by the day.

Narcos has been a popular pick for those of us looking for a Netflix binge, but the show’s subject matter is causing quite a stir lately. In case you haven’t seen the show, it centers around the drug cartel, namely Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. Yours truly has stayed up many a night watching this violent dramatic series but we too were surprised when the violence became all too real.

On September 11th, 2017, tragedy struck when Carlos Munoz Portal, a location scout for the show, was killed on the job. This is beyond tremendously sad for Portal’s friends and loved ones and it’s also been a wakeup call for the entire cast and crew of the show.

It’s not just violence plaguing the show, Netflix is caught in the middle of a messy trademark dispute with Escobar’s family. Escobar’s brother, Roberto De Jesus Escobar Gaviria spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and it was…well, interesting. The 71-year-old surviving brother of the drug kingpin even went so far as to suggest that producers would be better off hiring “hitmen…as security.” It’s his position that the producers can’t handle the world of the cartel in locations like Mexico and Colombia. With Portal’s death, he might not be too wrong– it’s not like they’re shooting a series in Disney World–but it would seem that Mr. Gaviria word choice is almost…well, how best to put this? Threatening?

Gaviria isn’t playing around when it comes to money he believes his company is owed for what he sees are trademark violations. In fact, he has said that he would “close their little show” if they did not give Escobar Inc., $1 billion. That’s billion with a ‘B.’ What does he base this claim on? Apparently, Escobar Inc. believes they have trademarked the words Narcos and Cartel Wars. He goes so far as saying that “Netflix are scared. They sent us a long letter to threaten us.”

Indeed, Narcos productions’ lawyers, the law firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP who represent many large influential companies (You know it’s serious when the guys who have dealt with every Chipotle e-coli scare get involved) did send a letter, which was then obtained exclusively by The Hollywood Reporter, and we’re here to break it down for you.

Narcos production or NPL contends that, without their “knowledge or consent, on August 20th, 2016, Escobar filed use-based applications to register the marks Narcos and Cartel Wars with the [U.S. Patent and Trademark Office] covering a range of goods and services.” Essentially, they’re saying that Escobar Inc. trademarked these words associated with Narcos to profit off of the television show, and did it under the guise of “operating a website” and “game services provided online from a computer network” since January of (get this) 1986. I know to some of our PROOF readers it seems as if the Internet has been around forever but Netflix was quick to point out that “the internet has not been developed for widespread consumer use in 1986.” For those of you that remember, game systems weren’t exactly high tech either. Looks like Escobar Inc. is trying to pull the wool over Narcos Production’s eyes. The letter goes so far as to call the claims “fraudulent.”

Oh, and moreover, not only is Escobar Inc. trying to make a buck from Narcos in terms of merchandise, they’re ripping off their artwork and designs in order to do so. They’ve taken artwork from Narcos Production’s advertising, or at the very least are using pieces of artwork “that infringes NPL’s copyrights.” Now, who isn’t being respectful of someone’s intellectual property? Then, team Netflix/Narcos pulls out the big guns: they threaten to sue the Escobar family if they do not remedy the situation.

Acceptable remedies include paying damages that Narcos Productions has suffered as a result of the infringement and profits that Escobar Inc. has earned from the alleged unauthorized use of the Narcos and Cartel Wars marks, attorney’s fees. They also seek the barring of the registration of the terms Narcos and Cartel Wars as trademarks, as well as the issuance of a nationwide injunction against Escobar’s use of the marks or anything “confusingly similar.” Essentially Narcos and Netflix and not flinching in the face of Escobar’s claims and are saying just the opposite–you guys are violating our rights so pay up, stop and don’t do it anymore.

But Escobar Inc. doesn’t seem to be seeing it that way. In fact, it seems as if they think they have the upper hand. Their CEO, Olof Gusafsson said, “At first, they refused to acknowledge us. After we registered all the trademarks and we’ve been granted some of them, they sent us a cease-and-desist letter. After that our attorneys and their attorneys have come to an agreement that basically they need to pay us something. Now it’s a matter of determining how much that something is,” Gustafsson says.

And to twist the knife just a little deeper, Gusafsson adds, “At the end of the day, if we don’t take a deal, then we own the trademarks. They would have to rebrand their entire show. They know this. This is why they’re talking to us. Otherwise they would never entertain any discussions with a drug cartel family.” Not so fast, Gusafsson. It’s highly unlikely that the Escobar family was granted a trademark for the word Narcos because it is a word that literally means “anyone involved in the cartel.” Additionally, in a high profile case like this, it’s pretty obvious that the word was copied only because of the popular Netflix show. Now, Netflix may not have registered the title of the show, so it could be fair game, but these are all details we have yet to find out.

As for a settlement? Well, they require a certain degree of reasonableness on both sides. There is a lot of money at stake and a lot of money being made on this hit show so a payoff can make this go away. It’s all going to come down to how much and if that payout will be final.

We at PROOF do think given all there is to lose that money will trade hands. How much and when will depend on a lot of additional facts that we do not yet know. However, maybe we are too influenced by the show and the power of the Escobar family but we hope that Netflix can resolve these intellectual property) matters quickly so that they can focus on the safety of the cast and crew. At this point, that seems to be the more pressing issue, don’t you agree?

Celebrity Herpes Lawsuits | Celebrity News | PROOF with Jill Stanley

Lawsuits: Celebs and Herpes

Athletes, Celebrities, Celebrity Lawsuits, Jim Carrey, Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries, Michael Vick, Robin Williams

PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

The information in this post falls so squarely in the category of “stuff everyone should know” that I made my three teenage sons read it. Twice. Here’s the main takeaway: if you give someone an STD you can be sued; if you get an STD you can sue the person who gave it to you. You can stop reading now if you want or continue on and learn how you can protect yourself from such suits.

Lawsuits for the transmission of an STD can be based on theories of negligence and/or intentional acts and can include counts for fraud and emotional distress. In certain situations, criminal charges can also be brought. Celebrities are not immune from these suits and in fact, may be bigger targets than regular folks because they have deep pockets (translation: they have the money to pay for a verdict or settlement).

One celeb (ok, quasi-celeb) slapped with a herpes suit was Kris Humphries. Remember him? Kim Kardashian’s second husband? Might be hard as they were only married for 72 days in 2011 and with all of the fame Kim K has experienced since then it almost seems like that never happened, right? Well, back pedal to 2010. Kris is just a basketball player and not yet trying to keep up with the Kardashians when he has a one-night stand with a woman named Kayla Goldberg. A week after their night of unprotected sex, Kayla is diagnosed with herpes. She thinks Kris gave it to her so she sues him—2 years later. Note, this was after his televised “fairytale” wedding in which he and Kim allegedly made out with more than 2 million dollars. Not sure what Kris’ NBA contract was then but at the time the suit was filed he certainly wasn’t hurting for cash.

Ultimately, the suit included counts of sexual battery (I know this term sounds very violent like rape but here it refers to the intentional act of transmitting an STD to someone), negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Kayla’s initial lawsuit filed in August 2012 included 2 counts of fraud, violation of the California Health and Safety Code, and intentional infliction of emotional distress but she dropped all of those in less than two months of filing. So, what are we left with, what exactly is Kayla claiming? Well, she is claiming Kris knew or should have known he had herpes, never told her about it, yet had unprotected sex with her anyway. And, as a result she suffered physical pain and injury, mental and emotional distress and financial damages. Where did she get the idea that he knew he had herpes? That’s where the case weakens. There are no allegations that he had sores or lesions, had ever experienced an outbreak, had seen a doctor for it, had ever mentioned or referenced that he might have had an issue with any STD, etc. Kayla’s whole case is based on the fact that she had sex with Kris and a week later was diagnosed with herpes. Had she not had sex with anyone prior to Kris then her claim would have been solid even without any assertions by Kris but that was not the case. Any one of Kayla’s prior sexual partners could have given her the disease (ALERT: Please be clear, I am not nor in ANY situation would I ever blame the victim or allege that because someone was sexually active they are responsible for a wrong, criminal or civil, that has been done to them by someone else. The only way Kayla would be responsible for getting herpes was if she consented to having sex with an infected person). If you want to see the actual First Amended Complaint, including the claim that “Defendant earned Plaintiff’s trust throughout the night, and came across as charming, trustworthy, and caring,” click here.

In STD transmission suits, here is what the liability boils down to whether the claim is based on a theory of a negligent or an intentional act: Prior to intercourse, you have a legal duty to warn a sexual partner if you think you have a disease or might be infected with a disease. If you breach that duty and harm results, you will be found liable. So, Kris had a legal duty to Kayla but in order to prove her case she needed to show that Kris breached it—that he knew or should have known he was infected with the disease. There are a few ways to do this—the easiest being to submit medical evidence. And, that’s just what Kris did. He submitted blood tests that showed he didn’t have genital herpes (HSV-2). But Kayla wanted more. She asked the court to order him to undergo testing for herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1), the one most of us associate with cold sores and blisters on the mouth and lips. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center HSV-1 is transmitted through kissing or sharing glasses and utensils and though it can also cause genital herpes, HSV-2 is the main cause of genital herpes; and, as many as 90% of American adults have been exposed to HSV-1). The judge stopped it all right there. He denied Kayla’s request saying that given the circumstances (no doubt considering how common HSV-1 infection is) ordering more testing would have violated Kris’ privacy rights. Soon after this ruling the case was dismissed. Kris, despite initially threatening to file a counterclaim against Kayla for defamation, never did so. Most likely, he just wanted the whole thing to go away. Keeping a conversation going about herpes is not good for anyone’s game. And I’m not talking about basketball.

Herpes settlements and verdicts are big money though because there is no cure for the disease, there is a stigma associated with having it, and the infected person now has the legal duty to inform every lover of her condition for the rest of her life or risk being sued herself. The late Robin Williams and former disgraced NFL player, Michael Vick both settled herpes transmission suits out of court for undisclosed sums. But, we can make an educated guess that those sums were substantial. Back in the late ‘80s the suit Robin Williams’ ex filed sought 6.2 million. That number may seem high but it is not unreasonable when you consider the fact that in 2011 a California court upheld a 6.75 million dollar verdict against hair care millionaire Thomas Redmond for giving his former girlfriend the disease.

As mentioned at the outset of this article, I think everyone should know their legal responsibility as it relates to transmitting STDS but another reason why I’m writing about it is because of a celebrity case that I will be discussing a great deal in the coming months—the wrongful death lawsuits filed against actor Jim Carrey by the husband and mother of Cathriona White, Carrey’s deceased former girlfriend. In those matters, allegations that he knowingly infected Cathriona with several STDs, including herpes, is a central issue. And, because of the complexities in those lawsuits, it’s good that PROOF readers will understand the STD liability before we dive deeper into the other allegations.

Thank you so much for reading—I know this stuff isn’t fun but I’m glad you know it. Please be careful out there. It’s a scary world.

Lady Diana’s Death Continues to Fuel Questions

Celebrities, Princess Diana

When Lady Diana died in a car accident in Paris 20 years ago, her death triggered a legal inquest that would last over a decade, and caused ripple effects throughout the French and British justice systems.

Diana was riding with her boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed in a chauffeured car in Paris on the night of August 31, 1997, while being pursued by photographers on motorcycles. The chauffeur, Henri Paul, the head of security for the Hotel Ritz, lost control of the vehicle in an underground tunnel and slammed into a pillar, killing all who were riding in the car except one, bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones.

After Diana’s death, there was worldwide outrage directed at the paparazzi. The French government charged nine of the pursuing photographers with manslaughter, but later dropped the charges. Three photographers were also charged with invasion of privacy related to taking photos of the accident scene, but were acquitted.

A judicial investigation by the French government determined, however, that the crash was caused by chauffeur Henri Paul, as a result of being under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs, and reckless driving.

In January 2004, the British government opened an inquest into the deaths resulting from that accident. After several starts and stops, and changes of leadership, in April 2008, the inquest finally concluded. The result: Diana and Dodi died unlawfully as a result of both the driving of Henri and the paparazzi vehicles that had been pursuing them.

Some had speculated that the deaths were caused by a conspiracy to kill Diana, who had reportedly been at odds with the royal family before and after her divorce from Prince Charles the year before her death. Dodi Al Fayed’s father, magnate Mohammed Al Fayed, had been one of the most vocal proponents of this theory. But no court has found this to be true.

Diana’s legacy may be to support the establishment of limits on the paparazzi. Almost 20 years to the day after her death, her son Prince William and his wife Catherine were victorious in a lawsuit filed against a French magazine. The royals argued that photographers invaded their privacy by shooting topless photos of Kate on a private estate from a half mile away. They cited Diana’s treatment by the paparazzi as all the more reason to hold the photographers and the magazine accountable. They were awarded 190,000 euros in the case.

Can the LAPD Stop the Knock-Knock Burglars?

Alanis Morissette, Burglaries, Celebrities, Celebrity News, Crimes, Criminal Law, LA Lakers, LAPD, Nick Young, Nicki Minaj

The facts seem more like the plot to a new Home Alone sequel instead of real life — but real life it is. There has been a rash of burglaries targeted at celebrities and other wealthy elite in the San Fernando Valley (yes, “The Valley”) and the crimes have been committed by the so-called “knock-knock burglars.”

Why knock-knock burglaries? It’s actually not very creative (not sure we want our cops being creative anyway; we’ve got enough creatives in LA!) but basically these burglars are groups of 3 or 4 people (aka gang members, according to LAPD. And when I say gang members, I mean real gang members despite the cutesy knock-knock name), one person knocks on the front door and once that person confirms, via the knock, that no one is home, he signals to the others and they look for doors and windows in which to access the house. The goal is not to hurt anyone personally or to engage in violence, rather it’s all about “the stuff.” The burglars then drive quickly from the scene and get rid of the goods by going to pawn shops or gold melting facilities–they keep the cash, as it’s not traceable.

Though the wealthy may be in fear over their lost riches there is a bevy of police power on the case. Lt. Todd Hankel, commanding officer of LAPD’s West Valley Area detectives, said that the San Fernando Valley Knock Knock Burglary Task Force is targeting the criminal street gang members who have been preying on the residents living in the ritzy communities such as Studio City, Woodland Hills, Encino, Tarzana, Sherman Oaks, Chatsworth and Porter Ranch.

This news comes after Los Angeles Lakers’ Nick Young was the target of a recent theft in February with the criminals stealing cash and other valuables worth approximately $500,000. He’s not the only NBA star losing his loot. On Jan. 30, former Lakers player Derek Fisher’s Tarzana home was broken into, with thieves taking cash, jewelry and more worth approximately $300,000. Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig’s Sherman Oaks home was also hit by the knock-knock burglars.

But it’s not just the Valley that’s getting hit. PROOF had a one on one chat with Detective Dunn of the LAPD and the burglars are hitting homes from Santa Barbara to San Bernadino all the way to Newport. Apparently, celebs living in Malibu are a little safer than others because it’s just so darn hard to get out of Malibu quickly–PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) and the canyon roads leading out of Malibu are the only ways in and out and if those roads get backed up the burglars are stuck with a car full of stolen loot. According to Detective Dunn, the knock-knock burglars want to get rid of the goods and turn it into cash as soon as possible. Maybe Nicki Minaj who lives in LA and had approximately $200,000 worth of items stolen as well as damage to her home and Alanis Morisette whose Brentwood home was also cleared out should consider a move. (And really it’s an extra bummer for Morisette who suffered another recent financial loss when her manager stole millions from her. Click here for full article on that theft).

But fret not famous people with lots of money and expensive things! According to the LAPD, the task force consists of roughly 30 officers divided among surveillance teams, undercover detectives and patrol cars working to prevent and curb these incidents. And, task forces such as this have been formed in the past and have been effective in reducing the number of burglaries, Detective Dunn told us! But celebs, watch your dogs because although the goal of the knock-knock burglars isn’t to engage in violence they are known to pepper spray dogs when they encounter them inside homes.

We think it’s great that there is a task force to help stop these crimes but celebs maybe lay off social media and stop tweeting, posting and instagramming your every move and you might avoid being hit. The fact is, when you let the bad guys know where we you at all times, you make it pretty easy on them.

Stay safe!

At PROOF we love celebrity news as much as you do. So if you want more, celebrity news about A-Listers (and others!), we welcome you to explore the rest of the site.

Hilary Duff’s Ex-Husband Cleared of Sexual Battery Charges

Celeb News, Celebrities, Hilary Duff

We here at PROOF have loved Hilary Duff since her days on Lizzie McGuire (so adorable!). And, we are impressed by her friendly relationship with her ex, former NHL player Mike Comrie. The Younger star first started dating Comrie in 2007 and the two were married from 2010 until 2016. They have one child together, a 5 year old son, Luca. Despite the fact that they are often seen out together and Duff has publicly praised Comrie as an amazing father, we think she has to have cringed a little lately when seeing her name in connection with him in connection with a recent accusation of sexual battery.

The allegations against Comrie stem from an incident in February when Comrie invited two women to his home; they engaged in consensual sex. According to one of the women, Comrie wanted to have anal sex with her which she did not consent to. Comrie has been under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department since the incident. Apparently, the woman provided recordings from the night in question. Ultimately investigators determined that they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the sex was not consensual, despite the tape recordings and testimony from the accuser. As such, the investigation is closed and Comrie will not be facing criminal charges. Whether the woman files a civil suit seeking money damages is another question indeed. So far no word on that.

As a side note, allow us to point out that that Duff officially filed for divorce from Comrie on February 20, 2015, one day after it was widely reported that he was acting out at Beverly Hills restaurant, Mastro’s, and reportedly hitting on his waitress, and throwing money at another woman while asking her for sex. Seems like things have not been so good for Comrie since his marriage with Duff deteriorated.

Is Fame Taking a Toll on Aaron Carter?

Aaron Carter, Celeb News, Celebrities

Aaron Carter is not accepting much of anything these days. Support from his family, responsibility for his legal woes — seems like the troubled singer isn’t interested in owning any of that right now.

The 29-year-old was arrested Saturday in Georgia on suspicion of DUI and drug possession after local police received calls that an automobile was drifting all over the road and driving into the median. Aaron’s girlfriend, Madison Parker, explained in a statement that “His automobile had a new tire put on it and it went out of alignment,” hence the drifting, but he was found in possession of marijuana — which he claims to have a legal prescription for — at the time of his arrest. While the situation seems like it could be a series of unfortunate events with logical explanations, Aaron’s older brother, Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, seemed concerned for his brother’s health and publicly Tweeted the following message to him: “To my brother: I love u no matter what & if u feel the need to reach for help, I am here and willing to help you get better.”

Aaron didn’t appreciate Nick’s message, responding with a statement of his own, saying “If my own blood (Nick) truly cared about my well-being, why wouldn’t he call me directly and have a conversation instead of making this about him through a very public forum. That’s not cool at all to use me for his PR and kick me while I am down. I love my family despite it through thick and thin.” We don’t necessarily disagree with Aaron–is a social media post really the best way to express personal feelings about a family member you think is in need of help? Could be that there is continued strain in the relationship (see below), that the brothers may not be speaking and Nick thought posting was the only way to reach his brother and express his support and concern for him.

The Carters are no strangers to tragedy, however, and regardless of whether Nick’s use of Twitter to reach out was in poor taste, he has reason to be concerned about his sibling’s drug use: the brothers lost their sister Leslie in 2012, at the age of 25 to an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

Here at PROOF, we’re well aware of the toll of child stardom can take on young celebs, and Aaron’s story is all too familiar. Aaron has been performing since the age of seven and released a debut solo album at the age of ten. By age 13 he was touring with his brother and the Backstreet Boys, and making regular appearances on Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel. His second album, entitled Aaron’s Party (Come Get It) was released in 2000 and went triple platinum. By the age of 16, he had released four albums, appeared on Broadway in Seussical the Musical, had an action figure in how own likeness, and had dated Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff (allegedly the same time). His family also appeared in their own reality series on E! In 2006, called House of Carters which featured all of his siblings. That’s a lot of responsibility for a teen. By 2011, Aaron entered treatment to treat undisclosed “emotional issues” as well as addiction and was devastated by the loss of sister Leslie in 2012. Since that time, he has reportedly become distant from his family, even missing brother Nick’s wedding in 2014 and Tweeting that he had “technical problems” getting there.

Aaron released an EP earlier this year. Here’s hoping he is able to get help if he needs it, make peace with his family if applicable and keep himself on a positive path.

Shia LaBeouf’s Racist Rant Goes Viral as the Actor is Arrested Again

Celebrities, Celebrity News, Celebs, Shia LaBeouf

It’s getting harder and harder for us at PROOF to be Shia LaBeouf fans — we’ve stood behind him for a very long time now but his latest racist rant against two police officers is making it very, very difficult.

LaBeouf was arrested on Saturday, July 8, 2017 in Savannah, Georgia, where he’s currently filming “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” with Dakota Johnson and Bruce Dern. He was booked on charges of disorderly conduct, obstruction and public drunkenness after he reportedly approached someone to ask for a cigarette in the early morning hours, and became aggressive when he was told no, at which point he began shouting profanities at both passers by and police. The police statement reveals “When the officer attempted to place LaBeouf under arrest, LaBeouf ran to a nearby hotel. LaBeouf was arrested in the hotel lobby, where his disorderly behavior continued.”

What makes this situation so indefensible is what happened after the arrest. In a video captured on a body camera during his ride in a squad car and at the station, LaBeouf is heard telling his female arresting officer, “If I had my gun I’ll blow your s—t up. You’re a b—h, though.” He continues his racist, sexist tirade making threats against the officer, insulting her family and threatening to sue her, saying “I got more millionaire lawyers than you know what to do with, you stupid b—h.” The 31-year-old actor was released around 11 a.m. that same day from the Chatham County Detention Center after posting a $7,000 bond.

This is the sixth arrest for the actor, and latest in a long line of alcohol-related incidents. LaBeouf was ordered to receive alcohol abuse treatment after a 2014 disorderly conduct charge in a Broadway theater. He received treatment in 2016. “He is voluntarily receiving treatment for alcohol addiction. He understands that these recent actions are a symptom of a larger health problem and he has taken the first of many necessary steps towards recovery,” his rep said in a statement. LaBeouf himself has discussed his demons in the past, saying “Why am I an alcoholic? I haven’t a damn clue! What is life about? I don’t know. What I do know is, I screw up.”

La Beouf returned to work on Monday, just two days after the arrest. He also took to twitter to apologize, writing “I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuses for it” as well as addressing his very serious problem with addiction. Shia, please get help (again-no shame in that!), we really want to remain fans.

Celebrity News | Chris Brown Legal Problems

Chris Brown Facing Legal Problems…Again

Celebrities, Celebrity Lawsuits, Celebrity News, Celebs, Chris Brown, Court, Criminal Law, Domestic Violence, Ex-Girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, Restraining Order, Singer, Violence Against Women

Chris Brown has more legal problems. Two TROs (temporary restraining order) were issued against him in February 2017. His ex girlfriend, model, Karrueche Tran got one and now, one of Tran’s closest friends, Joseph Ryan LaCor, has one against him too.

It has been a wild 2017 already for the singer. It very clearly seems he still does not have control over his anger issues. On New Year’s, Brown apparently got into a violent fight with rapper Soulja Boy over Tran. Then on February 17, 2017, Tran, who for years was Brown’s on again, off again girlfriend finally stood up for herself and sought protection for herself-she sought a restraining order against Brown. In court documents she filed she alleged that Brown punched her in the stomach and pushed her down the stairs several years ago but that she did not call the police or report the incident (Tran, you are way too good to endure this type of relationship–all women, all humans are.) and that recently Brown has been sending her threatening texts. In the court documents, she included the following: “He told a few people that he was going to kill me. He said if no one else can have me, he’s gonna ‘take me out.” Due to his violent history, especially violence against women, a Chris Brown threat should not be ignored. And the LA court did not ignore the. They granted the request and now Chris Brown must stay away from Karrueche Tran or risk arrest, among other things.

So, how does LaCor fit into this story? Well, apparently Brown can’t leave well enough alone as it relates to Tran and has allegedly threatened to shoot Tran’s bestie, LaCor leaving LaCor with no choice but to seek the court’s protection as well.

In documents LaCor filed, it stated that Chris said about Tran and LaCor “no matter where we go, he will find us and shoot the place up.” LaCor also spoke of past conduct by Brown. “Chris Brown has threatened me and run up on me for not allowing him to bully Karrueche Tran in my presence. More recently, making threats to her saying that he will beat anyone that is friends with her.”

LaCor’s allegations are specific and also include details of a harrowing night hanging out with Tran at a 2017 Super Bowl party; Brown was also there. LaCor said that he was at the party for two hours when two men confronted him and told him to leave or he was, “going to have problems.” He said he decided to leave and that’s when, “Chris Brown ran up to me, got in my face, saying, ‘It’s 2017, Ima f–k you up every time I see you. So you better get the f–k out of here before I lay your ass out.””

LaCor also claims that Brown yelled at another friend of LaCor’s and threw a drink in her face. After that, smart move by LaCor–he left the party. Given all this information, the TRO was issued and now Brown must stay away from LaCor as well. Quite a collection Brown is building.

Brown has allegedly been diagnosed with bipolar disorder but too bad for him that is not a legal excuse to threaten people or assault them. With all this recent unacceptable, illegal, scary behavior, you’d think that Brown doesn’t know what is at stake. But after all his run-ins with the law, especially the domestic violence occurrence with Rihanna, he most certainly does. No excuse, Brown. Get help.

At PROOF we love celebrity news as much as you do. So if you want more, celebrity news about your favorites, we welcome you to explore the rest of the site.

A$AP Rocky’s Home Robbed, Almost $1.5M in Property Taken

ASAP Rocky, Burglaries, Celebrities, Celebrity News, Celebs

Rapper A$AP Rocky was victimized to the tune of approximately $1.5 million on May 16, 2017-his Los Angeles home was robbed.

Rocky was not around as three armed male suspects allegedly stole more than $1.5 million worth of jewelry and other property. The suspects also attempted to steal a safe, but were not successful. Pretty scary though as a female relative was home, was the one who opened the door when the thieves knocked. Allegedly they held a gun to her and made them show her where the goods were. Thankfully, she was not physically injured. We can imagine she was certainly emotionally injured.

As the dollar symbol in his name might suggest, the rapper is not one to hide his wealth. frequently posting photos of high-ticket items on social media. And Rocky, police keep warning celebs to stop flaunting their wealth (as well as detailing their whereabouts) so as to avoid being targeted. Certainly neither you nor your family member who endured the crime do not deserve this, but maybe it’s time to heed the LAPD’s advice.

One person AS$P might be turning to in the wake of the crime is Kendall Jenner. The two have been rumored to be seeing each other for months, and she’s particularly well-suited to sympathize, after being robbed in March of $200k in property. Her sister Kim Kardashian was also victimized in a widely publicized Paris robbery last fall, in which a whopping $10 million in property was taken.

At PROOF there’s nothing we like to do more than to share celebrity news; and we love sharing that celebrity news with you! Browse the site and see what hits you.

Mueller Cannot Pursue Slander Claims Against Taylor Swift

Celebrities, Celebrity Lawsuits, Celebrity News, Celebs

A DJ who was accused by Taylor Swift of groping her against her will will not be able to pursue slander claims against the Grammy-winning songwriter.

Swift accused DJ David Mueller of reaching under her skirt and touching her inappropriately during a meet and greet in 2013. She reported it to his superiors at radio station KYGO, and he was later fired. Mueller sued the singer accusing her of costing him his job and damaging his reputation, and also said she was slandering him by reporting the alleged incident to the radio station that employed him (Law lesson: the fact that he reported it to job isn’t what makes it slander. As soon as someone announces a falsehood about someone to someone else and there is damage to reputation, the slander claim is triggered).

Swift turned around and counter-sued Mueller, and in true Swift style (and one of the reasons we at PROOF love her) says she’ll donate any funds she recovers to “charitable organizations dedicated to protecting women from similar acts of sexual assault and personal disregard.”

In May 2017, judge threw out Mueller’s slander claim saying, “There would appear to be nothing improper about Swift — or any other person — making an honest report to an entity with which she does business that one of its employees assaulted or harassed her.”

Meanwhile, Mueller has also been accused by Swift’s team of destroying evidence related to the case. He allegedly taped a conversation pertaining to an investigation into the incident, but only preserved a few key snippets.

The case is due back in court later this summer.

Need more stories to feed your celebrity news fix? Check out what PROOF has to say about celebrity divorce, celebrity arrests, and other breaking celebrity news.

Mel B. Restraining Order | Celebrity News | Celeb News

Mel B Gets Restraining Order Against Husband Stephen Belafonte

Celeb News, Celebrities, Celebrity News, Celebs, Domestic Violence, Mel B., Restraining Order, Spice Girls, Stephen Belafonte, TRO

In a shock to those not close to her, former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, aka Mel B, sought a restraining order against her husband, Stephen Belafonte. (In March 2017, the pop star filed for divorce from him.) In support of the request Mel B alleged that she has suffered years of physical and sexual abuse at Belafonte’s hands during their 10-year marriage. The judge granted the order as to Mel B and also ordered Belafonte to stay away from the children and to immediately leave the couple’s home in the Hollywood Hills.

The America’s Got Talent judge says that the physical abuse began soon after they were married in 2007 and right around the “Dancing With The Stars” finale in November 2007 (Mel B lost); and it has continued since then. The singer claims she tried to leave Belafonte multiple times but he told her that he would destroy her if she left. Brown has said, “I desperately wanted to leave the relationship and tried to do so during our first year of marriage and every year thereafter. When I threatened to leave, [he] informed me he has videos of our sex life and other private moments.” She continued, “[He] would threaten that if I left, he would release the videos to the tabloids. I have lived the past decade in fear that [he] would release intimate videos of me that would embarrass me and damage my reputation and my career.”

Brown also alleges, “[He] often times demanded that I participate in sexual intercourse with him and random women that he brought back to our hotel rooms. If I objected to participating, he would threaten to release compromising videos of me. He would often times surreptitiously videotape these encounters, and, if I discovered the recordings, would beg him to delete them.”

She went on in the docs, “Later, I would come to realize that [his] beatings and abuse would coincide with my career success,” she claims. “When something good would happen to me, he would beat me down to let me know that he was in charge.”

In July 2012, Brown claims Belafonte punched her after he accused her of flirting with Usher on the “X Factor.” She also alleges that he punched her in the face in Prague, one day after the Spice Girls reunion at the London Olympics.

In court docs, Brown also alleges that Belafonte got their nanny pregnant and that he eventually demanded her to get an abortion.

Sadly, we speak of domestic violence frequently here on PROOF and we will continue to do so as an act of solidarity and support for the victims and as a way to educate our readers. The truth is, it is scary to be in an abusive relationship and as the Mel B situation shows, it is scary to try to get out of it. In fact, when she requested the temporary restraining order, Brown said she feared for her life and that of her children’s lives. She wrote, “I am in fear of my safety and I am in fear of being irreparably harmed as a result of [Belafonte’s] threats. I fear [he] will carry out his threats against me which will collaterally harm the children.” The former couple has one daughter together, a 5-year-old named Madison, whom she is seeking full custody of in their divorce. Brown also has two other daughters from previous relationships — Angel (her daughter with Eddie Murphy) and Phoenix.

Belafonte has denied the abuse. His lawyers issued the following public statement: “What matters most to Mr. Belafonte is the safety and well-being of his daughters and step-daughters. It’s a shame that Ms. Brown elected not to proceed in a respectful and amicable fashion in this very private matter. In due course, Mr. Belafonte will be filing his response to the outrageous and unfounded allegations made by Ms. Brown, which allegations he vehemently denies.”

So, the response Belafonte’s lawyers will file will clearly be to deny the claims. Rest assured PROOF will diligently monitor this case. But with the alleged frequency of the abuse and the public life these two lived there is very likely going to be a greal deal of evidence uncovered–people who worked with and saw Mel B’s injuries are already coming out (thank you, Sharon Osbourne). And that’s what we like best here–PROOF. The more proof. We do wonder what Belafonte has to say about those pictures of Mel B’s bruised face. She’s just clumsy?

Seeking more celebrity news? Check out other PROOF articles. We cover celebrity news like no one else!

New Lawsuit Alleges That Disastrous Fyre Festival Was Nothing More Than ‘Get-Rich-Quick Scam’

Celeb News, Celebrities, Celebrity Lawsuits, Celebrity News, Celebs, Ja Rule, Legal

Last week, social media exploded with shocking photos of the doomed luxury music festival in the Bahamas known as the Fyre Festival. Organizers, rapper Ja Rule and businessman Billy McFarland, had promised a luxury festival with A-list bands like Blink 182 and Major Lazer, gourmet food, and cush accommodations, and ticket holders had paid between 1,200 and $100,000 apiece to attend.

But when attendees began arriving April 27, all they found was a gravelly field, wind-and-rain-battered FEMA-like tents and bread and cheese for dinner. By Friday morning, the festival had been canceled — and the festival goers found themselves with few options to get home quickly. Organizers had encouraged them to leave their cash at home, and use pre-loaded festival wristbands instead, so, according to the lawsuit, many had no way to get a taxi to the airport.

So how did everything go so very wrong? According to a $100 million class action lawsuit filed by celeb lawyer Mark Geragos on behalf of attendee Daniel Jung, the festival organizers, who began promoting the festival back in December 2016, failed to deliver on even the most basic of their promises, and left the attendees in a life-or-death situation.

The suit alleges, “Defendants intended to fleece attendees for hundreds of millions of dollars by inducing them to fly to a remote island without food, shelter or water — and without regard to what might happen to them after that.”

The suit claims that the atmosphere on the island was less like Coachella and more like The Hunger Games, or Lord of the Flies, and goes as far as to allege that enticing the attendees to the island without basic services and no easy way to leave was “tantamount to false imprisonment.”

Festival organizers blamed inexperience. “We were overwhelmed and just didn’t have the foresight to solve all these problems,” McFarland has reportedly said. “The reality is, we weren’t experienced enough to keep up.”

But that explanation is just not good enough, according to the lawsuit. “This outrageous failure to prepare, coupled with Defendants’ deliberate falsehoods in promoting the island ‘experience,’ demonstrates that the Fyre Festival was nothing more than a get-rich-quick scam from the very beginning.”
Ja Rule strongly denied that allegation, telling Rolling Stone, “My partners and I wanted this to be an amazing event, it was NOT A SCAM as everyone is reporting. I don’t know how everything went so [wrong] but I’m working to make it right by making sure everyone is refunded.”

Refunds are allegedly in the works, and perhaps shockingly, the festival organizers say they’re moving forward with plans to hold the festival in 2018 in a U.S. location.

Kelly Rutherford Child Custody | Celebrity News

Kelly Rutherford Finally Enjoys a Victory Over Her Ex

Bankruptcy, Celebrities, Celebrity Lawsuits, Celebs and Divorce, Custody, Divorce, Gossip Girl, Kelly Rutherford

Kelly Rutherford may have lost her kids to her ex but she’s not losing her money to him – or at least not as much as he wanted. Hardly a consolation, I know, but there is some feeling of “justice” is there not that Rutherford’s ex husband, Daniel Giersch, will only be awarded a fraction of the $1.5 million he sought in her bankruptcy case?

By now, most fans of celebrity news know that the former “Gossip Girl” actress’ split with her ex erupted in the custody battle to end all custody battles. That terrible story came to a close a little over a year ago when, sadly, a Monaco judge ruled that Giersch should be granted full custody of their two children, Hermes and Helena. The judge also ruled that the children could no longer come back to the United States to visit their mother. It was a devastating blow for the actress who had been fighting for years to keep them in the U.S. The legal fees she incurred and the time she had to take off work having to fight that fight wiped Rutherford out financially. The actress was left with no choice but to file bankruptcy. Rutherford lost her kids and her money in this hellish ordeal so dear readers, please prominently put Rutherford’s story in the reality check file when you think about the truth of celebrity power, money and fame. Thankfully, though the bankruptcy matter is now resolved. A bankruptcy trustee, an impartial person who reviews all the debts and assets of the person who filed bankruptcy and whose job it is to figure out how to pay claims of valid creditors. (Note that the word impartial is critical here–the trustee is not on anyone’s side-not the people owed money or the person who filed bankruptcy.) recently filed a report that showed Giersch, to whom the actress was married to from 2006-1010, will only get $163,000 of the $1.5 million he claimed.

I know, it’s kind of a bummer that he is getting anything at all seeing as what he put the mother of his children through but at least Rutherford can close this chapter of her life. Law lovers, no pun intended by the chapter reference. And for those who aren’t sure what I mean by that– bankruptcy proceedings are referred to as chapters, depending on the type of case filed: Chapter 11, Chapter 7, Chapter 13, etc. The chapters are simply a reference to the specific title or section of the United States Bankruptcy Code (the law that governs bankruptcy proceedings) upon which the case is based.

Seeking more celebrity news? Check out other PROOF articles. We cover celebrity news like no one else!

I’m Sorry, Mrs. Jackson

Celeb News, Celebrities, Celebrity News, Elder Abuse, Katherine Jackson, Restraining Order

In early February 2017, Michael Jackson’s, 86-year-old mother, Katherine Jackson, sought a temporary restraining order (TRO) against her nephew and long-time caretaker, Trent Jackson, for elder abuse. Trent had been taking care of Katherine since Michael died in 2009 and is the son of Luther Jackson, brother of Joe Jackson, Katherine’s ex-husband.

Trent vehemently denied the claims and said that the matriarch was being manipulated by her son Jermaine, as well as by her other children. Trent also claimed that the elder abuse allegations may have been made up by the children and that Katherine may not have even signed the declaration wherein she made the allegations which included: “Trent made himself a care custodian of Mrs. Jackson to control her every move. He’s threatened not to take her home for not complying with his demands, he has refused to return her home from travel; he deprives her from contact with her family so he can maintain undue influence over her, causing her depression, angst and fear.”

The documents also claimed that Trent’s actions were calculated so that he could try to control Katherine’s finances and stay in her guest house for free. The documents went on to say that the “Constant, sometimes subtle, emotional abuse was effective in making Mrs. Jackson confused and unsure of what was happening to her.”

However, according to Katherine’s legal team and family, she eventually became aware of what was happening: “She is clear now and scared for her safety, after terminating his employment. Now that he knows his conduct will be revealed, she fears what he may do to her upon her return.”

While Katherine was in London with her daughter, Janet, the court issued the TRO based on the documents filed. The TRO mandated that Trent was to return all keys, passwords and combinations to Katherine’s property, to stop using her financial accounts and to stay 100 yards from her.

Katherine was still in London when it came time for a full proceeding on the restraining order—the one that would make it permanent. Her lawyers attempted to go forward without her and simply use the filed declarations referenced above as proof but Trent’s legal team of Philip Cohen and Ron Rale (he was Anna Nicole Smith’s attorney back in the day) was not having it. The judge agreed and said sworn statements could not be used as evidence in chief in the case. Trent’s lawyers subpoenaed Katherine for trial. She had no choice but to return from London or risk dismissal of the case.

A three week continuance ensued during which Trent’s lawyers tried to settle the matter but Katherine’s team refused to do so. Settling might have been the better course for them as allegedly they did not want her to have to take the stand and endure cross examination. We at PROOF understand that position. Cross examination is very stressful and Katherine is not young; but the allegations made against Trent are very, very serious. We agree with the judge’s decision to require a higher level of proof than the declarations (especially as Katherine was clear about what happened).

On April 25, 2017, Katherine’s team filed a request for dismissal with prejudice which means that the case would be dismissed but it could be re-filed at any time. There are several reasons for this strategy. It relieves Katherine from having to testify but keeps the case “alive.” So if her legal team chose to re-file, perhaps the next judge assigned would agree with their position not to require Katherine’s testimony. It also gives the team additional time to build the case and secure better, more persuasive evidence.

Trent’s legal team opposed the request for dismissal without prejudice and argued that the law required the case be dismissed with prejudice. The judge agreed. The difference between the two? Katherine Jackson cannot now re-file the case. ( Caveat: If a new instance of abuse occurs she could re-file based on that new incident but given that Trent was terminated from his job that’s not likely to occur). We’re sorry, Mrs. Jackson.

There is one last thing we’d like to say about this case. While we certainly hope Katherine is safe and the allegations are untrue, we can’t help but query why one of her own children, rather than the son of her deceased husband’s brother was able to be in such a position of power and control for so long over their elderly mother? Jackson kids, got an answer for that?

At PROOF there’s nothing we like to do more than to share celebrity news; and we love sharing that celebrity news with you! Browse the site and see what hits you.

Shia LeBeouf Charges Dropped | Celebrity News | Celebrity Gossip

Charges Dropped Against Shia LaBeouf in Assault and Harassment Case

Celebrities, Celebrity Lawsuits, Celebrity News, Celebs, Court, Shia LaBeouf

Shia LaBeouf, a PROOF favorite, got some legal good news. Charges have been dismissed against the activist actor stemming from his January arrest in New York City that resulted from an alleged fight with a protester at his anti-Trump live stream protest/performance piece, “He Will Not Divide Us.”

As we previously reported, in January, LaBeouf was charged with misdemeanor assault and a harassment violation after that alleged fight. Apparently, the actor got into a verbal fight in front of the Museum of the Moving Image, the site where the performance piece was streaming and the victim accused LaBeouf of scratching his face when he pulled his scarf. The alleged victim did not seek medical attention. LaBeouf was released a few hours after the arrest. He was given a DAT–a desk appearance ticket–which mandated that he was to return to Queens County Criminal Court for arraignment.

The Queens District Attorney’s Office have now reviewed the facts and information and have decided not to prosecute. A spokesperson with the Queens District Attorney’s Office has confirmed that and said the charges against LaBeouf have been dropped for insufficient evidence. (Here’s a little fun PROOF point: I was an Assistant District Attorney in Queens. It’s my favorite New York borough– for law, not really for fun, that’s Manhattan!).

Shia LaBeouf, Luke Turner, and Nastja Ronkko, the artists behind “He Will Not Divide Us” began the performance piece on inauguration day, January 20, 2017. Interested parties were invited to say, “He will not divide us” into a camera outside the Museum of Moving Image. The “protesters” were encouraged to repeat the phrase as often and as many times as they wanted into the camera. The artists intended the project to last four years. With the divisiveness that surrounds President Trump, the message the artists had hoped to get across was a powerful one, a unifying one. But, the art installation was shut down by the museum on February 10, 2017 because it had become “unexpectedly volatile.”

The artists then moved the project to a theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Things were not much better there as it was soon shut down due to gun shots. On February 23, 2017,LaBeouf himself tweeted “We have taken the stream down after shots were reported in the area. The safety of everybody participating in our project is paramount.”

Since then the project moved to a gallery, Foundation for Art and Creative Technology (FACT) in Liverpool, England (not far from where Turner is from). The artists made a statement on FACTS’s website stating that that the project moved because “events have shown that America is simply not safe enough for this artwork to exist.” Unfortunately though, on March 23, 2017, the artists and FACT announced that police advised them to remove the installation due to dangerous, illegal trespassing.

Despite the intent of the artist to maintain “He Will Not Divide Us” as a peaceful, nonviolent art performance, the fact that it has been rocked at each location as well as the subject of much talk on hate and violence filled sites on the internet is not only sad but very scary.

We at PROOF applaud the artists for their creativity, bravery, and interest in unity–we await the next move for “He Will Not Divide Us.”

If you like the celebrity news article you just read, please check out the rest of PROOF—we are chock full of interesting celebrity news articles.

13 Couples Who Fell Victim to the Reality TV Curse

Celebrities, Trending

Is reality television the kiss of death for even the strongest of relationships? Seems like it. Couples who do television shows together do not tend to stay together. In fact, it seems as if real life gets messier for these one-time lovebirds by virtue of being on reality television. Just look at the following couples who put it all out there for the world to see only to find themselves splitting up after the cameras were off (and some while the cameras were still rolling.)

Yes, we know there are a whole bunch of Housewives on here. Would you believe that we parsed it down from the whooping 33divorces that have happened between couples on that show?

Theresa and Larry Caputo, Long Island Medium

TheLong Island Medium couple decided to split after 28 years of marriage. We watched their relationship unfold on the TLC show with all of its ups and downs, eventually seeing them separate and attempt to work through their marital woes. It turns out that the separation was a three month trial period according to Larry, and the couple announced that they were officially filing for divorce in June 2018. As with most failed marriages, Theresa said the downfall didn’t occur overnight but rather was something that happened over time. She was a tad defensive about it though saying, “People can say whatever they want—it was my work, it was this, it was that—it was just, it happened. This is something that has happened over the years, and it is sad, and it f–cking sucks. That’s it.”

Danielle Staub and Marty Caffrey, The Real Housewives of New Jersey

This couple married on camera for Real Housewives of New Jersey’s ninth season in May 2018, but wedded bliss didn’t last very long (shocker, we know). In fact, by September 2018 Staub was served with divorce papers and the pair had filed temporary restraining orders against each other after an alleged altercation at Staub’s home.

Phaedra Parks and Apollo Nida, The Real Housewives of Atlanta

After five years of marriage, four seasons of RHOA and two sons together, Parks filed for divorce from Nida in 2014. It was finalized in September 2017 after a lengthy dispute over spousal support and over their properties. Nida is actually currently serving an 8 year sentence after pleading guilty to fraud in 2014. Click here for more on that.

Adrienne and Paul Maloof, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

For those of you who watch RHOBH, you know that Adrienne and Paul never seemed to stop arguing. After three seasons on the show, ten years together, and three children, the pair filed for legal separation in July 2012. Things later got nasty after Paul filed for divorce in August. Adrienne accused Paul of abuse and the two battled over custody of the children until the divorce was finalized in November 2012. It actually moved pretty quickly as far as celebrity divorces go. The pair are co-parenting their children and seem to have an amicable relationship.

Camille and Kelsey Grammer, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

For Camille and Kelsey Grammer The Real Housewives exposed their unhappy marriage to the world and resulted in a divorce. Viewers soon found out that the marriage was sexless and Grammer was already “emotionally checked out,” and during filming the actor moved to a new city and had an affair with a younger woman (whom he eventually married). In terms of self care and emotional well being we do have to say it seems like odd timing to have your wife and marriage be thrust into the public eye before seemingly hitting the self-destruct button, but according to Camille, “He thought it would be good for me to do something that was separate from us being a couple.” Still sort of standing by her man at that point, we guess.

The Count & Countess de Lesseps, The Real Housewives of New York City

Countess Luann said that money can’t buy you class, but it also couldn’t buy her a happy marriage. This one came as a shock to viewers who barely ever even saw The Countess’s husband. Well, there’s a reason for that: The two had been living separately for years. And that’s not all! The Count, who was living in Europe, left Luann for an Ethiopian princess. Does this not read like a plot point for a telenovela?

Countess Luann & Tom D’Agostino, The Real Housewives of New York City

You’d think the second time would be the charm for Luann, but alas, no. Luann married Tom D’Agostino in 2017 in an extravagant Palm Beach wedding and 8 months later the pair decided to split. In fact, the Countess blamed the stress from those Palm Beach memories for causing her to lash out and get arrested there Christmas Eve 2017. For more on that, click here.

Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy, The Real Housewives of New York City

Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy appeared on a few reality shows together including a spin off focused solely on them and their relationship. The pair married in 2010 and divorced in 2013, but that ended up being the least of the couple’s problems. They remain locked in a nasty custody battle over their daughter Bryn, who was nearly 3 when the divorce was finalized and is now 8 years old.

Tamar Braxton and Vince Herbert, Braxton Family Values

Tamar Braxton filed for divorce from her husband of 9 years Vince Herbert in October 2017. She’s currently seeking full custody of their son Logan. The proceedings have been riddled with rumors of a secret love child and domestic abuse and were temporarily on hold because Herbert refused to respond to her petition of divorce, but Braxton is now petitioning the judge to finalize the divorce without him.

Linda and Hulk Hogan, Hogan Knows Best

Linda and Hulk Hogan had a relationship that spanned a quarter of a century and was by and large one of the strongest marriages to be showcased on reality television. Their show Hogan Knows Best was featured on VH1, but after being on air for two years, their 17-year-old son was spending 8 months in jail and Hulk was the subject of cheating rumors by The National Enquirer (and a HUGE lawsuit, click here for more on that). Linda filed for divorce just one month after the last episode aired. And talk about adding salt to the reality TV curse wound, Hulk didn’t even know that she had filed until a news outlet called him for comment.

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, Newlyweds

Bit of a throwback, we know but who could ever forget Jessica Simpson turning to her new husband, bowl of Chicken of the Sea tuna in hand, saying, “Is this chicken that I have or is it fish?” The young couple provided endless entertainment on their MTV show Newlyweds. Unfortunately for the couple, after three years of marriage they announced that they were calling it quits. Simpson does not blame reality TV for their demise, having told Vanity Fair “In all honesty, I believe it did not affect our marriage because we enjoyed watching those episodes.”As for her ex? He told David Letterman that it was the fault of the cameras:”It was just so invasive that it became a problem.”

Kris and Caitlyn Jenner, Keeping Up With the Kardashians

Kris Jenner married Caitlyn Jenner (then Bruce Jenner) in 1991 and the pair divorced in 2015 after years in front of the camera on Keeping up With the Kardashians. Though they seemed to have an amicable relationship after the split, the family fractures began to be felt once Caitlyn came out to Kris as transgender and decided to go ahead and fully transition and embrace her true self. Still, the family remained very supportive until Kris felt betrayed after Caitlyn wrote unkind things about her in her tell-all book. Now the entire family has taken sides and Caitlyn’s relationship with Kris, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney is pretty much non existent. Kendall and Kylie continue to see Caitlyn.

Jon and Kate Gosselin, Jon & Kate Plus 8

We have to include these two! For quite some time, Jon and Kate were beloved in the reality television community. We watched them raise their 8 children, work together to make things function in their busy household, and generally just work through typical marital ups and downs. That is, until 2009 when it was reported that Jon was cheating on Kate. Then came nearly a full year’s worth of tabloid fodder spurred on by Jon’s lavish spending, Ed Hardy outerwear, and “bad boy” behavior. Call it a midlife crisis, call it the price of fame, but eventually Jon was kicked off of the show and it was renamed Kate Plus 8. Even though we didn’t love Jon and Kate’s relationship (she did seem to complain about him a lot on camera), to us, the demise of the Gosselin family was a sad one.