The Rich and Famous Go to Court

Jennifer Lewis used to be a “Guest Relations Coordinator” for the Playboy Mansion, whatever that means. She filed a lawsuit earlier this week against Hugh Hefner and other Playboy execs, claiming age discrimination. Lewis claims she was fired after she turned 47 and replaced by a 33-year-old woman.

She apparently worked at the Mansion for over ten years but was “singled out” last year and subjected to a hostile work environment. This should be interesting and may well hinge on exactly what her job description entailed. We shall see….

Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, has subpoenaed medical and other records from the UCLA Medical Center because he believes the records could reveal evidence of foul play in Jackson’s death. Unfortunately for Joe Jackson, the subpoenas were issued in the probate case and appear to be irrelevant.

Michael Jackson’s estate lawyers clearly think so, according to a letter sent by them to Joe Jackson’s attorney last week. The subpoenas seek the release of all of Michael Jackson’s including medical records, autopsy reports, autopsy photos, medications and prognosis assessments.

Joe Jackson told gossip website TMZ that the entire Jackson family supports the subpoenas and believes that the medical records will reveal that Michael Jackson’s death was the result of foul play. Regardless of whether the Jackson family “supports” the subpoenas, the law still has to allow them.

Joe Jackson is a party to the probate estate case as a result of his Petition for Family Allowance – i.e., he wants to be supported by Michael’s estate. Michael’s estate attorneys basically represent and protect Michael (and his money). If Michael’s children (or the guardians and attorneys on their behalf) choose to file a wrongful death claim against anyone, that is likely the only civil forum in which Michael’s medical records will be properly subpoenaed to prove cause of death.

What drugs were present in Michael’s system is, in my opinion, completely irrelevant to whether Joe Jackson should be granted support payments from Michael’s estate.

TMZ is reporting that actor Tom Sizemore was arrested again today – this time for having an outstanding narcotics warrant out of Bakersfield, California.

Law enforcement sources say there was a call for a possible domestic violence disturbance in Hollywood at around 12:30 this morning. When cops showed up, Sizemore happened to be in the area and police discovered the warrant. He was arrested and booked. A friend of his was also arrested for being in possession of narcotics.

Chances this guy is on the wagon?

Former Kentucky men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie sued the school Wednesday, seeking at least $6 million he says he is owed on his deal for being fired without cause. The suit was filed in federal court in Texas (most likely because the contract was entered into there).

Gillispie’s attorney said that Gillispie had a contract with the University of Kentucky despite public misconception over the existence of a contract. “They drafted it. He signed it. They signed it and their board approved it. Whether you’re in Kentucky or Texas, a deal is a deal” commented the lawyer.

In the lawsuit, Gillispie claims that he and the university operated under a signed memorandum of understanding because he hadn’t signed a formal contract in his two years and that the university breached that agreement and committed fraud because it never intended to honor the agreement.

The suit asks for $1.5 million a year for four of the five years left on the deal as well as punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, court costs and interest.

“Rather than honor its written, signed deal with coach Gillispie, defendant prefers instead to pretend as though no deal was ever reached,” the lawsuit says. “Unfortunately for defendant, its make-believe world is just that.”

The lawsuit offers offer several examples where a memorandum of understanding was cited as a contractual agreement between the two parties including a July 2007 letter where the university told Gillispie he could not enter into an endorsement agreement with a Houston-based company because of the language in the memorandum of understanding.

In my experience, the fraud count will be hard to prove unless Gillispie has some sort of smoking gun – an email or letter revealing UK’s true intention. But the memorandum of understanding sounds like it is very likely to be accepted as a binding contract, especially if UK was holding Gillispie to its terms. It can’t be a contract for some purposes (UK’s) and not for others (Gillispie’s).

Maybe he used the money from his settlement with the doctors and hospital to pay off this lender? Ed McMahon, former Tonight Show sidekick, had a lawsuit against him dismissed in Los Angeles this week.

Westmoore Lending of Huntington Beach, CA sued McMahon and his wife Pamela for $250,000 plus interest and penalties after their 2007 default on an unsecured loan. The dispute is now settled and the parties asked for the suit to be dismissed.

McMahon has also defaulted on the mortgage on his Beverly Hills mansion.

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Legendary soul singer James Brown died two and a half years ago. If you recall, his family started fighting immediately and he wasn’t even buried for two months because of their bickering and legal maneuvering. About six months later, the family started making claims that millions of dollars were missing from Brown’s estate. They claimed that trustees had mismanaged funds.

In 2008, Brown’s older children and others went to court, questioning whether his marriage in 2001 to Tomi Rae Hynie Brown was even legal and whether his son with her was really legitimate. These two issues would have huge inheritance implications.

The estate has finally been settled this week. On Tuesday, a South Carolina judge approved a settlement giving nearly half of Brown’s assets to a charitable trust. A quarter was given to Tomi and their young son, and the rest to Brown’s six adult children.

Unlike most probate estates, this wasn’t just a fight over existing assets. Brown’s estate, due to his fame and music, will continue to earn income in the future. And that money will be divided going forward.

O.J. Simpson filed his appeal this week in Nevada, hoping to overturn his conviction for robbery, kidnapping and weapons charges related to an incident back in 2008. His lawyers hope that it will be a “fast track appeal” – though I honestly have no idea what that means…

Simpson was convicted on Oct. 3, 2008 of all 12 robbery, kidnapping and weapons charges following the 2007 confrontation with two memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room. He was sentenced to 33 years in prison without the possibility of parole for nine years.

Simpson’s co-defendant, Clarence “CJ” Stewart, received a sentence of 27 years in jail with no possibility of parole until 2016.

Any appeal must assert grounds for reversal, arguing that the trial court made legal errors in the trial and/or sentencing. Simpson’s grounds include jury instruction error, insufficient evidence, redundancy of charges, admission of hearsay, prosecutorial misconduct, violation of the Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses, error in jury selection including non-race-neutral challenges and general judicial misconduct.

The brief claims that Simpson’s trial “was fundamentally unfair” because the trial judge chastised “the attorneys in the presence of the jury; making rulings from the bench that were not based in the law;” improperly instructing the jury; admitting hearsay and intimidating evidence; preventing “the defense to exercise full and complete cross examination of witnesses;” and not allowing “counsel to examine prospective jurors about their known and unknown biases (sic).”

Simpson in a Nevada state correctional facility, north of Reno. His attorney expects the appeal to be heard “somewhere in the fall, probably in the late fall,” however it could take up to a year.

The state has about two months to file its response, to which Simpson’s attorneys have the opportunity to reply as well.

Simpson’s appellate counsel is new on the case. His former attorney, Gabriel Grasso, reportedly withdrew from the case, citing an “ongoing disagreement” he has with Simpson’s longtime attorney, Yale Galanter.

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Former New Jersey Nets star Jayson Williams got arrested again this morning. He allegedly got into a fight late last night/this morning in a bar in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Williams was later released on $1,000 bond. Last month, Williams was tasered by cops in NYC after he allegedly tore up a hotel room while reportedly suicidal.

He is in the midst of a divorce and still facing retrial on a reckless manslaughter charge for the shooting death of his limo driver back in 2002.

This ain’t gonna end well, people.

The Indiana Pacers equipment manager has sued point guard, Jamaal Tinsley, over a 2007 shooting. Joey Qatato claims that Tinsley ran away from the scene of a shooting a few years ago, leaving Qatato behind, stuck in Tinsley’s Rolls-Royce. Qatato was trapped in the back seat and suffered gunshots in both of his elbows. The shooting occurred outside the Conrad hotel in Indianapolis.

The shooting occurred after a confrontation at a club. Several cars chased two or three cars owned by Tinsley, ending up at the hotel.

Qatato now claims that Tinsley and the car driver are legally responsible for his injuries. He claims the back door locks can only be controlled by the car driver, who, like Tinsley, ignored Qatato.

The gunman escaped. No suspects were identified. Qatato was the only person injured.

The suit alleges negligence, reckless misconduct, infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment against Tinsley and the driver. Qatato apparently needed several surgeries and allegedly has permanent impairment in his arms. He still works for the Pacers.

Jamaal Tinsley didn’t play last year but is under contract with the Pacers for two more years. They say they’re looking for a trade. A grievance against the league is pending.