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Oh Ma God! Remy Guilty on Four Counts

Source: TMZ

 

The verdict just came down in the Remy Ma trial, and the rapper has been convicted on four major charges -- two counts of first-degree assault, attempted coercion, and criminal possession of a weapon.

 

The charges stem from a 2007 incident in which Remy shot a friend of hers after a fight over $3,000 in cash stolen from Remy's purse. The defense tried to make the shooting an accident -- but it looks like they didn't quite convince the jury.

 

Remy was not found guilty of gang assault and witness tampering, among the nine total charges she faced. We're told the victim's friends and family taunted Remy when the verdicts were read -- full pandemonium in the courtroom.

 

Remy could face up from five to 25 years in prison at sentencing.

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Blige Set To Sue Concert Fraudsters

 

Soul star MARY J. BLIGE has filed a lawsuit against fraudsters who plan to sell counterfeit merchandise ahead of her concert with JAY-Z in New York.

 

The star launched her legal bid at Central Islip Court to prevent people from selling fake Heart of the City tour T-shirts outside the Nassau Coliseum on Thursday (27Mar08), reports New York gossip column PageSix.com.

 

The suit reads: "Defendants will be selling and distributing unauthorised goods at (the) Coliseum bearing the marks of artist Mary J. Blige. "They are sued under fictitious names because their true names are unknown at this time."

 

Source: pr-inside

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Brother of Late Singing Sensation (Gerald Levert) Jailed For Failure To Pay Child Support

 

 

Cleveland, OH - The brother of late crooner Gerald Levert was sentenced to prison for not paying child support. Sean sung in the trio "Levert," alongside his late brother, Gerald.

 

Sean Levert will spend the next 22-months behind bars.

 

 

Levert owes $85,427.68 in back child support for his three children - ages 11, 15 and 17.

 

 

Levert was sentenced Monday by Judge Nancy Margaret Russo. He did not speak at his sentencing.

 

Source: Panachereport.com

SEAN LEVERT HAS DIED:

 

Sean Levert, son of O’Jays lead singer Eddie Levert, was found dead in a Cleveland, Ohio, jail over the weekend. Sean Levert, 39, was being held for allegedly failing to pay about $80,000 in child support. The cause of death was not immediately known. Sean Levert was a member of the R&B group LeVert with his late brother Gerald Levert and Marc Gordon. Gerald Levert died Nov. 10, 2006 at the age of 40.” Our prayers go out to the family.

 

Source: panachereport.com

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Rapper Beanie Siegel is back behind bars after he was caught giving his probation officers fake urine samples. The 33-year-old - real name Dwight Grant - has been living in a halfway house for the last three months as part of his sentence following a second probation violation.

He was also jailed for one day in January (08) after a judge decided he took an unauthorized trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey and associated with a convicted felon.

In addition to his halfway house sentence, the hip-hop star's probation, which had been due to end in February (08), was extended by a further 18 months. But at a hearing in Philadelphia on Friday, a federal judge ruled he had broken more probation rules by giving authorities the false samples, and he was hauled back to jail for three months.

Officials also claimed Sigel has failed five drug tests in March (08) alone, testing positive on all occasions for anxiety drug Xanax and pain reliever Percocet. Sigel's latest woe follows a succession of legal problems, which have seen him serve time for weapons and drug charges. He was acquitted of attempted murder charges in 2005.

 

Source: panachereport.com

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Attorney Angered Over Remy Ma's Pleas For Leniency

 

Rapper Remy Ma has been chastised by the lawyer of her shooting victim, after she called on her fans to send in letters of support to Manhattan Supreme Court in a bid to win her a lesser jail sentence.

 

The hip-hop star - real name Remy Smith - faces up to 25 years in jail after she was convicted of shooting Makeda Barnes-Joseph outside a New York nightclub last year.

 

Ma, who is due to be sentenced in New York on April 23, has appealed to her devotees to write in to the judge, describing how her music has "positively affected you, influenced you, inspired you, etc... in hopes (sic) that the judge will be lenient."

 

But the MySpace.com petition has infuriated Barnes-Joseph and her attorney Lauren P. Raysor, who insist Ma needs to accept "responsibility" for her actions and face the consequences.

 

Raysor has also accused Ma of insulting other people whose lives have been seriously affected by "violent crimes", by portraying herself as the victim in her case.

 

Raysor says, "A jury of her peers found Remy Ma guilty based on overwhelming evidence. It is time for Remy Ma to take responsibility, to stop thinking she is the real victim, and to stop sending the wrong message to her fans. Remy Ma's online petition is a slap in the face of thousands of victims of violent crimes.

 

"Ms. Barnes-Joseph is truly lucky to be alive. Until Remy Ma demonstrates her willingness to take responsibility for her actions and show remorse, such plea for leniency is unacceptable."

 

Source: starpulse

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Michaels Sued Over Damage To Rock Of Love Home

 

A disgruntled home owner is suing BRET MICHAELS for allegedly causing $380,000 (GBP190,000) worth of damage to the property where the singer's ROCK OF LOVE TV show is filmed.

 

Ray Sahranavard has filed his lawsuit against Michaels and the show's production company Mindless Entertainment Inc.

 

He claims at least $380,000 worth of damage was caused to his Encino, California home during the shooting of Michael's reality dating show, which is nearing the end of its second season on U.S. TV.

 

Sahranavard initially sued Mindless Entertainment Inc. for breach of contract, fraud, negligence and negligent misrepresentation, but on Wednesday (09Apr08) he added Michaels to the legal paperwork for alleged intentional destruction of property.

 

According to the suit, the damages include missing doors, holes in walls and ceilings and damaged landscaping. The owner also claims the whole house needed repainting.

 

Source: contactmusic

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Rock's Suit Dropped -- No Kidding!

 

A jury has dismissed a lawsuit against Kid Rock brought by a woman who claimed the rocker man-handled her outside his Michigan recording studio.

 

A jury dismissed a claim by Kelly Ann Kozlowski on Friday, who was seeking $25,000 in damages. Kozlowski's attorney says he'll appeal. But Kid's attorney says he and his client are pleased. Naturally!

 

Authorities did investigate -- but never brought up charges against the Kid.

 

Now Rock can use the money in his other pending lawsuit. He's a busy man!

 

Source :TMZ

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Remy Ma Court Hearing Postponed As Rapper Serves Custody Time

 

Rapper REMY MA will have to wait another three weeks to find out if she faces a lengthy prison spell after sentencing in her shooting case was postponed on Tuesday (22Apr08).

 

The hitmaker, real name Remy Smith, is accused of shooting an acquaintance and is currently being held without bail at Rikers Island prison in New York until her sentencing.

 

Rikers Island is the prison fellow rap star Foxy Brown was released from after serving eight months of a year-long sentence for probation violations on Friday (18Apr08).

 

Remy Ma's trial, which was scheduled for Wednesday (23Apr08), will now take place on 13 May (08), to give her lawyer, Ivan Fisher, more time to prepare "a sentencing submission".

 

The rapper was convicted in March (08) of assault, weapons possession and attempted coercion for shooting Makeda Barnes Joseph in the abdomen.

 

The 26 year old faces a 25-year prison sentence if she's found guilty of all charges.

 

Source: contactmusic

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Jam Master Jay Suspect Jailed

 

A man suspected of murdering rapper JAM MASTER JAY has been jailed for 17 years, after he was convicted of a string of robberies.

 

Ronald 'Tinard' Washington's former girlfriend claims he confessed to killing the Run DMC rapper in a New York recording studio in October 2002, but the 40-year-old has never been charged with the murder.

 

Prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York pushed for a more severe sentence for Washington, citing evidence connecting him to Jay's murder and another killing he was rumoured to have committed in 1995.

 

But Judge Nina Gershon refused to consider the two murders, telling the New York court on Wednesday (23Apr08), "One might think if it was such an overwhelming murder case, someone would have prosecuted him, instead of hanging a murder on a string of robberies with a BB gun."

 

Source: contactmusic

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Weiland Jailed

 

Rocker SCOTT WEILAND is heading to jail.

 

The Stone Temple Pilots star has been sentenced to serve 192 hours behind bars in Los Angeles county jail for his drink driving arrest in November (07).

 

It's Weiland's second DUI offence and he has until 28 May (08) to serve the sentence.

 

The rocker was charged with one misdemeanour count of driving under the influence of alcohol with a prior conviction. He entered a no contest plea through his attorney, Anthony Brooklier, in court on Monday (28Apr08).

 

Weiland will also have to complete an 18-month alcohol program and pay almost $2,000 (GBP1,000) in fines. He will also serve four years probation.

 

Source: contactmusic

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NYC judge gives rapper Remy Ma 8 years in prison

By SAMUEL MAULL

 

 

(05-13) 09:13 PDT New York (AP) --

 

Remy Ma has been sentenced to eight years in prison in the shooting a woman outside a Manhattan nightclub.

 

The state Supreme Court sentence was handed Tuesday to the 26-year-old rapper, whose real name is Remy Smith, for assault, weapon possession and attempted coercion.

 

Remy Ma, who could have faced up to 25 years in prison, was teary-eyed as she heard the sentence.

 

She says last summer's shooting was an accident; an appeal is planned.

 

Correction officials say they called off her weekend wedding at the Rikers Island jail after the groom — fellow rapper Papoose — showed up with a handcuff key.

 

Remy Ma's lawyer, Ivan Fisher, denies the key could be used to unlock handcuffs. Papoose isn't charged.

 

Fisher says the two still plan to wed.

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DMX Threatens to Beat Up His Jailers

------------------------------------------------------------------------

DMX is officially on "lockdown status" in Arizona's Tent City Jail for one of the dumbest moves an inmate can make -- dude threatened to fight the guards.

 

After X failed to report for his medication, officials say the former platinum rapper began cussing at officers and threatened to "assault somebody to get some respect."

 

DMX was immediately thrown into lockdown and punished with a "special diet that is a form of bread and water."

 

It all started when he refused to report for work, telling officers, "I already have a job and don't need this (expletive)."

 

Sounds like he's finally reforming...

 

Source: TMZ

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Wyclef Jean Hits Back At Foreclosure Reports

 

Former Fugees star Wyclef Jean has fired back at reports alleging his Miami, Florida home has been hit by foreclosure - blaming a contractor who "sat on the job for two years" for the mix-up.

 

Jean bought the Miami Beach mansion in 2004, reportedly taking out a $2 million mortgage through a corporation he owns with several friends. But a string of legal problems ensued with the construction of the unfinished property, with Jean's corporation reportedly owing the bank more than $2.4 million when renovations floundered, sparking the reports last November.

 

According to TMZ.com, Jean says he was "robbed" by contractors he commissioned for the $900,000 project. The singer's home was scheduled for auction on December 12th, but reportedly settled loans with the bank in time, avoiding having his home sold off.

 

Jean now intends to resell the Miami-Dade county property.

 

Source :starpulse

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Lil Jon Lawsuit Dismissed

 

A copyright lawsuit brought against rapper/producer Lil Jon for his song Weedman has been dismissed.

 

Freelance musician Redwin Wilchcombe brought the lawsuit against the star and TVT Records, claiming he and his manager helped produce the track, which featured on Lil Jon's 2002 album Kings of Crunk.

 

According to the lawsuit Lil Jon came up with the idea for the song after someone had suggested calling a marijuana dealer.

 

Wilchcombe was in the recording studio at the time and claimed that he came up with a chorus that the rapper liked and then decided to use.

 

Lil Jon then allegedly released the song on the hit album Kings of Crunk, which went on to sell more than two million copies.

 

Wilchcombe had no written agreement in regards to the song but filed a copyright lawsuit almost two years after the album was released.

 

But the lawsuit was dismissed from United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia earlier this month because no agreement was made at the time of the recording, according to AllHipHop.com.

 

Chief Judge Robert L. Hinkle said, "The district court correctly found that the parties' conduct created an implied license. Wilchcombe does not dispute that he created the song for the album at Lil Jon's request and that he instructed Taylor to send it to Lil Jon for final mixing and inclusion on the album.

 

"Wilchcombe testified in his deposition that he understood Lil Jon would use the song on the album. In addition, Wilchcombe does not dispute that when he handed over the song, he never discussed with Taylor or any of the Appellees that using the song would constitute copyright infringement."

 

Source :starpulse

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Bon Jovi Sued Over Unpaid Commission

 

 

Jon Bon Jovi has reportedly been sued by a former employee of his arena football team.

 

Philadelphia Soul sales manager Joseph Krause has claimed that he is owed $125,000 (£87,000) in unpaid wages and commission, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

 

The lawsuit alleges that Krause is due $83,359 (£58,000) in commission for last season and a further $41,456 (£29,000) for the cancelled 2009 season.

 

According to Krause, he was offered $5,000 (£3,500) to relinquish his claims and, when he refused to accept, was told that he would receive nothing.

 

The suit also accuses the defendants of working off the club's success to "promote themselves in all of their many other business, financial and cultural enterprises, and in establishing (in the case of co-owner Craig Spencer) and sustaining (in the case of Bon Jovi) themselves as celebrities".

 

Bon Jovi's representatives have declined to comment.

 

Source :digitalspy.co.uk

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Nickelback's Kroeger Abandons Dui Appeal

 

NICKELBACK frontman CHAD KROEGER has dropped his appeal against his drink-driving conviction.The singer was sentenced to a one-year driving ban and a $600 (£400) fine after he was arrested in June 2006 in British Columbia, Canada for speeding in his Lamborghini.

 

He was acquitted of an impaired driving charge, but convicted on of driving with a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit.

 

His lawyer Marvin Stern previously planned to appeal, arguing police violated Kroeger's rights when an officer asked him to blow onto his face after detecting the smell of alcohol.

 

But after a similar case was recently abandoned by the B.C. Appeal Court, Stern announced the rocker would drop the appeal.

 

Stern says, "Just like anybody else, his rights are protected by the Charter and at the time of the trial we felt that his rights had been violated. The state of the law has now changed and we respect the current state of the law and are bound by it, and in law there's no ground of appeal left."

 

In Kroeger's case, Judge Peter Gulbrandsen called the practice of blowing in the face unconstitutional, but ruled the evidence acceptable as it was obtained legally.

 

Source: contactmusic

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'Terminator' Kid Busted for DUI

 

Thomas Dekker -- the guy who played "John Connor" on the Terminator TV show -- was arrested last night on suspicion of DUI after allegedly hitting a bicyclist.

 

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the 21-year-old "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" actor was busted around 9pm Wednesday in the San Fernando Valley.

 

On his booking sheet, Dekker is listed as being 5'11", 155lbs.

 

He's currently being held on suspicion of felony DUI and causing bodily harm. His bail is set at $100,000.

 

Story developing ...

 

Source TMZ

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Cops: Terminator Star's Victim Was 17 Years Old

 

TMZ has obtained the police report from Thomas Dekker's DUI bust in North Hollywood late last night -- which states the actor hit a 17-year-old kid who was trying to ride his bike past a freeway on-ramp.

 

According to the report, CHP officers who arrived to the scene claim they observed "a collision involving a silver Toyota Matrix and a bicycle blocking the #2 lane on the on-ramp."

 

The report explains that the victim was "ejected" from his bike and fell onto the street. Cops say he was eventually transported to a nearby hospital for minor injuries.

 

Cops then suspected that Dekker had been drinking and arrested him for "DUI resulting in an injury to a party involved in a traffic collision."

 

Dekker was arrested and transported to Van Nuys jail where he was released early this morning on $100,000 bail.

 

Source TMZ

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Tritt Sued By Tour Bosses

 

Country star TRAVIS TRITT owes tour company bosses more than $400,000 (GBP267,000) according to a new lawsuit filed at Manhattan Federal Court in New York.

 

The singer is accused of failing to pay the huge sum to Clair Bros. Audio Enterprises, as promised in a 2006 contract.

 

Clair Bros. handles the technical aspects of musicians' tours and has helped the likes of Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and U2 put together huge roadshows.

 

According to the lawsuit, Tritt has only offered up $11,888 (GBP7,925) of the $430,657 (GBP287,104) he originally owed.

 

Representatives for the Grammy winner have yet to respond.

 

Source contactmusic

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T.I. -- From the Big House to a Halfway House

 

Rapper T.I. was released from prison in Arkansas today after serving seven months behind bars -- and the rapper's lawyer says he'll spend the rest of his sentence living in a halfway house.

 

T.I. -- real name Clifford Harris -- was sentenced to 366 days in the Forrest City penitentiary earlier this year, after he was busted in 2007 for sending his bodyguard out to buy machine guns and silencers.

 

T.I.'s lawyer, Steve Sadow, told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution that the rapper is expected to report to Dismas Charities Atlanta West in Georgia tonight -- where he'll live in a halfway house for the next three months.

 

After his sentence is completed, T.I. still has to complete 500 hours of community service and 23 days of home incarceration.

 

Source TMZ

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Gene Simmons Fights Restraining Order

 

Gene Simmons successfully fought off a restraining order today in which a couple claimed the KISS member threatened to kill them.

 

Nathan Marlowe and Cynthia Manzo filed papers asking the court to keep Simmons away from them, but the judge rejected the order.

 

Marlowe claims he was at The Grove shopping mall in L.A. on December 19 when he tried to film Simmons. He says he then asked Simmons about "his public persona about monogamy." Marlowe claims Simmons grabbed him by the throat, headbutted and choked him and said, "I will end you."

 

Marlowe says Simmons took his camera. Marlowe claims Simmons then grabbed his wife by the throat and threatened, "I will kill you." Marlowe says Simmons then made off with his camera in an SUV.

 

The papers were filed in L.A. County Superior Court. The judge claims she rejected the petition partly because the couple failed to show "a threat of future harm."

 

Source TMZ

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Sisqo fathered Son With 14-Year-Old Girl

 

 

Sisqo is reported to have fathered a child with a 14-year-old girl more than ten years ago, a Swiss court has heard.

 

The News of the World reports that the court decided the RnB star is the father of the child, a boy named Ian, with a Kenyan-born girl he met at a VIP reception following a concert in Zurich in 1999.

 

The mother, who is now 25-years-old, explained: "After the concert Sisqo was standing with his band at the bar. We went over and talked to them. Then everything went very fast.

 

"I was so young, but I wanted to enjoy my life," she continued. "Ian often saw his father on TV. He's very proud of him. It's up to his father to prove he's right to be proud."

 

The Swiss press revealed that the court ruled that Sisqo should pay monthly child support fees.

 

It was also reported that Sisqo, who was lead singer of boyband Dru Hill at the time, has repeatedly avoided taking a paternity test and has been successfully sued for child support by the mother of the boy.

 

Source digitalspy.co.uk

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Rapper T.I. 'Facing Copyright Lawsuit'

 

 

T.I. is reportedly facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over his hit single 'What You Know'.

 

Rapper Motoe Blizzid, real name Nathan Filby, has claimed that T.I. used parts of his own song 'Reverence', which was distributed to industry insiders in 2004.

 

According to legal documents obtained by RadarOnline, Filby alleges that 'What You Know' has the "same rate of harmonic pitch" and that the two songs have "nearly identical instrumental melodic lines in terms of pitch, shape and rhythm".

 

Filby is allegedly requesting a jury trial for the case against T.I., real name Clifford Jarris Jr, and is seeking damages and profits derived from the song.

 

'What You Know' peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2006.

 

T.I. is currently working on new material in a halfway house following a seven-month stint in prison.

 

Source digitalspy.co.uk

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