As Kaiser covered earlier, today was the day Lindsay Lohan was supposed to check into rehab. Kaiser pre-wrote some of this before I watched the hearing and jacked this story from her, so I’m just going to use her introduction and put it in quotes: “Not just any rehab: the prosecutor and judge signed off on the rehab in the Hamptons, but Lindsay refused to go because they would let her smoke cigarettes (not to mention crack). So now Lindsay is weeping and she’s hysterical and her dad won’t stop giving interviews and OH BY THE WAY she’s already in violation of her plea deal. Because of course. The California justice system is going to sentence her to TWO gentle pats on the firecrotch for this!”

Again, Kaiser pre-wrote that paragraph above before the hearing, and of course she was right. Of course nothing happened to The Teflon Cracken, and of course she got away with switching rehabs at the last minute. In today’s hearing, the prosecutor Terry White expressed his frustration at the last minute change in rehabs. He said that he had been given a list of six rehabs some time ago, that he researched them all, spoke to rehab directors, and picked the one he considered acceptable. Instead, he was told about five minutes before today’s hearing that a different rehab was chosen, and was given a letter claiming that the rehab was acceptable, instead of being allowed to do his own research.

White said that he had quickly looked into Lindsay’s chosen rehab, Morningside in Newport Beach, CA where she allegedly is now, and had found three articles from the past year condemning it. Score for Lindsay! The whole hearing was a score for Lindsay, because the judge didn’t seem to be swayed by the prosecution and said she could stay in that rehab, unless prosecutors objected. The prosecution has until May 10th to evaluate the place. It almost doesn’t matter if prosecutors object to that particular rehab, because they still have to prove that the rehab doesn’t “fall within the parameters of the plea agreement.” The judge kept emphasizing that point, so I bet that objection never happens. TMZ did some research and found that Morningside had its license revoked just last year for “being careless with prescription drugs.” Again, score for Lindsay! She’ll be able to get all the Adderall and Vicodin she needs to get through the day.

I just wanted to share the most ridiculous line from today’s hearing. Lindsay’s My Cousin Vinny lawyer, Mark Heller, insisted that “My client is ensconced in the bosom of that facility right now.” Sucking at the teat of denial, addiction and entitlement.

If the prosecution doesn’t object, Lindsay will stay at Morningside rehab until July 31st. If she’s in compliance and finishes treatment, she doesn’t have to go back to court at that time and her lawyer can appear for her.

Update: Radar is reporting that Lindsay walked right in and right out of rehab and quotes a source who says “She told people there that she didn’t need rehab. And then she left. Everyone was stunned.” Meanwhile TMZ has a photo of Lindsay shopping in electronic store Fry’s at 9am Pacific time, when her lawyer assured the judge she was already “ensconced in the bosom of that facility.” She wasn’t in rehab a couple of hours later either, and – get this – the rehab lost its license for good last year, and is only a “sober living facility,” one that Lohan refuses to even stick with for a day. It’s about to get interesting.

Photo credit: WENN and PCNPhotos

Hahahaha. Lindsay Lohan is due in court today to begin The Great Crack Trial of 2013, but it’s looking more and more like she’s not going to make it, or she won’t make it on time. Here is a rundown of everything that’s happened in the past 24 hours:

*Yesterday, Lindsay was in New York and she boarded a private plane because OMG how does she afford a private plane?!!? She was originally planning to fly back to LA on Saturday, but those plans were scrapped.

*And then after boarding the private plane, “she decided to get off and she left her bags behind.” “Sources close to Lindsay” (re: Lindsay) told TMZ that she believed “there was a problem with the plane” like a fuel leak or something. The 35 other people on the plane also de-boarded too. Sources claimed Lindsay just sat in the airport lounge, calling and texting all of her johns, asking if anyone had a private plane she could borrow because heaven forbid she travel commercial, right?

*But TMZ notes that the plane did fly after an hour delay, and the plane stopped in Vegas to refuel before continuing to LA.

*Eventually, Lindsay managed to blow her way onto another private plane, this one funded by Mr. Pink energy drink (which LL crack-promotes). TMZ says that the plane is scheduled to land in Van Nuys at 8:11 PST, and the courthouse is 20 minutes away. And she’s due in court at 8:30 PST. Basically, she’s definitely going to be late and the judge could issue a bench warrant.

*Her assistance Gavin is on the flight with her. Gavin was one of the people who “rolled” on her to the cops, and by that we mean that the cops asked him what happened and Gavin answered honestly.

*The prosecution is not amused by all of Lindsay’s crack shenanigans. They will be asking the judge to “throw the book” at LL and sentence her to 240 days in jail for lying to the cops (when she gave her statement after her PCH accident). If and when she’s found guilty, the City Attorney is also going to get involved and ask for a jail sentence because she’s violated her probation. And if she’s convicted, her probation will be extended another two years, so… yeah. She really needs to be found guilty.

*The court proceedings should begin around 11:30 EST/8:30 PST. This is your Open Post for the Crack Festivities and we’ll be updating or doing new posts later (or tomorrow) depending on what’s happening.

UPDATE: Lohan finally arrived at court 48 minutes late. But TMZ says her lawyer might have already left?

UPDATE #2: Radar says Mark Heller is currently speaking to the judge while Lindsay sits in the courtroom and the prosecutor sits there fuming. LOL, jail? Also, Lindsay had an escort of 6 sheriff’s deputies to go to the bathroom.

UPDATE #3: Apparently, Heller and the judge have been working out some kind of plea deal all this time? TMZ says Heller’s co-counsel just grabbed some plea deal forms.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

The New York Times has an exhaustive story on everything that went down on the final day of Oscar Pistorius’s bail hearing, which began on Tuesday and only ended about a half an hour ago. I can’t say that I’m crazy about the South African legal system after seeing this brief glimpse from Oscar Pistorius’s bail hearing – it seems like the prosecution has been forced to rush their investigation and spend hours justifying their methods before the investigation is even complete, when that time should be spent at the crime scene or talking to witnesses, etc. Anyway, long story short – Oscar was granted bail. Here’s more:

After four days of combative hearings, a South African magistrate on Friday granted bail for Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee track star accused of murdering his girlfriend, in a case that has horrified and fascinated the nation. Magistrate Desmond Nair announced the decision after hearing impassioned final arguments from the defense and the prosecution in Courtroom C of the Pretoria Magistrates Court in the presence of an emotional Mr. Pistorius, who has testified that he mistook his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, for an intruder and never intended to kill her.

Magistrate Nair said Mr. Pistorius did not represent a flight risk and was not likely to interfere with state witnesses.

”The accused has made a case to be released on bail,” the magistrate concluded. Pistorius family members in the packed courtroom shouted, “Yes!”

The magistrate set bail at 1 million rand, or about $112,000. Before announcing his ruling, the magistrate reprised the four days of conflicting arguments by defense and prosecution lawyers. Mr. Pistorius’s shoulders shook with emotion and tears fell from his eyes as, at one point, Magistrate Nair said, “The deceased died in his arms.”

Magistrate Nair said bail was not a matter of guilt and innocence but about determining whether justice would be served by holding a defendant in custody. But he took issue with the testimony and actions of the prosecution’s lead investigator, Detective Warrant Officer Hilton Botha, who has since been removed from the case, saying the officer committed “several errors and concessions” and “blundered” in gathering evidence.

“It is his evidence that may have been tarnished by cross-examination, not the state case,” he said. At the same time, the state case was not so “strong and watertight” that Mr. Pistorius “must come to the conclusion that he has to flee.”

In a two-hour summary of the case and of the laws governing bail, the magistrate also read a series of character references from friends of the athlete, who described his relationship with Ms. Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law school graduate, as loving and happy. The prosecution had opposed the sprinter’s application to be released on bail until a full trial, arguing that he might flee. It said Mr. Pistorius, 26, murdered Ms. Steenkamp when he fired four shots through a locked bathroom door at his home in a gated community in Pretoria on Feb. 14 while she was on the other side.

Magistrate Nair said that while the prosecution case rested on “nothing more than circumstantial evidence,” there were “improbabilities that need to be explored” in Mr. Pistorius’s account of events.

“The only person who knows what happened there is the accused,” he said. But “I cannot find that it has been established that the accused is a flight risk.”

But Magistrate Nair seemed skeptical on Friday about the risk of flight by Mr. Pistorius. “What kind of life would he lead, a person who has to use prostheses, if he has to flee” and found himself “ducking and diving every day” on artificial limbs, the magistrate asked. “His international career would be over in any event.”

[From The New York Times]

When arguing for no bail to be set, the prosecutor compared Pistorius to Julian Assange’s situation, where Assange is sitting in an Ecuadorian embassy in England – I guess the comparison is that Julian Assange “fled” because he didn’t want to go to prison/Gitmo, and Assange manages to be a high-profile fugitive too. The prosecutor also put Reeva’s murder in the context of the national and international cause of violence against women. To no avail. Also – yes, the lead detective (who is facing attempted murder charges of his own) did step down.

So, what does this mean? I think it means that Oscar got himself a star-struck, fan-boy magistrate who cares more about Oscar’s career than the victim. I also think it’s hard on the prosecution when you force them to spend hours and days laying out their case just a few days after their victim was murdered.

Photos courtesy of PR Photos and WENN.

Although it might not seem like it, I’ve actually been trying to avoid the more tabloid-y aspects of the Oscar Pistorius murder investigation. South African police have been leaking to both national and international media, and considering we’re getting a decent preview of the case this week with Oscar’s multi-day bail hearing, I’ve just been waiting to see what the prosecution and defense have been claiming in open court. While I have succumbed to the tabloid elements at times – the bloody cricket bat! – I really have been taking a wait-and-see approach. This is my explanation for not discussing the steroid rumors before now – because before now, they were just rumors. But the prosecution is now claiming that they found needles and “testosterone” in Oscar’s home. And the prosecution also has witnesses who are shredding Oscar’s defense.

As a bail hearing continued Wednesday in the murder case of South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, new details have emerged as prosecutors outline their charges that he is guilty of shooting his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp.

Police testified that they discovered testosterone and needles inside the “Blade Runner” Olympian’s home, The New York Times reports.

But his defense lawyers said the Olympian took no banned performance-enhancing drugs, describing the substances found as herbal. The athletes, according to the International Paralympic Committee, tested drug-free as late as last September.

Pistorius, 26, has claimed the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.

Prosecution lawyers, questioning a police witness, said shots fired through the bathroom door that night countered Pistorius’s claims that he was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he thought he heard an intruder inside his house and fired with a 9 mm handgun through the door.

Steenkamp, 30, was struck three times, in the head, arm and hip. She was buried on Tuesday amid an outpouring of national support and emotional family tributes.

A police detective testified Wednesday that Pistorius had accidentally fired a weapon at a restaurant in January and urged a friend to take responsibility for the shooting, The Times reports. The detective also testified that Pistorius threatened violence over a woman in another altercation.

Pistorius had claimed to investigators that his house was dark at the time he thought an intruder was inside but a witness who testified for the prosecution Wednesday said a light was switched on when the first shots were fired.

That witness said a gunshot rang out, then a woman’s screams were heard, the more shots continued. Pistorius’s lawyer, however, said that witness, a neighbor, lived 600 yards away.

The emotional Pistorius continued to proclaim his innocence. “I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated,” Pistorius told the court in an affidavit read by his defense counsel Barry Roux. “I had no intention to kill my girlfriend.”

The prosecution, however, was resolute, that this was not an accident but a premeditated act of violence. If convicted, Pistorius would receive life in prison.

[From People]

So, here’s how the prosecution’s case stands now: Reeva arrived at Oscar’s house early in the evening (around 6 pm on the 13th) with an overnight bag. Witnesses and neighbors claim that they were fighting for hours, although the time frame seems a bit wonky (they could have been fighting early in the evening, and then much later, shortly before she was killed). Neighbors say the lights were on and that shouting immediately preceded the sound of shots being fired, and that Reeva screamed when the first shots were being fired. Oscar then (maybe) used the cricket bat to break down the door and he picked up Reeva’s body and brought it downstairs… maybe? I think the prosecution definitely needs to work on their timeline, but one thing is for sure (in my mind): Oscar’s version of events makes absolutely no sense.

Here’s more from Good Morning America – they have more details about the minutes leading up to the shots fired, and more details about the question as to whether Oscar was wearing his legs at the time of the shooting:

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Oscar Pistorius appeared in a South African court this morning for his bail hearing, and journalists and the public got a preview of both the prosecution’s case thus far, and of Oscar’s defense. And now we know where the whole “maybe Oscar thought Reeva was an intruder and that’s why he shot her multiple times through a locked bathroom door” defense came from – it came from Oscar himself. That was the explanation he gave to the first police officers on the scene. And it seems like the judge/magistrate is agreeing with the prosecution thus far too – that there’s enough evidence to hold on to the charge of “premeditated murder”. While cameras weren’t allowed to film the hearing, reporters were allowed inside the courthouse, so we know exactly what happened.

Oscar Pistorius told a packed courtroom Tuesday that he shot his girlfriend to death by mistake, thinking she was a robber. The prosecutor called it premeditated murder. The double amputee said in an affidavit read by his lawyer at his bail hearing that he felt vulnerable because he did not have on his prosthetic legs when he pumped bullets into the locked bathroom door. Then, Pistorius said in the sworn statement, he realized that model Reeva Steenkamp was not in his bed.

“It filled me with horror and fear,” he said.

He put on his prosthetic legs, tried to kick down the door, then bashed it in with a cricket bat to find Steenkamp, 29, shot inside. He said he ran downstairs with her, but “She died in my arms.”

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel on Tuesday charged the 26-year-old athlete and Olympian with premeditated murder, alleging he took the time to put on his legs and walk some seven yards from the bed to the bathroom door before opening fire. If convicted of the crime, correspondent Emma Hurd reports for CBS News that Pistorius could spend the rest of his life in prison.

The Valentine’s Day shooting death has shocked South Africans and many around the world who idolized Pistorius for overcoming adversity to become a sports champion, competing in the London Olympics last year in track besides being a Paralympian. Steenkamp was a model and law graduate who made her debut on a South African reality TV program that was broadcast on Saturday, two days after her death.

The magistrate ruled that Pistorius faces the harshest bail requirements available in South African law. Nel told the court that Pistorius fired into the door of a small bathroom where Steenkamp was cowering after a shouting match. He fired four times and three bullets hit Steenkamp, the prosecutor said.

“She couldn’t go anywhere. You can run nowhere,” prosecutor Nel argued. “It must have been horrific.”

Pistorius sobbed softly as his lawyer, Barry Roux, insisted the shooting was an accident and that there was no evidence to substantiate a murder charge.

“Was it to kill her, or was it to get her out?” he asked about the broken-down door. “We submit it is not even murder. There is no concession this is a murder.”

He said the state had provided no evidence that the couple quarreled nor offered a motive.

Nel rebutted: “The motive is `I want to kill.”‘

As details emerged at the dramatic court hearing in the capital, Steenkamp’s body was being cremated Tuesday at a memorial service in the south-coast port city of Port Elizabeth. The family said members had arrived from around the world. Six pallbearers carried her coffin, draped with a white cloth and covered in white flowers, into the church for the private service.

[From CBS News]

The magistrate said that he would consider downgrading the “premeditated murder” charge at a later date if the evidence warranted it. As for the question of motive… I’m going to quote/paraphrase from the great Brenda Leigh Johnson – “Sometimes we don’t know WHY people do what they do but only HOW they do it, and that’s enough. Motive isn’t what gets us a conviction.” Will this case come down to when Oscar put on his prosthetic legs and whether the order of events signifies premeditation? That’s a problem though – because juries love motives. It’s human nature. We like to know WHY people do horrible things. And that’s where Oscar’s history comes in. Will the prosecution be able to prove a history of domestic violence? One of Oscar’s ex-girlfriends seems willing to talk, so we’ll see.

Photos courtesy of WENN and Reeva’s Twitter.

I guess the days of revisiting tales of Britney’s breakdown are over, because her former self-declared “manager,” Sam Lutfi’s, case against her family for defamation has been thrown out of court. We’ve heard Lutfi’s allegations that Britney’s mom tried to get him to take the fall for her daughter’s mental health issues, that he’s owed millions in back pay from Britney, and that her dad, Jamie, once struck him. The judge found those claims hollow and decided that his case had no merit. He didn’t have a contract as Britney’s alleged manager, he couldn’t establish that he was harmed if Jamie did strike him, and his case against Lynne Spears for libel was weak. The last we heard, Britney’s ex boyfriend, paparazzo Adnan Ghalib, was testifying on Lutfi’s behalf. That must not have amounted to much, and I bet the judge was fed up with it all. Here’s more, thanks to E!

“I really thought long and hard,” said Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Suzanne Brugera in announcing her decision, “so the motions are granted…as to all the defendants and all the causes of action. That is the right thing to do, so I am going to do it.”

Jamie and Lynne filed a motion yesterday to have Lutfi’s battery and breach-of-contract claims thrown out, arguing that Britney’s self-proclaimed ex-manager never suffered any injury during a purported altercation with Jamie back in 2008, and that no legal contract was in place that had entitled Lutfi to the back salary he claimed Britney owed him.
“It was not a planned event,” attorney Michael Aiken told the judge at today’s hearing, referring to Jamie making contact with Lutfi on the morning on Jan. 29, 2008, after Britney had an emotional episode that attracted a bunch of media attention the previous night. “It was purely an incident that occurred on the spur of the moment. Whether we call it a punch or a poke, the fact of the matter is, he wasn’t hurt. There was no preplanned event.”

“Lufi said [he] was going to be fine and how can you award damages to someone who said he was fine?” argued Aiken…

Britney’s attorney, Joel Boxer, then launched into the breach-of-contract claim, saying there was no contract and, even if there had been, Britney was feeling pressured and would have been under “undue influence” from Lutfi to agree to something.

Schleimer countered, stating that Britney still had others in her life, such as business manager Howard Grossman, to advise her on financial matters, and that his client was never properly compensated for the work he did for Britney.

“Twenty-four hours a day with Britney Spears, I think, is very challenging,” Schleimer said. “Twenty-four hours a day is a tough job.”

“Clearly this was a contract by stealth if it was a contract at all,” Boxer said.

As for the libel claim over Lynne Spears’ 2008 memoir, Through the Storm, in which she accused Lutfi of manipulating her daughter in a chapter titled “The General,” Lynne’s attorney argued that there was a complete absence of malice on her part.

If Lynne believed what she had been told—that Lutfi had ground up pills to medicate Britney without her knowledge, unplugged her phone, hid her dog, etc.—then she was not guilty of having reckless disregard for the truth, argued attorney Stephen Rohde. (Lutfi denied doing these things and telling Lynne he had done them.)

Lynne “stuck to her guns” and never wavered on the witness stand, Rohde said.

“I am going to appeal,” Lutfi told reporters as he headed for the elevator outside the courtroom.

[From E! Online]

Here’s what I want to happen – I want Lutfi to be held liable for Britney’s attorneys’ fees in this case. This was a frivolous lawsuit that he was hoping to get a settlement from. He never expected this to go to court and to be called on his lies. This guy is a manipulator, and there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that he worked to insert himself into Britney’s life. The money and access dried up for him and his only recourse was to sue to try and squeeze Britney’s family for more. The fact that this case got so far just shows how he’ll stop at nothing.

Sam and Britney are shown in January, 2008. Britney is also shown in two different outfits on 10-19-12. Credit: FameFlynet

Back in late 2007 and early 2008, when Britney Spears was wandering around, driving aimlessly and talking in a British accent, she dated a slimy British paparazzo named Adnan Ghalib. Britney dated Adnan before, and after, her breakdown. We heard that Adnan was married, that he was setting up Britney to be stalked by his paparazzi buddies, and that he’d even made a sex tape with her, which he confirmed existed and was allegedly hoping to make millions off of. Thankfully that never surfaced, but enough details came out about the guy to suggest that he was using Britney and he wasn’t good for her.

Fast forward to now, and Ghalib is now a witness in the defamation trial against Britney’s family by another creepy guy who was using her at the time, Sam Lutfi. As we’ve heard, Lutfi maintains that Britney’s family smeared him so that he would take the fall for her breakdown. He claims that he was Britney’s “manager” back then and that they still owe him millions of dollars, of course. Ghalib testified on Lutfi’s behalf and claimed that Britney’s mom told him to blame Lutfi for her daughter’s problems. Here’s more, thanks to People:

Another familiar face from Britney Spears’s chaotic past surfaced in court Tuesday: Adnan Ghalib, the paparazzo she once dated as her life unraveled in 2008.

Wearing a black suit and his trademark landing-strip goatee, Ghalib, 40, testified in a posh British accent that his relationship with the pop star changed from work-related to romantic beginning in December 2007.

Asked how often he was with Spears, he quietly replied, “Daily. I was there everyday.”

Ghalib, who was subpoenaed to appear in the case, denied he ever saw Spears’s former pal Sam Lutfi hide cell phones from the singer or withhold access to her dog, London.

Instead, Ghalib alleged that Spears’s mom Lynne once tried to coerce him.

“She requested that I say [to the media] Sam Lutfi was responsible for Britney Spears’s behavior,” he said.

Under cross-examination, Ghalib confirmed that he bought a disposable cell phone at Lutfi’s request to be smuggled to the singer in mid-2008, months after her father obtained legal control over her.

Ghalib also admitted that a judge ordered him to stay away from Spears for three years and was once arrested while evading a process server in the case.

Lutfi’s case against the Spears family is expected to wrap Tuesday, and the singer’s legal team will begin their defense. Lutfi is suing the singer for unpaid fees, Jamie Spears for allegedly punching him, and Lynne Spears for purportedly defaming him in her 2008 book.

[From People]

The part about Ghalib and Lutfi sneaking Britney a disposable cell phone is interesting, because we heard about it back in early 2009 and now we know it was true. That was part of the reason why Britney’s conservators got restraining orders for her against both Lutfi and Ghalib for three years, both of which have since expired. Ghalib and Lutfi were working together, so of course they’re going to back each other’s side of the story. I have no doubt that Lutfi was using Britney and that Lynn Spears was telling the truth when she claimed that Lutfi drugged her daughter and bragged about it. Ghalib was using Britney too, and he’s not above lying for his friend if there’s some money in it for him. Lutfi doesn’t deserve a cent, and I’m surprised that this has even gone to trial. To me this shows how adamant Britney’s people are that Lutfi doesn’t have a case – they refused to settle even though they knew what bad publicity it would be to take this to court.

These photos are all from January, 2008. Credit: WENN.com

Britney out on 10-20-12. She’s wearing her engagement ring! Credit: FameFlynet

Last week we heard that Chris Brown may have neglected some of his community service requirements while on probation for his 2009 assault on Rihanna. This was actually a turnaround for his progress in that domestic violence case, as he’d previously earned praise from the judge. (It’s not like he has been trying to get out of doing any work like Lindsay Lohan, but maybe he’s been slacking lately.) Now Brown has suffered another setback – he failed a drug test while on probation. The judge in the case, in Virginia where he’s from, has decided not to make an issue of it because she never told Chris he couldn’t do drugs while on probation. Isn’t that implied by the fact that he had to take random drug tests? What the hell? Chris appeared in court yesterday for his first probation progress hearing in a year. Here’s the story, thanks to Fox News:

A judge has ordered a further review of Chris Brown’s community service and travel to determine whether the R&B singer has violated the terms of his probation for the 2009 beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna.

Brown appeared in court Monday for the first time in more than a year, and Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg tried to sort through Brown’s probation record and the impact of a positive marijuana result during a random drug screening. Schnegg said community service logs from Brown’s home state of Virginia were “somewhat cryptic” and additional review was needed to determine whether he had complied with his probation.

A spreadsheet sent by the Richmond, Va., police chief indicated Brown had completed 1,402 hours of community service, ranging from trash pickup, washing cars, painting and tending to stables.

She said Brown produced a medicinal marijuana prescription from California and that she had never ordered him not to use drugs, so the positive drug test may not have a major impact on his probation.

She warned Brown that while his marijuana use may be legal, he needed to be mindful of his public image and his sway with young fans.

“You are not an average person who can sit in their living room and do what you want to do,” Schnegg said, noting that Brown’s mother was sitting in the courtroom. “You are not only in the public eye, but you are on probation.”

Brown was sentenced to five years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to felony assault for his February 2009 attack on Rihanna. Before Monday, he had received positive reports from probation officials and praise from Schnegg. The judge ordered Brown to return to court Nov. 1 for another update.

Virginia officials also reported that Brown may have traveled to Paris without permission, but Schnegg said she has approved most of the singer’s travel and would have to review that claim further.

[From FoxNews]

It’s a good thing for Chris that it’s not a probation violation to get a tattoo of your victim.

TMZ has more on the case, including the detail that Chris’ case been officially been moved to California. In the video on TMZ taken during the hearing (which is also below), the judge discusses Chris’ failed drug test, and adds the detail that California does not do random drug tests on probationers. So that may have influenced her decision not to make an issue of it. Chris will also have to meet with his probation officer to make sure he completes another 121 hours of community service, which Chris’ lawyer claims is inaccurate.

I think Brown is an entitled, abusive a-hole, and I personally can’t stand the guy. It’s hard for me to comment on this story, since I think marijuana should be legal, and that provisions should be made for medical marijuana used in states where it is legal for medical purposes. If Chris has a prescription for it in California, and he primarily lives in that state, that’s a valid excuse in my opinion. I hate to defend him, though, and this brings up the question of whether anyone else would get a pass for failing a damn drug test while on probation. Maybe from this judge they would. I’m just hoping she’s not making exceptions for her famous probationer. Do these celebrities reveal the gaping cracks in the system, or are the cracks made just for them?

Prior to this hearing, Rihanna tweeted Chris “Praying for you baby, my best wishes are with you today! Remember that whatever God does in our lives, it is WELL DONE!!! #1Love.” He tweeted back “thank u so much.” We just heard yesterday that Chris and his on-off girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, may have called it quits. She was dropping hints on Twitter about it. I hope this doesn’t mean that Chris and Rihanna will get back together. We’ve heard enough rumors about them hooking up lately, but maybe they’ll sour on each other once they’re both single, and hopefully it will be uneventful, to put it lightly.

Here’s video from Chris’ hearing, thanks to TMZ. The Daily Mail has another video.

Photo credit: WENN.com and Visual/WENN.com

Hudson with her fiance, David Otunga, on Saturday

We haven’t covered much Jennifer Hudson news lately, because it’s just so sad. Her mother, brother and little nephew were senselessly murdered in Chicago almost four years ago, and she’s had to endure reliving that tragedy during the trial of their just-convicted murderer, William Balfour. Some outlets reported that Hudson cried during her testimony in court, which doesn’t seem newsworthy to me. If my whole family were murdered I don’t know if I’d even have the strength to get out of bed most days, nonetheless go to court and have to hear details. It’s just something so devastating that it’s hard to fathom how it would affect you. On Friday after a three week trial, Balfour was convicted of all seven counts against him, including three counts of first-degree murder. Jennifer issued a statement about the verdict, and reading it put tears in my eyes. Jennifer thanked everyone for their support and hard work on the case. She also included a prayer for Balfour’s family, that they might find peace and that Balfour might repent. I’m not a religious person, but I found that very touching. Here’s more on this story, including her statement, thanks to E! Online:

Jennifer Hudson and her sister Julia got the verdict they wanted today when William Balfour was convicted of murdering their mother, Darnell Donerson; brother Jason Hudson; and Julia’s 7-year-old son, Julian King.

With the painful murder trial behind them, the sisters are thanking those who helped win a guilty verdict for Julia’s ex-husband. They are also letting everyone know how grateful they are for the support they’ve received from people all over the world.

The pair also are extending a prayer to Balfour’s family, acknowleding that they have suffered a loss, too.

“We have many people to thank but our first thank you is to God, always,” the Hudson sisters said in a statement obtained by E! News.

“We are so grateful to prosecutors James McKay, Jennifer Bagby and Veryl Gambino and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez and her team for their dedication and tireless work from the beginning. We have the best police department, and they have been with us every step of the way. We thank all of the State’s witnesses who came forward on our behalf. We have felt the love and support from people all over the world and we’re very grateful.

“We want to extend a prayer from the Hudson family to the Balfour family,” they continued. “We have all suffered terrible loss in this tragedy. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). It is our prayer that the Lord will forgive Mr. Balfour of these heinous acts and bring his heart into repentance someday.”

Balfour is facing life in prison for three instances of first-degree murder, as well as convictions for aggravated kidnapping, residential burglary, home invasion and possession of a stolen vehicle. His attorney, who maintains her client’s innocence, says she plans to appeal his convictions next month.

Jennifer Hudson listened to the verdicts with tears in her eyes, fiancé David Otunga’s arm around her shoulders, then looked over at Julia and smiled.

[From E! Online]

Again, I’m trying to choke back tears here. It’s unimaginable what Hudson and her family have gone through. She’s on the other side of it, and she finds comfort and forgiveness in her faith. My heart goes out to her and her loved ones.

On Saturday Jennifer and her fiance, David Otunga, spent the day at Six Flags Great America. The amusement park posted photos of the two on Facebook laughing on the “X Flight” ride. They looked like they were having a great time. These photos are really nice to see.

Hudson is also shown at LAX airport on 4-17 and on the set of a Weight Watchers commercial on 4-15-12. Her son is so cute! Credit: FameFlynet, Inc

Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry had another hearing in their custody case yesterday following a battery and child endangerment allegation against Aubry. Halle previously tried to block Gabriel from all contact with their nearly four year-old daughter, Nahla, until the investigation is complete. According to a new report on Radar, she’s now backed down slightly and is requesting supervised visitation. (I assumed that a previous supervised visitation order was still in place, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.) In an earlier court appearance for Halle and Gabriel, the judge put off making a decision until the sitting judge, who is familiar with this case, returned from vacation. Well the original judge is back now and according to TMZ he didn’t make a ruling yesterday and needs more time, and an additional hearing, to sort it all out. Child and Family Services has interviewed both Halle and Gabriel separately and together and is reportedly suggesting that Gabriel attend anger management classes, that Halle get counseling, and that both of them take parenting classes together. They’re also recommending counseling for Nahla. Here’s TMZ’s take on what happened, since their coverage is brief and they aren’t being fed details by Gabriel’s team like Radar.

Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry have been urged to get some serious counseling for the benefit of Nahla, but their marathon court hearing today was contentious and largely unproductive … law enforcement sources connected with the case tell TMZ.

We’ve learned the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services submitted more than a dozen recommendations to the judge, including mediation … in which a 3rd party would sit with Halle and Gabriel and try to figure out how they can peacefully raise their child. We’re told Halle was receptive but Gabriel wasn’t.

And our sources say … Halle agreed to continue her individual counseling, which will help her deal with what has become an impossible situation.

As for Gabriel, he’s agreed to counseling for his anger issues.

And, as we first reported, both parties agreed today to send 3-year-old Nahla to counseling.

We’re told the judge did not make any decision on the fate of the nanny, whom Gabriel wants fired.

And the judge hasn’t ruled on Halle’s request to keep Gabriel from Nahla until the child endangerment investigation runs its course.

Sources say Gabriel has objected to most of the recommendations and the judge is on the verge of holding a full hearing — similar to a trial — so he can firmly call the shots.

[From TMZ]

I’m firmly team Nahla as both of her parents seem unable to reach an amicable co-parenting agreement. I think that Halle vilifies her exes and that Gabriel is responding by lashing out and is playing right into her hands. Prior to this whole fiasco I would be on his side, but the details he’s been leaking to Radar make him sound like an a**hole who is definitely capable of pushing and screaming at the nanny. Incidentally, Radar is also reporting that Halle has been paying Gabriel’s legal fees, as is supposedly standard when one party in a custody agreement makes vastly more than the other.

Also, Halle and her new man, Oliver Martinez, staged some “happy family” beach photos over the weekend with Oliver kissing Nahla. Multiple agencies have these photos so you know they were prearranged to present an image of Halle as a more capable parent and of Oliver as some kind of would-be stepfather. This is how Halle uses the paparazzi that she professes to hate. How would Halle react if Gabriel did that to her? She was reportedly livid when he even dared to go on a date with Kim Kardashian. How petty she is. This is a J.Lo move, except J.Lo is much more publicly civil towards, and gracious about, her ex.

Halle has a cast on her foot, which is probably related to breaking it last September. She’s also wearing what looks to be an engagement ring, although she’s often worn a ring on that hand and reports vary as to whether it’s official. She hasn’t made an official announcement, and all we heard so far is a tweet from Oliver’s ex, Kylie Minogue, congratulating them.

Halle, Gabriel and Nahla are shown out at the beach in Malibu on 1-29-12. They’re also shown out at lunch on that same day. Gabriel and Nahla are shown out on 1-12-12. Credit: Fameflynet and WENN.com