TMZ update February 11 on Events

In today’s TMZ Update, Dax Holt talks about the Michael Jackson trial. TMZ have talked to Dr. Conrad Murray’s lawyer, who said he’s not worried about the trial coming up or any jurors,because he said conrad Dr. Murray is just as inspirational as Michael Jackson!

Britney Spears Appears in Court

Remember so long ago — two years, already? — when old school pop tart Britney Spears was going through an acting-out phase? The shaved head, the unladylike flashings, the British accent, the consorting with Rasputin-like paparazzi? All of that fun ended up with a court turning over her affairs to a conservatorship overseen by her father.

And it worked! Brit went on a world tour, made a lot of money, has a steady boyfriend, and has had no public meltdowns. So when she went back to court Friday, one could be forgiven for thinking the bindings might be loosened a bit. But it was not to be. The changes turned out to be minor.

Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz approved a request to donate a dress to charity that Spears wore to the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. The proceeds will benefit relief efforts in Haiti.

The court also granted her father authority to get rid of some of Spears’ property that was used during last year’s “Circus” tour. The items are described as being “valueless” and occupying several storage containers.

No other changes were announced during a brief open session after Spears had left the courtroom.

It was Spears’ first meeting with Goetz since the singer concluded a world tour promoting the “Circus” album last year.

Mercury News

Polanski loses bid to stay out of US Courts

Film director Roman Polanski has lost his bid to be sentenced in a US court without having to return.

He faces an arrest warrant over his conviction, 32 years ago, for unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl.

A judge ruled on Friday that Mr Polanski, 76, must be present in court if he wants to resolve the case.

Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza said he was acting to protect “the dignity of the court.” Mr Polanski’s lawyer said he would appeal the ruling.

Mr Polanski was arrested in Switzerland last September over his 1977 conviction for unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl.

He left the US in 1978 before he could be sentenced and has never returned.

BBC

Charlie Sheen Trial Date Moved

A hearing this week in Charlie Sheen’s domestic violence case has been delayed two days because his wife Brooke Mueller had to have a wisdom tooth removed.

“She has been ordered by the doctor to stay in bed for 72 hours,” the source close to Mueller says.

Mueller’s attorney had filed court papers asking that she be allowed to attend Wednesday’s hearing in an Aspen, Colo., court by telephone, but the judge instead set the session for Friday because the law requires both Mueller and Sheen to appear in person.

PEOPLE

Letterman: They’re going to Trial

Joe Halderman, accused of blackmailing David Letterman, lost his last appeal for a dismissal the other day by claiming the ‘Tiger Woods defense’. Basically, Halderman had tried to squeeze money out of Letterman in return for keeping quite about affairs that he had. His defense came up with the idea, that there shouldn’t be a trial, because it turns out, Tiger Woods had been paying women for year to keep quite and he was doing the same thing.

The judge dismissed that motion and now they’ll be going to trial in March.

Robert Halderman compares himself to Tiger Woods’ Mistresses

The alleged extortionist in the David Letterman case is now comparing himself to all the mistresses in the Tiger Woods case. He’s basically saying, that he had information on the extra marital affairs of David Letterman and wanted to be paid to keep that information quiet.

His examples are:

“No criminal charges have been filed against [Rachel] Uchitel,” who reportedly got $5 million from Woods to keep her mouth shut about their longtime relationship and keep private the text messages and voicemails she saved, lawyer Gerald Shargel’s filing says.

“No charges have been filed against Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred, who represented Uchitel during negotiations,” and who “may have even hastened negotiations by scheduling, and then canceling, a press conference at which she ‘planned to make a statement about Rachel Uchitel’s relationship with Woods,’ ” the filing says.

“No charges have been filed against Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren,” who was reportedly paid $5 million to sign a non-disclosure deal, the filing says.

Polanski Case May Be Coming To An End

Roman Polanski is under house arrest in Switzerland (poor guy), and filed to have his 32 year old case dismissed. The judges ruled yesterday that the case could not be dismissed, BUT he could file for have his sentence to be in absentia. Basically, he wouldn’t have to return to the US and the judge assigned the case would have to open an investigation into the allegations Polanski has mentioned. Though, Polanski pleaded guilty, he has made allegations that there was prosecutorial and judicial misconduct in the original handling of the case.

Britney Spears: Ex-BoyFriend Jailed

A celebrity photographer who briefly dated Britney Spears at the height of her career meltdown was sentenced to 45 days in jail on Friday after clashing with an official trying to serve him a restraining order.

Adnan Ghalib, 37, one of the paparazzi who trailed Spears night and day in 2007, was also ordered to complete an anger management program.

Los Angeles prosecutors alleged that in February Ghalib drove his car toward an official who was trying to serve a court order keeping him away from Spears and her family.

Ghalib pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, and charges of assault were dropped.

Spears, now 27, began a relationship with Ghalib in December 2007 when her private and public life were falling apart following her divorce, stints in rehab and a notorious head shaving incident.

Her behavior improved after the singer’s father intervened and was given control of her business and personal affairs by the Los Angeles courts in January 2008.

ABC NEWS

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Polanski victim seeks dismissal

The victim of the sexual assault committed by Roman Polanski has called for charges against the film director to be dismissed, court documents show.

Lawyers for Samantha Geimer, who was 13 when Polanski had sex with her in 1977, urged a dismissal in a motion filed at a California appeals court on Friday.

She had suffered health problems after being hounded by the media following Polanski’s arrest last month, it said.

The director is currently being held in Switzerland on a US arrest warrant.

On Friday, the US embassy in Bern submitted a formal extradition request, on which the Swiss authorities must rule within 40 days.

Read more at BBC

Mistrial: Travolta Extortion Case

After nearly four weeks in a courtroom, a Bahamian judge declared a surprise mistrial late Wednesday in the John Travolta extortion trial, leaving the actor and his attorneys mystified and upset.

Senior Supreme Court Judge Anita Allen declared a mistrial because of juror misconduct following an announcement from a local politician that one of the defendants had been acquitted – before the jurors came back with their verdict. Allen ordered a retrial, but did it remains unclear when, if ever, the case will be retried.

“This came out of the clear blue; this was so weird,” Mike Ossi, one of Travolta’s Florida lawyers told PEOPLE.

Read the full article at PEOPLE

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