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Are Aaron Hernandez Tattoos Evidence? | Celeb News | Proof with Jill Stanley

Aaron Hernandez Murder Conviction Vacated

Aaron Hernandez Murder, Athletes, Celebrity News, Celebs, Crimes

When former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez died on April 19, 2017 he was a convicted murderer, now, less than a month later, that conviction has been wiped from his record.

On May 9, 2017, in Fall River, Massachusetts, Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh vacated Hernandez’ first-degree murder conviction resulting from the 2013 death of Odin L. Lloyd, citing a centuries-old law that states that convictions can be vacated if the defendant is in the process of appealing.

State prosecutors opposed the conviction being vacated and have vowed to take the case to the state Supreme Court. They argue that the law, which dates back to colonial times, was precisely the reason that Hernandez committed suicide.

Bristol Assistant District Attorney Patrick Bomberg said, “This is not a defendant who has arrived at the killing of himself by happenstance.” He and fellow prosecutors argued that Hernandez knew about the law and committed suicide to clear his legal standing, which could benefit his heirs. Some experts have speculated that a vacated conviction would enable his heirs to collect an almost $6 million contract from the Patriots that had been withheld when he was arrested.

But that argument didn’t sway the judge, who ruled, “This court cannot know why Hernandez may have chosen to end his life and declines to infer an intent by Hernandez to relinquish his appellate rights or an intent to interfere with the course of justice from his reported suicide, a tragic act that may have complex and myriad causes.”

Naturally, Odin Lloyd’s family members were not pleased with the court’s ruling. They openly wept in court and his mother Ursula Ward told reporters of Hernandez, “In our book, he’s guilty, and he’s going to always be guilty.” Ms. Ward, we at PROOF agree with you. But, know that he wasn’t found innocent by a jury or a judge the vacating of his conviction is simply what some would refer to as legal technicality. And although we know it doesn’t feel good or fair, unfortunately it happens in the law. Perhaps the prosecution will win the appeal and the conviction will be reinstated. In the meantime, pursuing the civil case against Hernandez’ estate may ultimately bring some sense of peace or justice.

And, as far as the civil case against Hernandez’ estate, it is and should go on. While it certainly would have been beneficial to have been able to admit into evidence Hernandez’ criminal conviction (it would have taken care of a lot of proof issues) the burden of proof in a civil matter is much lower than in a criminal matter which most know is beyond a reasonable doubt. As such, proving the underlying act–that Hernandez murdered Lloyd–will not be as difficult as it were at the criminal level. Put plainly, if there was enough proof to obtain a criminal conviction, then if that same proof is presented and understood correctly by the jury in the civil case, it should be more than sufficient to support the finding that Hernandez caused Lloyd’s wrongful death.

In fact PROOF readers, you recall that OJ was acquitted at the criminal level but was found liable at the civil level.

Another potential positive side effect of the conviction being set aside is if the 6 million from the NFL becomes available then it could potentially be used to satisfy a judgment that the jury in the civil matter awards to the Lloyd family

And another twist in the Hernandez saga? His attorneys aren’t wholly convinced that his death was a suicide or if it were, that it couldn’t have been prevented. Hernandez was found hanging from a window in his jail cell with a bedsheet around his neck, and though the state says there was no wrongdoing and it was a suicide, Hernandez’ legal team, led by Jose Baez, is conducting its own investigation into his death. It is not unlikely that Hernandez’s family will file a lawsuit if they think officials didn’t do enough to prevent his death or if they created a condition which allowed his death to occur.

If there is one thing that can be said about the Hernandez matter it is that it is tragic all around.

5 of the Most Expensive Celebrity Divorces in the Past 20 Years

Celebs

When a couple decides to divorce, the process is typically long and difficult. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 2,221,579 marriages occurred in 2015. Of these marriages, 800,909 ended in divorce. While divorce is not easy for any couple, celebrity couples face special challenges and worldwide criticism. The following is a list of the most expensive celebrity divorces in recent years and how they were resolved.

  • Guy Ritchie and Madonna

When Madonna and Guy Ritchie divorced in 2008, she agreed to pay him a lump sum of $92 million dollars to end the marriage. While Guy Ritchie was worth an estimated $45 million going into the marriage, Madonna was worth far more at $450 million.

  • James Cameron and Linda Hamilton

Titanic creator James Cameron’s marriage to Linda Hamilton came to an end in 1999. After Titanic won 11 Oscars in 1998, their wealth increased significantly. As a result, Linda left the marriage with an estimated $50 million.

  • Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

Celebrity couple Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren’s split made national headlines after news of Tiger’s infidelity hit the front pages. Their six-year marriage came to a close in 2009, leaving Nordegren with a $110 million dollar divorce settlement.

  • Michael and Juanita Jordan

Michael and Juanita Jordan were married 17 years and had three children. The couple decided to divorce in 2006 and Juanita was awarded $168 million in the process.

  • Mel and Robin Gibson

Mel and Robin Gibson were one of Hollywood’s power couples for many years, but they ended their marriage in 2009 after it was discovered that Mel had fathered a child with another woman. Robin received a final settlement of $425 million when it was all said and done.

Factors to Consider in Divorce Settlements

In most cases, money will become a source of tension between the newly split couple. Financial arrangements more often than not lead to contentious divorces. Additional factors that couples must consider when negotiating a divorce settlement are:

  • The Needs of the Children
  • The Income of Both Spouses
  • The Value of Assets
  • The Value of Each Party’s Pension
  • The Duration of the Marriage
  • The Age of Both Parties
  • The Standard of Living Before the Marriage Breakdown

Some divorces result in mutual acrimony and especially bad behavior by one or both spouses which may result in gossip headlines and even jail time. However, in most cases, these issues do not arise while the parties are negotiating a settlement. One common exception to this rule is when one parent has a drug or alcohol problem that can affect the children involved.

While your divorce may not reach celebrity status, it is important to speak with a lawyer to protect your interests in divorce proceedings.

Casey Affleck Sexual Harassment | Celebrity News

Here’s What You Should Know About the Allegations of Sexual Harassment Against Casey Affleck

Casey Affleck, Celebrity Lawsuits, Civil Law, Lawsuits, Manchester by the Sea, Oscars, Sexual Harassment

Casey Affleck’s Oscar nomination and ultimate win has dredged up some history I am sure he hoped was long forgotten. Back in 2010, Affleck was sued in two separate matters by two different women for sexual harassment, among other things.  

Producer Amanda White sued Affleck for damages in excess of $2 million and cinematographer Magdalena Gorka sued Affleck for damages in excess of $2.25 million, alleging that Affleck verbally and physically harassed them while making the film “I’m Still Here.” Affleck settled with both women out of court for undisclosed amounts. Interestingly, these suits have gone relatively unnoticed — that is until Affleck started getting praise for his work in Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea. The proverbial can of worms was then open and the media and the entertainment industry were all talking about these cases. Many thought the lawsuits would and should mar his chances at an Oscar.  But, as the world watched, Casey Affleck was named Best Actor for the lead role in Manchester By The Sea. Several in attendance at the awards show were not happy about the win. On social media, the disappointment and disgust has been much more apparent.

We at PROOF have reviewed the complaints filed in LA Superior Court against Affleck.  From reading those complaints and other documents, here’s what we know about White and Gorka’s lawsuits. White claimed that during filming Affleck constantly discussed his “sexual exploits” and that he even instructed a member of the crew (Antony Langdon, a good friend of Affleck and of Joaquin Phoenix, who, it should be noted,  is referenced throughout the complaints as the film, I’m Still Here, is a documentary about Phoenix) to show White his penis. White also alleged that Affleck tried to get her to stay in his hotel room,  but when she said no, he “grabbed her in a hostile manner in an effort to intimidate her into complying.”  

Gorka relayed a similar story in her suit, describing an incident in which Affleck crawled into bed with her while she was sleeping–he was in his underwear. Gorka claims that the “I’m Still Here” crew was staying at the actor’s apartment after a long night of shooting. (Affleck and Phoenix decided not to put the crew up in a hotel but rather had them stay at Affleck and Phoenix’ apartment.) According to the complaint, Gorka says that Affleck said she could stay in his room while he stayed on the couch, but that she woke up to Affleck “lying in bed next to her” and “he had his arm around her, was caressing her back, his face was within inches of hers and his breath reeked of alcohol.” Gorka says that she asked the Affleck to leave and he got angry. She called her time on the film, “the most traumatizing of her career.”

There is great deal more of detailed allegations in the these complaints and you can read them for yourselves by clicking here and here.  They’re pretty shocking.

At the time the suits were filed, Affleck denied all of the allegations and even threatened to file counterclaims against the women. He did not do so in either matter.  Instead he settled them both for undisclosed amounts.  As we have previously discussed on PROOF there are many reasons people choose to settle cases and they hold true for Affleck as well. It could be that he did what was alleged, felt remorse and wanted to compensate the women for it or it could be that he didn’t want the stress of the lawsuits, was worried about the effect on his career, or it could be any number of things. We do know that it was clearly in Affleck’s best interest to keep these cases as quiet as possible.  Settling them for undisclosed sums (and likely a requirement that the victims not speak publicly about them) served that interest pretty well.

What is frustrating in this Trump era is that another man seems to be rewarded despite engaging in bad behavior.  Yes, there is a distinguishing factor here in that these allegations are in no way related to his work on Manchester by the Sea. There are no allegations of  offensive behavior on that set or, for that matter, any recent allegations against Affleck for sexual harassment.  Maybe these lawsuits served as a wakeup call to him and caused him to change his treatment of women.  Certainly, that is a possibility.  Still though, there is something that just doesn’t feel, right, just or fair that Hollywood is rewarding a male actor who has this in his not-so-distant past and that it occurred in an environment related to his work as an actor.

Another aspect of this matter disappointing us at PROOF? When Affleck was asked about the allegations, his response was to say that the claims were baseless attacks on his family and that he does not feel a responsibility for what happened, and that “it was settled to the satisfaction of all. I was hurt and upset — I am sure all were — but I am over it.”

Affleck may be over it, as well as the members of the Academy, but women, especially those in the industry certainly are not.

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

Nick Cannon Sued Over App | Celebrity News | Proof with Jill Stanley

Nick Cannon Sued for Stealing Unsuccessful App Idea

America's Got Talent, California, Celeb News, Celebrities, Celebrity Lawsuits, Celebrity News, Celebs, Legal, Los Angeles, Nick Cannon

Nick Cannon may have just quit “America’s Got Talent” because he felt he was mistreated by the show (he said he felt silenced, controlled, and treated like a piece of property) – but he has even more drama ahead of him: he’s facing a lawsuit on an entirely unrelated matter.

Enrico Taylor is suing Cannon for allegedly stealing his idea for a talent discovery app. Taylor is seeking $1.75 million in damages.

 

In court documents, Taylor claims he met Nick in early 2015 and hoped to get Mariah Carey’s ex interested in his new app. The disgruntled app-maker says he told Cannon that he was working with rapper Birdman, who is the co-founder of Cash Money Records, to create a digital talent search app called “I Discover Stars.” Taylor claims that Cannon said he liked the idea but then Taylor never heard back from him about it. Five months later Cannon launched his own digital talent search app, N’credible.

Allegedly, Cannon’s app was intended to be an extension of his management and music company, N’credible Artists, and was for comedians, singers and rappers to audition for the former “America’s Got Talent Host” without him actually having to physically be at the audition. Sounds like a good idea, right?  Apparently though wannabe superstars didn’t flock to it. Taylor is claiming that not only did Cannon steal his idea, but also says that because Cannon’s app was a total bust, Taylor can’t get his own app off the ground – and now he wants $1.75 million as a compensation. That is quite a circuitous legal argument and not sure how persuasive it is going to be in a court of law. Think about: Taylor is seeking big bucks for an unsuccessful idea?!

bieb

We at PROOF are looking forward to seeing the evidence that comes out in this matter but if we were advising Cannon (which we are not–and here comes the PROOF legal disclaimer: nothing on PROOF should be construed as giving legal advice or the creation of an attorney client relationship) we would not recommend settling at this point. 

Discussing celebrity news is what we enjoy most at PROOF. Please visit the rest of our site for more of our one of a kind take on celebrity news.

Delta2

NFL and Marijuana | Celebrity Legal News

NFL and Marijuana: Does the League Care about the Players?

Athletes, Legal

Pot is now legal for recreational or medicinal use in more than half the country. Some states have only decriminalized it meaning that if you’re found with it in your car or in your pocket it will be treated no more seriously than a traffic infraction. Despite all these changes and changing attitudes in general toward pot, it remains banned by the National Football League—for any type of use. What this means is that if a running back on the LA Rams wants to smoke with friends in the privacy of his Calabasas, California home but then tests positive for marijuana, the League will sanction him.  Same result if that player smokes pot to help ease his chronic pain brought on by years of blocking and tackling.  The League test all players for marijuana use and suspends a player after four violations. In the NFL, the penalty for pot smoking is pretty hefty.

So, why does the NFL not let players smoke in states where it’s legal, like Colorado and California? The NFL stands behind its ban based on the fact that pot is still against federal law and is classified as a Schedule 1 drug.  When something is a Schedule 1 drug it means that the DEA (US Drug Enforcement Agency) considers the drug or substance to have a high potential for abuse and that the drug or substance has no currently accepted medical treatment use in the U.S. (I know it’s almost hard to take this second part seriously as it relates to cannabis).  So, for both the federal government and the NFL, their position is that until there is more research they’re not changing their minds.  Whether sufficient funds are put towards research that they will deem convincing will have to be the subject of another post.

Moreover, players believe there is a hypocrisy to the NFL’s position where team doctors are alleged to hand out opioids and other addictive prescription drugs like candy.  These players say that the League, the doctors, the owners have one goal in mind—and it’s not the health of the player. Rather, it’s simply to get the player back on the field, winning games, and earning money. The fact that many of the drugs team doctors prescribed are highly addictive does not seem to be much of a concern to the League. Some compare the League’s attitude toward this risk of addiction to their handling of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encelopathy)—they are keeping their head in the sand.  Fact is, players are worried and would prefer to use pot to treat pain.  According to a recent ESPN poll of 226 of them from the AFC and NFC (they were guaranteed anonymity),  59% of those questioned said they are worried about the long term effects of pain killers and 61% said that if marijuana were an allowed substance fewer players would take pain killers.

It should be noted that in November 2016, a group of physicians and experts as well as current and former players signed “An Open Letter to the National Football League.”  Among other things, this letter addressed the benefits cannabis has on treating pain and pointed out that the National Hockey League does not test all of its players for marijuana and that a Major League Baseball player would have to fail multiple tests before being sanctioned for its use, and then the sanctions are almost always fines.  This letter is chock full of eye-opening information about the NFL and marijuana, click here if you’d like to read it in its entirety.

We can’t discuss marijuana use in the NFL and not talk about Buffalo Bills offensive lineman, Seantrel Henderson. The 24 year old Henderson has Crohn’s Disease. If you know anyone who has this disease then you know it is life altering.  According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no known cure for Crohn’s, a disease that causes abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition, and is painful, debilitating and can lead to life threatening complications.  Henderson, however, has found something that eases his pain—marijuana.  And, he’s not the only one.  A study performed by the National Center for Biological Information, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services!!!) found that cannabis produced significant clinical benefits to patients with active Crohn’s disease.  But Henderson is finding himself between rock and a hard place as it relates to treating his disease. In the 2016-2017 season, he has been suspended twice by the NFL for violating the League’s substance abuse policy due to his marijuana use. The punishment for his second violation was a 10-game suspension without pay; he endured a four-game suspension earlier in the season. But just like the disease from which he suffers, there’s truly a life altering part of this story: if Henderson fails another drug test he will be banned from football for life.

What is Henderson supposed to do? He’s had multiple surgeries since being diagnosed with Crohn’s, his doctors are telling him cannabis is the best treatment, but the League refuses to carve out an exception.  He did try to appeal his suspension, which would have lessened the risk of a lifetime ban, but he was unsuccessful. So Henderson is left in a very difficult situation. If he stops smoking, his health suffers and he risks his life; if he continues to smoke and tests positive, he risks his livelihood. Not an easy choice for a sick 24 year old member of the NFL.

attorney Chris Darden baby mama drama | celebrity news

Baby Mama Drama for Attorney Christopher Darden

Attorney, Christopher Darden, Criminal Lawyer, LA Prosecutor, OJ Simpson, Prosecutor, Restraining Order, TRO

Christopher Darden, famous for being one of the L.A. County prosecutors who took O.J. Simpson to trial, has gotten himself in trouble with the law. Looks like a baby mama of his named Celia Smith (yes, Darden has more than one baby mama) sought a restraining order against the legal eagle, saying that he has been harassing her and that she is afraid of him. No surprise that Darden denied all of the allegations. And, what’s really interesting about this whole matter? Darden obtained a restraining order against Smith last year!

Here’s what’s going on in this most recent Smith/Darden dispute. On February 2, 2017 Celia Smith filed documents with the court asking them to order that Darden stay away from her, her 4-year-old daughter with Darden, Chloe, her mother, Anita Smith, and her brother, Robert Smith.

In the documents, Smith claims that she and Darden lived together and had Chloe on October 17, 2012. According to Smith, things went sour between them after that. As evidence, Smith submitted alleged posts that appeared on a custody website, Talking Parents.  She says these posts chronicle the abuse she suffered at Darden’s hands.

In one message, she wrote, “I am in fear of my life. You won’t stop with the harassment. Your obsession with me is disturbing.”

Darden allegedly wrote back, “You may rot. Obsession indeed. I despise you.”

Smith told the court she needed the restraining order and is afraid of Darden because he threatens her and is verbally abusive, calling her, “horrible names – lot lizard prostitute, dirty nasty stripper,” and more. (We’ve never heard the term, “lot lizard prostitute” before, have you?)

Smith also alleged that Darden has been, “cyberstalking my friends and sending nude photos and my arrest record.”

Darden insists the allegations are false, and said that he has never been served with anything and no temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued against him. Darden counters that Smith has been harassing him and that she has even threatened the lives of his other children, which is why he was granted a restraining order against her a year ago.

Smith is court ordered to stay 100 yards from Darden and is not allowed to contact him by email, telephone, mail or any other electronic means. Smith is allowed to have “brief and peaceful contact” with her ex as it relates to their child.

As expected,  the court sided with Darden and Smith’s TRO request was denied and the matter dismissed on February 28, 2017. It’s important to note that we at PROOF take allegations of violence against women very seriously. But, the court’s decision is correct here–the evidence Smith submitted is not persuasive nor credible or reliable. If she had proven that the offensive internet posts in fact came from Darden then we would be having a different discussion and likely be seeing a different result but that is not the case here. Some may feel that Darden’s prestige and fame as a well respected LA lawyer is what caused the dismissal that is simply not true given the facts as we know them here especially in light of the history between these two.

As with all the other family disputes we seem to be covering so often lately on PROOF, we have one main hope: that these two people who chose to be parents can get it together enough to ensure that their daughter has a happy, healthy, safe environment in which to grow up.

Discussing celebrity news is what we enjoy most at PROOF. Please visit the rest of our site for more of our one of a kind take on celebrity news.

Mel B. Restraining Order | Celebrity News | Celeb News

Spousal Support: The Latest in Big Hollywood Divorce Payouts

Aisha Tyler, Celebrity Divorce, Celebs, Kevin Dillon, Mary J Blige, Mel B., Mike Epps, Sherri Shepherd

Kevin Dillon
Entourage star Kevin Dillon is the latest Hollywood celeb to shell out big bucks to an ex for spousal support as part of a divorce settlement. Dillon and ex, Jane Stuart, have an 11-year-old daughter, Ava, and it has been reported that he has agreed to pay Jane $3,174 a month in child support for Ava and to pay Jane $7,214 in monthly spousal support. Dillon is reportedly worth at least $10 million. Johnny Drama is just one in a long list of Hollywood celebs shelling out the dough to an ex. Here are some of the most recent payouts and requests . . .

Mary J. Blige
All Mary J. Blige wants is “No More Drama” but her marriage to Kendu Isaacs was full of it. Isaacs not only cheated on Blige, but during their divorce proceedings earlier this year, he requested $130k in spousal support. Fortunately, the judge agreed that that number was off the charts and he ordered Blige to pay Isaacs $30,000 a month, still a rather ridiculous sum. The couple was married for twelve years. Keep singing and succeeding Mary so that you don’t feel one ounce of pain from this monthly bill!

Aisha Tyler
Aisha Tyler’s marriage of over 20 years to Jeff Tietjens met it’s end in early 2017, and despite the fact that documents say the split was amicable, Tyler is shelling out huge bucks to her ex. “[Tyler] shall pay [Tietjens] $500,000 in cash,” the divorce agreement states. In addition, Tyler will pay Tietjens $31,250 a month over the next four years, which totals an additional $1.5 million. We’re big fans of Aisha’s and stand behind her in this time of incredible personal change. And, we love what she recently posted on twitter: “Life is about change. Sometimes it’s painful. Sometimes it’s beautiful. Most of the time, it’s both. Be brave, everyone. Be brave.”

Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Shepherd’s case is paying child support to her ex-husband, Lamar Sally, who has sole custody of their son, Lamar Sally Jr.  The almost three-year-old was conceived using Sally’s sperm and a donor egg, and was carried via surrogate. What’s interesting is that Shepherd has no genetic connection to him and the couple split prior to the child’s birth. In November 2015, a Pennsylvania court of appeals upheld a decision stating that Shepherd’s name would remain on Lamar Sally Jr’s birth certificate and Shepherd would be responsible for paying child support. She currently pays $4,100 a month; recently Sally Sr. has requested more.

Mel B
There are rather vile allegations swirling around about Scary Spice/Melanie Brown’s (a.k.a. Mel B) marriage to Stephen Belafonte and, truth be told, we simply can’t wrap our heads around the amount of money Belafonte has requested for spousal support! As many know, Brown is ending her ten-year marriage to Belafonte amidst allegations of domestic violence, infidelity, and some other unspeakable behavior (click here for more info on this). Brown obtained a restraining order against Belafonte and this lovely ex is asking the Spice Girl for emergency spousal support, upwards of $20,000 a month. He has requested $11,000 for housing, $750 for his cell phone bill, $4,300 for groceries, and $2,000 for clothing. Brown has called his requests “exorbitant.” Bet you all know where we at PROOF stand.

Mike Epps
Mechelle Epps supported her husband Mike Epps and his comedy career for years by holding down their family and raising their daughters. They’re splitting after ten years of marriage and she’s claiming that while they were married, Mike actually forbade her from working, and now she’s not able to find a job because, at age 36, she is “too old” for one. In addition, Mechelle says she needs $600 a month to cover the cost of her mother’s car, $3,500 a month for nannies, $72,000 for their girls’ private schooling, and additional money to literally keep up appearances (hmmm . . .). All of this adds up to a request for $109,000 a month to support herself and their two daughters. As of now, a judge has not made a decision regarding the amount of the monthly payout but until we know exactly what Mike earns his other debts, and the true expenses for the Epps women to maintain their lifestyle, we’re thinking Mechelle may not be seeing the full 109k she is requesting.

Oh, to live that celebrity life, where seemingly one needs a cool million to survive every year. We’re not knocking it, just prefer to live in the real world–we guess.

Usher Is Ringing in 2019 As a Single Man: Here Are the Details on His Divorce

Celebs and Divorce, Usher

Looks like Usher is taking the old saying, “New year, new me” very seriously by filing for divorce from his wife, Grace Miguel. The couple married in 2015 about six years after they began dating. Miguel was Usher’s manager.

They couple appear to have separated around December 2017 and back in March 2018 issued a statement saying, “After much thought and consideration, we have mutually decided to separate as a couple. We remain deeply connected, loving friends who will continue to support each other through the next phases of our lives.” If anyone wanted any divorce drama with these two, it seems they’re both intent on not having that (thankfully!). The couple closed out their statement by saying, “The enormous amount of love and respect that we have for each other will only increase as we move forward.”

Usher’s Legal Problems: Herpes Lawsuits

While the divorce may not be full of drama, Usher’s recent legal life certainly has.  In 2017, the singer was sued in California for knowingly infecting two women and a man with herpes. That’s against the law in California. We posted a copy of the lawsuit back when it was filed–it’s full of very interesting details so click here if you’d like to read it. Around this time it was also revealed that back in 2012 Usher allegedly paid out a $1.1 million settlement for infecting another woman with the disease. Usher faced another herpes lawsuit in 2017 in Georgia filed by Laura Helm (she first filed as a Jane Doe and when the singer’s legal team demanded she reveal her name, she did so. More on that in this Proof interview on the matter).

Of no surprise is that Usher’s camp insists that he did not intend to harm any of the people he was romantically involved with and argued that they  assumed a risk when they consented to have unprotected sex with him. One can imagine the pressure these lawsuits likely placed on Usher and Miguel’s marriage.

Usher and Tameka Foster: Lots of Family Drama

Before his courtship and eventual marriage to Miguel, which spanned 11 years, Usher was married to Tameka Foster in 2007. The pair share two sons together. They divorced in 2009. Foster did not go down without a fight however.

It was a messy battle with Foster fighting for primary custody (though, notably, Usher would eventually be the one awarded custody of their two sons) and a Georgia mansion. Allegations flew throughout the proceedings, including one from a marriage counselor that Foster accused Usher of sleeping with two of her bridesmaids.

In July 2012, Foster’s son from another marriage was killed after being hit by a jet ski. It was rumored that Usher was not at the funeral, though he insisted that he was and told Oprah at the time that he even put their custody battle on hold to give Tameka time to breath and grieve.

In 2013 an emergency hearing was scheduled after one of Usher’s children was involved in a swimming accident at Usher’s home. Foster sought to regain custody of the children, but the judge denied her request and the children remain with Usher.

Though divorce is rarely easy the fact that Miguel and Usher do not have children together certainly will make things simpler. We bet Usher is ready for a new start in 2019.

7 Reality Stars Who Got a Dose of Real Reality When They Broke the Law

Abby Lee Miller, Apollo Nida, Celebrities, Countess Luann de Lesseps, Joe Guidice, Kim Richards, Mendeeces Harris

Most of us accept the fact that reality tv is far from reality but even though we know that, admittedly, sometimes reality TV has even the most discerning of us wondering whether or not these reality stars actually are the way they seem on television. That is especially true when they’re badly behaving. What’s real and what’s scripted on these shows? Table flipping? Screaming? Making bad drunk choices? For the 7 reality stars discussed below, there’s no question because they have the criminal records to prove that their bad behavior: no script in sight.

Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Jersey Shore

We’ve got ourselves a situation (sorry, sometimes we can’t help ourselves)! Well, at least this Jersey Shore star created a pretty bad situation. The 35-year-old and his brother Marc were convicted of tax evasion after they pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns and tax evasion back in January 2018. The Situation was attempting to squirrel away his money into secret accounts with the aid of his brother. In October 2018, Sorrentino was sentenced to 8 months in prison, two years of supervised release, 500 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay $123,913 in restitution (which he has paid) and a $10,000 fine. His brother did not fare as well–he was sentenced to 2 years in prison with supervised release for a year once that ends, an undetermined amount of restitution, and a $75,000 fine. Sibling jealousy might be at its highest for the Sorentino bros.

Abby Lee Miller, Dance Moms

The former Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller was charged in October 2015 with trying to conceal over $750,000 worth of income in secret accounts after she had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The dance coach ended up pleading guilty to charges of bankruptcy fraud in June 2016 and was ordered to serve one year in prison. She began serving her sentence in July 2017 but in March 2018 was released into a halfway house. Did she get special treatment because she’s a reality star? Not really. This type of reduction in sentence is very typical.

Mendeeces Harris, Love & Hip Hop

The reality television star was sent to jail in 2015 after pleading guilty to drug trafficking. He was ordered to serve an 8 year sentence and pay a restitution of $170,000. Reportedly he was part of a ring that transported drugs from New York City to Rochester County in New York. All in he was alleged to have trafficked more than $2.5 million worth of illegal substances in a 7 year span. In early 2018, his lawyers appealed the sentence arguing, among other things, that there was a change in sentencing guidelines and, as such, Harris’ sentence should be reconsidered. A federal appeals court wasn’t having any of that and denied the request to even review the matter.

Apollo Nida, Real Housewives of Atlanta

Nida is the ex-husband of RHOA co-star Phaedra Parks. He was arrested for identity theft and bank fraud in January of 2014. Apparently, Nida created fake companies and set up fake bank accounts using stolen identities. He used those accounts to steal more than $2.3 million! Nida was facing a sentence of 30 years, but in exchange for his cooperation the sentencing recommendation was reduced to eight years and that was what was ordered.

Teresa and Joe Giudice, Real Housewives of New Jersey

Joe Giudice, Teresa Giudice’s husband was sentenced to 41 months in prison and Teresa was sentenced to 15 months after the flashy couple was convicted of tax fraud in March 2014 (click here to read more detailed Proof coverage on that). Their illegal behavior brought in extra cash to the tune of $5 million. The judge, recognizing that the Giudice family would be better off if at least one parent was home to care for their four daughters, ordered that the sentences could be served consecutively. Teresa was released right before Christmas 2015. Joe is still in prison and, in a rather shocking turn, a judge has ordered that he will be deported back to Italy once he has served his time.

Kim Richards, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Kim Richard was arrested back in April 2015 after behaving badly at the Beverly Hills Hotel allegedly due to the overconsumption of alcohol. The RHOBH star was drunk at the hotel and asked to leave, at which point she locked herself in the bathroom and had to be forcibly removed. At some point she also kicked a police officer. She was later arrested again for shoplifting at Target in August 2015. She served a combined sentence after pleading no contest (same as a guilty plea really) to resisting arrest and shoplifting–both misdemeanors. She was banned from Target, sentenced to three years’ probation, and ordered to serve 30 days of community labor and mandated to complete 52 weeks of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Adding insult to entitlement (oops, we mean injury) Richards almost found herself facing jail time in 2017 because she didn’t complete the court ordered community service within the designated time frame. Lucky for her she was granted extra time and completed the required hours.

Countess Luann de Lesseps, The Real Housewives of New York City

This RHONY star was arrested after kicking an officer on Christmas Eve 2017. She was charged with resisting arrest, battery of an officer, and disorderly intoxication. The video of her arrest is all over the internet and it is very damaging. The Countess can even be heard threatening the cops,” I will kill you,” she repeats. Yes, we know, the holidays are hard. She subsequently released a statement saying, “I want to offer my sincere apologies to anyone I might have offended with my behavior. This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding and being there brought up long-buried emotions. I am committed to a transformative and hopeful 2018.” She rejected a plea deal in February 2018, but ultimately a deal was made that kept de Lesseps out of jail. She was sentenced to one-year probation and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service, attend two AA meetings per week, not possess or consume alcohol or illegal drugs and attend a Victim Impact Class organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), as well as write a letter of apology to one of the officers.

 

Kanye Settles With Lloyd’s of London for Cancelled Tour, So Much for their Countersuit

Celebrity News, Celebs, Kanye West

Update: Kanye West has settled his lawsuit against Lloyd’s of London for an undisclosed amount. Despite the insurer’s tough talk, in light of the settlement, naturally the counterclaim will not be pursued further. PROOF’s original post about the countersuit is below:

Insurer Lloyd’s of London has responded to Kanye West’s $10 million lawsuit with a countersuit; they don’t believe they need to pay a dime for Kanye’s claim stemming from his canceled Saint Pablo tour.

Kanye’s production company, Very Good Productions, sued Lloyd’s on August 1, claiming that the insurer was dragging its feet on Kanye’s claim for damages resulting from his cancelled 2016 tour dates.

 

Kanye suffered a very public mental breakdown in November of 2016, when a rambling and incoherent performance at a November 19, 2016 concert in Sacramento, California led to the tour being canceled and him being hospitalized in a psychiatric ward. He spent 8 days at UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital Center, and according to his suit, he is still under the care of the primary physician who treated him there.

On November 23, only four days after the initial public meltdown, Very Good filed a claim with Lloyd’s, after claiming to have paid the company “hundreds of thousands” of dollars for its insurance services.

Despite three other insurance companies paying the claim promptly, Very Good claims that Lloyd’s dragged its feet and required the production company to jump through a number of hoops, and eight months went by with no decision on the claim. They allege that Lloyd’s implied “that Kanye’s use of marijuana may provide them with a basis to deny the claim.” They also accuse Lloyd’s of planting confidential information with the press, violating a non-disclosure agreement. Moreover, Very Good claims that an independent doctor hired by Lloyd’s to evaluate West concurred that he was medically unable to complete the tour. This evidence is key.

On August 29, Lloyd’s filed a countersuit, claiming that there are “irregularities” in Kanye’s medical history, and accusing Very Good of not being cooperative. They also allege that Kanye could have prevented the breakdown and pointed to insurance exclusions based on pre-existing psychological conditions, use of illegal substances and incorrect use of prescription drugs, though they did not specify in detail what triggered the claim denial. So Kanye has a fight on his hands.  That’s the key then for Kanye–he is going to have to identify, collect and present that strong evidence in his favor so that he can refutes Lloyd’s claims and their benefits denial.

This isn’t the first time that an insurance company has denied a star’s tour cancellation claim. In 2005 Britney Spears canceled her Onyx Hotel due to a knee injury that required surgery, and submitted a claim for approximately $10 million. Seems fair right? Well, not so fast. The insurance company claimed that her knee was initially injured on the set of a 1999 music video shoot, and said Spears didn’t disclose it on her insurance application so they denied her claim.

Likewise, a 2008 Linkin Park tour was cancelled due to the back injury of its lead singer, the late Chester Bennington, but the insurance company, also Lloyd’s of London, refused to pay, alleging Bennington failed to disclose other health problems on his medical history.

Concerts are big money and cancelled concerts lead to big damages that’s why insurance is underwritten in the first place. Given what we know about Kanye and Lloyd’s we don’t expect either party to go away quietly. And though we sometimes are not on Kanye’s side (loyalty to T Swift, maybe?) we have to say on this one we are–if he has the medical evidence to support the cancellation he is entitled to be compensated.

And so it goes, Kanye West gets the insurance money he is due. Given what many of us knew about West and his behavior at the time, this is probably the right decision. But, more than anything, Kanye clearly had the evidentiary proof he needed.

Taylor Swift Groping Case Goes to Trial

Celebrity News, Celebs, Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift may live a very public life and we might think we know everything about her relationships, her childhood, and her career, but there is one aspect of her personal life that she has remained fairly quiet about… until now. Swift is expected to take the stand in a civil suit involving an alleged assault by a Colorado radio DJ, David Mueller, as a result of groping. The incident occurred in 2013, and as Swift explained in her deposition that while posing for a photo with Mueller, “he took his hand and put it up my dress and grabbed onto my ass cheek, and no matter how much I scooted over, it was still there. It was completely intentional. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.” Swift did not report the incident to police (which, by the way, she could have–his alleged actions could have supported a criminal charge) but did tell her team about it who notified Mueller’s employer; Mueller was fired from his job at 98.5 KYGO. He sued Swift for slander in 2015, claiming he never touched her and suffered damages including the loss of his job as well as other professional opportunities as a result of her claims.

Swift did not stand by and allow Mueller to contradict her (at the very worst, he’s calling her a liar; at the least, saying she had him confused with someone else) and filed a counterclaim for assault. In May 2017, the court threw out Mueller’s slander claims and the matter is now going forward on other counts raised in Mueller’s complaint including intentional interference with a contract and tortious interference with prospective business relations as well the counts in Swift’s counterclaim

Note that this is a civil case. There are no criminal charges, no jail time at issue. The eight person jury, made up of 6 women and 2 men, will decide who is liable here–that’s the term, not guilt or innocence. Among other things, they will decide whether Mueller assaulted Swift or Swift interfered with his contract with KYGO causing him to suffer damages. Mueller says his life was ruined by Swift’s claims and seeks up to $3 million; Swift has said if she receives any money damages, she will donate them to “charitable organizations dedicated to protecting women from similar acts of sexual assault and personal disregard.”

Swift as well as her mother are expected to testify along with another eye witness. A critical piece of evidence which, by now, most have seen, is the photograph from the incident–Mueller’s hand certainly appears to be behind Swift. Was it simply behind her or was it under her skirt and on her buttock? That’s the main issue the jury will decide as far as Swift’s claims.

While we at PROOF know this is not the most serious of cases (as does Swift–we indicated above that she could have, but did not, report the incident to police), we do not agree with those who refer to this case flippantly and we applaud Swift for filing a counterclaim, for using her resources and her access to make a point for herself and on behalf of other women who have been similarly victimized and violated physically without consent. Swift has said she hoped to “serv[e] as an example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts.” You go, Taylor.

The Deadliest Celebrity Stalkers In Hollywood History

Celebrity News, Celebs, Christina Grimmie, John Lennon, Paula Abdul, Rebecca Schaeffer, Selena, Theresa Saldana

Here at PROOF, we’re convinced that stalking is by far the scariest byproduct of fame. Despite the argument that celebrities choose to live their lives publicly, no one deserves to feel threatened or face danger on a daily basis. While many celebs endure harassment, and take out restraining orders when necessary, often things take a much scarier turn. PROOF is taking a deeper dive into the most tragic stalker situations in Hollywood–situations that have sadly ended in someone’s death.

One of the first murders that comes to mind when we think of young Hollywood actresses is that of Rebecca Schaeffer, the star of the TV show “My Sister Sam.” Schaeffer was murdered by her stalker, Robert James Bardo, in 1989 in the doorway of her home. Her death helped bring about the country’s first anti-stalking laws. Bardo remains in prison, serving a life sentence without parole. It seems impossible to believe, but prior to Schaeffer’s murder, stalking was not a crime.

Actress Theresa Saldana was attacked by a man who called himself the “benevolent angel of death” in 1982. Though she survived being attacked by Arthur Richard Jackson, she was stabbed so many times that she required major surgery on her heart and lungs and a transfusion of 26 pints of blood. Though she later became an advocate for stalking victims, she was continually harassed by Jackson while he served time in prison — he was handed a mere 12 year sentence for his crime — and he threatened her life on numerous occasions. Eventually he was extradited to England where he died in 2004. Saldana passed away in 2016.

Mental health is clearly an issue when it comes to stalking and in the case of Paula Abdul’s alleged stalker, Paula Goodspeed, she ended up killing herself near the star’s Los Angeles home in 2008. Goodspeed appeared on American Idol in 2005 and, as was common in those days, she was criticized harshly for her talents, but expressed a deep admiration for Abdul. When her body was found in her car, the license plate of which read “ABL LV,” with a photo of Abdul hanging from the mirror

The story of Selena has been immortalized on film, but we can’t shake the horrific real-life details of the singer’s murder. The Tejano singer was shot to death in 1995 by Yolanda Saldivar, the president of her fan club. Saldivar was a fan who has repeatedly asked Selena’s father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., his permission to start a fan club. It was later discovered that Saldivar was embezzling money from the club and, after being confronted by Selena’s family about it, she murdered Selena by shooting her in the back. Saldivar was sentenced to life in prison.

No one will forget the stalker who killed John Lennon. Mark David Chapman famously gunned down the Beatles legend outside his New York City apartment building in 1980. Chapman has been serving life in prison and has been denied parole nine times. He has said that he killed the Beatle because he wanted to be famous, but his haunting recollection of the night he killed Lennon is even more disturbing. “As a ruse, I had his album and a pen and I asked him to sign the album… He asked me if I wanted anything else. His wife had come out with him and she was waiting in a limo and that’s something I often reflect on how decent he was to just a stranger.” A stranger that he then came back to murder later that same evening after receiving an autograph.

John Hinckley Jr.’s obsession with Jodie Foster took a bizarre turn in 1981 when he attempted to kill President Reagan to get her attention. The President was shot in the chest, and three other men were also shot, most notably Press Secretary James Brady, who was paralyzed by the attack (and spent the rest of his life campaigning for gun control).

It may seem as though celebrity stalkers have gotten less violent in recent years since many of these stories have occurred over the last 40 years or so, but let’s not forget the latest tragedy at the hands of a crazed fan: Christina Grimmie. The young singer placed third on her season of The Voice and had just performed a concert on June 10, 2016 in Orlando, Florida, when Kevin James Loibl gunned her down as she was signing autographs for her fans. Grimmie’s brother managed to restrain Loibl temporarily to try and save his sister, but moments later Loibl escaped and killed himself.

While each of these circumstances is undeniably scary and terribly tragic if there is anything on the positive side to note, it that they have sparked changes in the law.  But isn’t it an unfortunate fact that we must wait until something truly awful happens before we really start to talk about how to prevent such tragedies from happening again?

 

 

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