crime Archives - Page 15 of 338

Grace Jabbari Drops Lawsuit Against Jonathan Majors Following Meagan Good Engagement

November 22, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Jonathan Majors will seemingly close a very huge and turbulent chapter of his life, as his ex girlfriend Grace Jabbari dropped the federal defamation and assault lawsuit against him on Thursday (November 21), according to AllHipHop. For those unaware, she sued him three months after a New York court found him guilty of assaulting and harassing her in March of 2023. The actor received a domestic violence counseling sentence a month after his former partner filed another lawsuit alleging defamation. She specifically accused him of portraying her as an outright liar and not a survivor, characterizing his claims of innocence after the guilty verdict as purely defamatory.

Furthermore, Grace Jabbari accused Jonathan Majors of defamation given that he “participated in an exclusive interview with ABC News wherein he doubled down on his public attack of Grace, claiming that she is lying about the entire pattern of abuse she has described, as he has ‘never laid [his] hands on a woman,’” per legal documents. Now, however, attorneys on both sides filed a joint notice in the court this past Thursday to announce that they “dismissed” the legal battle “with prejudice.”

Jonathan Majors At The EBONY Power 100 Gala

Jonathan Majors Ex Girlfriend Grace Jabbari Lawsuit Dropped Entertainment News — LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 17: Jonathan Majors attends the 2024 Ebony Power 100 List at Nya Studios on November 17, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/WireImage/Getty Images)

This is another piece of good news for Jonathan Majors, as he and Meagan Good also recently announced their engagement. The two proved to be quite the controversial couple not just because of his legal scandal, but also because there were frequent rumors about trouble in paradise. Of course, you can say the same about plenty of celebrity relationships, but this one particularly threw fans for a loop. Nevertheless, it seems like they are happier than ever these days, and we’re sure that this dropped lawsuit should also cause plenty of celebration.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Majors is also looking for other revenue and income streams after this legal controversy, including selling autographs at conventions. We don’t know if that’s just for the love of the game or if he’s really in a financial bind, so let’s not speculate too much. Regardless, things seem to be looking up, so we’ll see what else happens in the future and whether this legal saga has another chapter to it.

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Tony Buzbee Sued For Assault While Representing Diddy Accusers

November 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Tony Buzbee has become one of the key players in the Diddy saga. The attorney has taken on a staggering 120 plus clients who allege they were assaulted by Diddy at various points. Buzbee even launched a hotline so that other alleged victims could come forward with their stories of the Bad Boy founder. According to TMZ, though, Buzbee, has found himself in legal hot water. The attorney was sued for assault by an unnamed woman on November 21. The woman, going by Jane Doe, claims the assault took place several years ago.

Jane Doe claimed that she was in a public place with Tony Buzbee when the attorney flew into a rage. She alleges Buzbee pushed a flute of champagne into her face, which chipped her tooth. She also says she has hospital and dental records to support her alleged injury. The allegations don’t stop there. Doe accused Tony Buzbee of malpractice, and royally botching the divorce case that she initially hired him to handle. She went as far as to say that the attorney cost her millions of dollars in the long run. “Buzbee is a hypocrite,” says Doe’s lawyer, Jeremy Bohrer. “Nothing worse than when a black hat masquerades as a white hat.”

Tony Buzbee Called The Allegation “Crazy Fiction”

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Unsurprisingly, Tony Buzbee is denying the allegations. The attorney claims that Jane Doe’s suit has no basis in truth. “I would ask if the lawyer bringing this silly case is friends with a lawyer from the firm that brought the other [extortion] case,” he told TMZ. “All this will be exposed soon.” Buzbee dispensed with the niceties while he was at it. “That’s crazy fiction,” he added. “Like really crazy. Like ridiculously crazy.” This is not the first time Tony Buzbee’s character has been called into question. Diddy’s legal team has attempted to present the attorney as using the Diddy case to boost his own celebrity.

After Buzbee set up the aforementioned “Diddy hotline,” the mogul’s team issued a statement criticizing it. “The press conference and 1-800 number that preceded today’s barrage of filings were clear attempts to garner publicity,” they claimed. “Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defences, and the integrity of the judicial process.” Tony Buzbee, meanwhile, intends to close the book on this new lawsuit. He told TMZ that he will not tolerate defamation or bullying through external forces.

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Diddy’s Lawyers Accuse Prosecutors Of Altering Cassie Footage & Using Misleading Evidence

November 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Diddy continues to face an uphill legal battle in his federal case for alleged sex trafficking, and the stakes are raising for both sides of the court. Moreover, this debacle concerns the defense’s attempts to secure bail, for which they recently filed their reply in support of said request according to journalist Meghann Cuniff, who provided a PDF of the legal filing. They allege that prosecutors altered the footage of the Bad Boy mogul assaulting Cassie in a hotel room for the first bail hearing, and that they used misleading evidence in support of their allegations. This relates to the prosecution’s claim that Sean Combs attempted to tamper with witnesses and manipulate the trial for himself.

As you can probably tell, the Diddy case now finds itself in a very dangerous situation. Basically, both sides of the court launched allegations at one another that could seriously jeopardize their credibility, legality, level of trust, and legitimacy. Still, the court has yet to make any significantly final judgements on any of these accusations, which will surely continue as the pre-trial and trial proceedings heat up in the near future.

Diddy’s Defense Team Continues Their Accusations Against The Prosecution

Diddy's lawyers have filed their reply in support of his bail request.

It says prosecutors in his first bail hearing "submitted an altered video that omitted key scenes and presented events materially out of order."

PDF: https://t.co/DH96VoGZ72 pic.twitter.com/czLIvOEE8s

— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) November 21, 2024

For example, there has been a lot of recent debate around whether or not prosecutors and the court are doing everything in their power to ensure they don’t violate Diddy’s rights. One of these questions circles around some photos that folks allegedly took of trial notes that authorities seized during a raid on his jail cell. However, again, it’s very possible that the court will eventually place blame on either the prosecution or the defense, and that both entities can’t emerge unscathed at the same time. In other words, it seems to not be a question about whether the court will find someone at fault, but rather who.

In fact, a lot of folks wonder whether Diddy can even have a fair trial in the first place, given just how large the scale of this scandal ended up becoming. Maybe his celebrity will work out in his favor during trial, or maybe it will be his downfall. Either way, the important thing to focus on is the evidence and the maintenance of a fair and just trial process.

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Jussie Smollett Cleared By Illinois Supreme Court In Overturned Hoax Case Conviction

November 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The Illinois Supreme Court officially overturned Jussie Smollett’s conviction in his hate crime hoax case on Thursday (November 21), according to TMZ. Moreover, they spoke with Jussie’s attorney Nenye Uche about the news. “Obviously, we’re ecstatic, we’re happy,” he remarked. “But really, my position is, it shouldn’t have gone this far. This prosecution was not a prosecution, it was a persecution. […] One thing I want to really emphasize here is this was not a divided court. This was a unanimous decision. […] [Smollett] was very pleasantly surprised.” For those unaware, he received a 150-day jail sentence back in 2022 for staging a hate crime against himself.

Since then, Jussie Smollett went through a few different processes of appeal, seeing doors shut in his face before the Illinois Supreme Court heard him out. As such, this new ruling means that he will not have to fulfill his original sentence and cannot face another trial. State’s Attorney Kim Foxx reached a plea deal with the actor that made him forfeit his $10,000 bond and fulfill 15 hours of community service. Per the court, since he fulfilled these hours and more, he shouldn’t have faced a second prosecution, which is when he went to jail before entering appeal.

Jussie Smollett Conviction Overturned

The Illinois Supreme Court has reversed the conviction of Jussie Smollett. More to come… pic.twitter.com/m2qsNPIYIQ

— TMZ (@TMZ) November 21, 2024

Previously, Jussie Smollett had received a 30-month probation sentence as part of this 150-day prison sentence. “Today we resolve a question about the State’s responsibility to honor the agreements it makes with defendants. The State is bound by the agreement,” the Illinois Supreme Court wrote of this latest update. They actually did not focus on the details of the case and allegations themselves, but rather on the deal that the prosecution and the defense originally struck.

Sadly, though, this good news for Jussie Smollett comes amid less heartening material, such as his mother almost falling victim to burglary. Two men reportedly attempted to break into her home, but they quickly left the Los Angeles property when she realized what was going on and confronted them. Regardless, this must alleviate that stress at least a little bit, as he’s been dealing with this for a long time. We’ll see what else Smollett and his family have to say about all this.

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YNW Melly Could Reportedly Be Released Soon Unless Officials Prove Bond Shouldn’t Be Granted

November 20, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Recently, YNW Melly’s attorney Michael A. Pizzi Jr. filed a 12-page lawsuit against the Broward Sheriff’s Office. In it, he alleges that his client is being kept in inhumane conditions, including solitary confinement for around three years with no visits or phone calls. Allegedly, Melly’s lawyers have also struggled to communicate with him, been denied entry to the prison, and more. Pizzi Jr. alleges that all of this violates Melly’s first, fifth, sixth, eighth, and fourteenth amendment rights.

“We are asking a Federal Judge to Order the immediate release of Jemell Demons (a.k.a. Melly) because the Broward County jail system has been violating his Constitutional Rights,” Pizzi Jr. told XXL of the lawsuit. “The refusal to let Melly see his family and the interference on his legal representation violates the Constitution and cannot be allowed to stand and will not be allowed to stand.” Now, according to the outlet, Judge Melissa Damian has responded to the lawsuit.

Broward County Sheriff’s Office Has Until December 6 To Prove Their Case

“On or before December 6, 2024, the Respondents shall file a memorandum of fact and law to show cause why this Petition should not be granted, and shall file therewith all documents and transcripts necessary for the resolution of this Petition,” her ruling reads. If the response is not submitted by December 6, Melly could reportedly be released on bond ahead of his upcoming retrial. If they do respond, Melly has two weeks to fire back.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office shared a statement with XXL about the lawsuit, defending themselves. “The Broward Sheriff’s Office does not generally comment on pending litigation,” it begins. “However, the jail does not utilize ‘solitary confinement.’ Rather, Mr. Demons has been placed on administrative segregation, which is a classification resulting in an alternate living assignment for an inmate whose placement in the general population poses a serious threat to the safety of staff or inmates, or life and property.”

[Via]

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Diddy Secures Legal Victory As Judge Orders Prosecution To Destroy Notes From Jail Raid

November 20, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Diddy earned a minor victory in court on Tuesday as Judge Arun Subramanian ruled that he won’t consider any evidence obtained during the recent raid on the Bad Boy mogul’s jail cell for his next bail hearing. He also ordered the prosecution to destroy the alleged trial notes authorities were accused of seizing. The state denied intentionally taking the 19 pages of legal notes, claiming that they passed them off to a “filter team” to determine whether the content was privileged.

“When we visit him in jail, we have lists,” Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo said in court Tuesday, as caught by PEOPLE. “Everything in these pads are things we discuss. Trial strategy, who we should speak to, to undermine a witness’ credibility. We discuss everything with Mr. Combs.” After making his ruling, Subramanian remarked to the prosecution, “Get rid of them.”

Diddy’s Attorney Speaks Outside Of The Courthouse

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 17: Lawyer for Sean Combs, Marc. Agnifilo, speaks to the media after a hearing at U.S. District Court on September 17, 2024, in New York City. Authorities arrested music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs in Manhattan on September 16 in a sex trafficking probe following a federal indictment. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)

The ruling wasn’t the only positive news for Diddy from Tuesday. Judge Subramanian also granted him the ability to attend his hearings with the restraint of shackles. His legal team had argued that appearing in shackles was a bad look in the media and could influence potential jurors. “Given the press attention on the pretrial proceedings in this case, there is a substantial risk that potential jurors will learn about the shackling through the media and develop such a bias,” Diddy’s team wrote in a letter to Subramanian the day before the hearing.

Authorities arrested Diddy on charges of alleged sex trafficking and racketeering back in September. He’s already pleaded not guilty and denied all of the allegations against him. His trial will kick off on May 5 of next year.

[Via] [Via]

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Diddy Sued For Sexual Assault By Two New Alleged Victims

November 20, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Diddy is currently awaiting trial behind bars. The disgraced mogul is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. This ensures that he cannot do any harm on the outside, but it has not stopped alleged victims from coming forward with harrowing Diddy stories. The Bad Boy founder has already had 120 sexual assault lawsuits filed against him in the last year. The number hiked up by two on November 19, however, thanks to attorney Tony Buzbee.

Buzbee, the man who is currently responsible for representing Diddy’s 120 accusers, came forth with two lawsuits on Tuesday. The first suit involved an unnamed woman who alleges that she was assaulted by Diddy in 2001. The woman claims that she was only 18 years old at the time. She encountered the mogul at a Halloween party in New York City. She alleges that she was escorted to a black SUV by Diddy’s bodyguards. The woman was reportedly given a drink that made her feel dizzy. She was then forced to perform oral sex on every single man in the vehicle. Jane Doe claims that Diddy sprayed her with champagne as she left the vehicle.

Diddy’s Legal Team Denies These Latest Allegations

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 12: Diddy attends VMA’s “Club Love” After Party at The Ned on September 12, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images)

The second lawsuit, according to TMZ, occurred in 2022. The man claims Diddy drugged him while he attending one of the mogul’s house parties. He alleges the Bad Boy mogul laced his drink, which led to him losing consciousness. Once he woke up, Doe claims to have felt pain his rectum and in his anus. He went on to allege that he turned around and saw a naked and erect Diddy standing behind him and attempting to penetrate him. Doe claims he was ushered off the premises the following morning.

Both Jane and John Doe are seeking damages. Diddy’s attorneys issued a statement on Tuesday, the same day the new lawsuits were filed. The statement reasserts the mogul’s innocence in any matter pertaining to sexual assault. “Mr. Combs has full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process,” it read. “In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone — man or woman, adult or minor.”

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Tory Lanez’s Latest Claims About Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Debunked By The State

November 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The state has responded to Tory Lanez’s latest petition, saying his claim that the gun can’t be tested for DNA because it’s missing is “demonstrably false.” In a declaration caught by reporter Meghann Cuniff on Tuesday, the state of California wrote that Lanez failed to provide “reasonably available documentary evidence” to support his claim.

“His failure to do so is especially troubling because his factual assertion that the firearm, casings, and bullet fragments are ‘missing’ is contradicted by the attached declaration from Martin Preciado, which avers that his query of the computer system for the Los Angeles Police Department (‘LAPD’) shows that LAPD still has custody of the firearm and the firearm’s magazine, as well as the casings and fragments that were booked into evidence,” the filing reads.

Tory Lanez Performs With DaBaby During Rolling Loud

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 25: (L-R) Tory Lanez and DaBaby perform onstage during day 3 at Rolling. Loud Miami 2021 at Hard Rock Stadium on July 25, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

The latest update comes after Megan Thee Stallion’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, previously confirmed that the gun and its ammunition magazine are with the Los Angeles Police Department in an interview in October. In other news, Megan recently filed a lawsuit against blogger Milagro Gramz. She accuses her of allegedly spreading false information about the case on social media. The two have proposed going to trial on July 21, 2025, unless a settlement is reached beforehand.

The State Responds To Tory Lanez

Lanez is currently serving 10 years in prison after being convicted of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in 2023. Check out the latest update on his case below.

The state filed the declaration today with its response to Lanez’s habeas petition that says he can’t test the gun for DNA because it’s missing.

“…his unsupported claim that the LAPD has misplaced or lost evidence is demonstrably false.”

Full PDF: https://t.co/cjdDxnRXhI pic.twitter.com/9yOI61cdQu

— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) November 19, 2024

[Via] [Via]

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Diddy Accuses Prosecutors Of Lying About Prison Raid

November 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Diddy’s legal team isn’t buying federal prosecutors’ claims about not having seen the supposed “privileged notes” that were obtained during a raid on the Bad Boy mogul’s prison cell. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, argued in new legal docs obtained by TMZ that officials took pictures of 19 pages of material. That material allegedly included 11 pages of trial strategy notes and private correspondence with his defense.

Authorities previously argued that they found a manila folder labeled “legal,” but did not open it. They also allege that they took photos of Diddy’s notebook, but didn’t look at them and instead, handed them over to a “filter team” to determine whether the content was privileged. Expectedly, Diddy’s team isn’t happy about the situation.

Diddy’s Lawyer Speaks Outside Of His Arraignment

Marc Agnifilo (L), lawyer for rapper and music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs, speaks outside federal court after Combs’ arraignment hearing on September 17, 2024, in New. York. A U.S. Judge on Tuesday refused a bail request from Combs and ordered the superstar rapper jailed pending his trial on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

“Once they got them [photos of the documents], the first thing they did was use them, specifically use them by putting them in a bail letter to keep Combs in jail,” Agnifilo argued in response to the explanation of the situation. As for the alleged raid on Diddy’s prison cell, his team previously labeled it “outrageous government conduct amounting to a substantive due process violation.” Diddy appeared in court for a hearing in the case on Tuesday to discuss the matter.

For the hearing, his lawyers requested that authorities remove his shackles so as to not attract media attention and influence possible members of the jury. Judge Arun Subramanian approved the request and Diddy entered the courtroom unrestrained. Diddy is currently residing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after pleading not guilty to charges of alleged sex trafficking and racketeering, earlier this year.

[Via]

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Diddy’s Lawyers Want His Shackles Removed For Next Court Hearing

November 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Diddy’s legal team has filed a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian requesting that authorities remove the shackles from the Bad Boy mogul ahead of his court hearing on Tuesday. They argue that the restraints will influence possible jurors into being biased against him ahead of trial. The hearing is to discuss accusations from the defense that prosecutors unlawfully seized materials from Diddy’s jail cell.

“Given the press attention on the pretrial proceedings in this case, there is a substantial risk that potential jurors will learn about the shackling through the media and develop such a bias,” Diddy’s team wrote in the letter. They concluded: “Because there is absolutely no reason to shackle Mr. Combs during court proceedings, and because such shackling prejudices the potential jury pool, undermines his presumption of innocence, interferes with his ability to communicate with counsel, and offends the dignity and decorum of the proceedings, we respectfully request that the Court direct the U.S. Marshals Service to remove his shackles before bringing him into the courtroom.”

Diddy’s Lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, Speaks Outside Of His Hearing

As for the alleged raid on Diddy’s prison cell, his team labeled it “outrageous government conduct amounting to a substantive due process violation.” It allegedly allowed prosecutors to view “privileged notes to his lawyers concerning defense witnesses and defense strategies.” Diddy’s been staying at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York since his arrest on charges of alleged sex trafficking and racketeering, having been denied bail on multiple occasions.

Diddy’s Legal Team Makes A Request

Diddy will appear in court at 3:00 PM, ET on Tuesday to discuss the recent raid on his prison cell. He has pleaded not guilty and repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the case. Check out the letter from Diddy’s legal team below.

Diddy is going to be in court Tuesday, and his lawyers want his shackles removed.

“Given the press attention on the pretrial proceedings in this case, there is a substantial risk that potential jurors will learn about the shackling through the media and develop such a bias.” pic.twitter.com/SPDY3URJ5S

— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) November 19, 2024

[Via]

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