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	<title>Celebrity Portal &#187; Lawsuits</title>
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	<description>News and updates on famouse Celebrities and more...</description>
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		<title>Oprah Winfrey Network sued for discrimination prior to launch</title>
		<link>http://www.celebrityportal.org/oprah-winfrey-network-sued-for-discrimination-prior-to-launch/</link>
		<comments>http://www.celebrityportal.org/oprah-winfrey-network-sued-for-discrimination-prior-to-launch/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Aug 2010 03:55:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>celebrityportal.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Celebrity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Controversies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lawsuits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TV Buzz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[oprah winfrey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tmz]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.celebrityportal.org/oprah-winfrey-network-sued-for-discrimination-prior-to-launch/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Even though the Oprah Winfrey Network may not be officially launching until next year, the company is already looking at an unfortunate lawsuit. According to a new report from TMZ, Catherine Dunn &#8212; a former assistant at the network &#8212; was put under intense pressure in the workplace thanks in part to her Multiple Sclerosis. When she was placed on leave after the disease worsened, she was supposedly replaced by some &#8220;younger and non-disabled&#8221;. With this in mind, Dunn is suing the Big O&#8217;s new creation for discrimination in the workplace. So far, Oprah and her company has not commented on the lawsuit &#8212; and may choose to settle the matter privately before releasing a statement of any kind. source Incoming search terms:discrimination celebrities]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.celebrityportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Oprah_Winfrey-01.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-3771" title="Oprah_Winfrey-01" src="http://www.celebrityportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Oprah_Winfrey-01.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="400" /></a>Even though the Oprah Winfrey Network may not be officially launching until next year, the company is already looking at an unfortunate lawsuit. According to a new report from TMZ, Catherine Dunn &#8212; a former assistant at the network &#8212; was put under intense pressure in the workplace thanks in part to her Multiple Sclerosis. When she was placed on leave after the disease worsened, she was supposedly replaced by some &#8220;younger and non-disabled&#8221;.</p>
<p><span id="more-3788"></span></p>
<p>With this in mind, Dunn is suing the Big O&#8217;s new creation for discrimination in the workplace.</p>
<p>So far, Oprah and her company has not commented on the lawsuit &#8212; and may choose to settle the matter privately before releasing a statement of any kind.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-national/oprah-winfrey-network-sued-for-discrimination-prior-to-launch-1" target="_blank">source</a></p>
<h4>Incoming search terms:</h4><ul><li>discrimination celebrities</li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>AmEx sues rocker Courtney Love for unpaid bill</title>
		<link>http://www.celebrityportal.org/amex-sues-rocker-courtney-love-for-unpaid-bill/</link>
		<comments>http://www.celebrityportal.org/amex-sues-rocker-courtney-love-for-unpaid-bill/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2009 12:43:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>celebrityportal.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lawsuits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fashion designer]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[American Express Co wants Courtney Love to leave home without it. The financial services firm sued the musician in Los Angeles on Wednesday, alleging she owes more than $350,000 in unpaid charges and other fees on her AmEx Gold card. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, seeks $352,059.67 for the unpaid balance, damages, attorney&#8217;s fees and late charges, and says Love&#8217;s charging privileges were suspended after she &#8220;failed and refused&#8221; to make payments. Love&#8217;s publicist said he had no immediate information on the suit, and had left a message with her attorney. Love, the 44-year-old widow of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, is a litigation magnet. She was sued for libel in February by a fashion designer upset by comments Love had reportedly made about her on the micro-blogging Web site Twitter. Last year, Love was sued for $1 million by an advisory firm seeking its share of proceeds from Love&#8217;s partial sale of Nirvana&#8217;s publishing catalog. The deal, covering such Nirvana tunes as &#8220;Smells Like Teen Spirit&#8221; and &#8220;Lithium,&#8221; was reportedly worth $19.5 million. Cobain killed himself in 1994. AmEx sues rocker Courtney Love for unpaid bill]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="Courtney Love" src="http://www.celebrityportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/courtneylove.jpg" border="0" alt="Courtney Love" width="293" height="473" align="right" /> American Express Co wants Courtney Love to leave home without it.</p>
<p>The financial services firm sued the musician in Los Angeles on Wednesday, alleging she owes more than $350,000 in unpaid charges and other fees on her AmEx Gold card.</p>
<p>The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, seeks $352,059.67 for the unpaid balance, damages, attorney&#8217;s fees and late charges, and says Love&#8217;s charging privileges were suspended after she &#8220;failed and refused&#8221; to make payments.</p>
<p><span id="more-1639"></span></p>
<p>Love&#8217;s publicist said he had no immediate information on the suit, and had left a message with her attorney.</p>
<p>Love, the 44-year-old widow of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, is a litigation magnet. She was sued for libel in February by a fashion designer upset by comments Love had reportedly made about her on the micro-blogging Web site Twitter.</p>
<p>Last year, Love was sued for $1 million by an advisory firm seeking its share of proceeds from Love&#8217;s partial sale of Nirvana&#8217;s publishing catalog. The deal, covering such Nirvana tunes as &#8220;Smells Like Teen Spirit&#8221; and &#8220;Lithium,&#8221; was reportedly worth $19.5 million. Cobain killed himself in 1994.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE54R0OV20090528">AmEx sues rocker Courtney Love for unpaid bill </a></p>
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		<title>Michael Jackson&#8217;s former publicist sues for $44 million</title>
		<link>http://www.celebrityportal.org/michael-jacksons-former-publicist-sues-for-44-million/</link>
		<comments>http://www.celebrityportal.org/michael-jacksons-former-publicist-sues-for-44-million/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2009 06:59:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>celebrityportal.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lawsuits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[North America]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[london]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael jackson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Producer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.celebrityportal.org/news/lawsuits/michael-jacksons-former-publicist-sues-for-44-million/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Michael Jackson&#8217;s former publicist filed a $44 million lawsuit on Wednesday against the self-styled &#8220;King of Pop&#8221; for failing to pay her for her services. Raymone Bain, who represented Jackson during his 2005 trial and acquittal on child sex abuse charges and later managed his business company, filed a breach of contract civil lawsuit against the singer in Washington, D.C. She said in a statement that she had decided &#8220;with deep regret&#8221; to sue Jackson, describing him as someone &#8220;whom I have greatly admired and respected.&#8221; But she added; &#8220;Unfortunately, Mr. Jackson has elected not to honor the financial obligations of our contractual relationship, despite my numerous attempts to amicably resolve this matter. I am sincerely disappointed in Mr. Jackson&#8217;s failure to honor his obligations.&#8221; Bain, who trained as a lawyer, saw Jackson through some of the most difficult moments in his career. She became his public voice for much of the lengthy child molestation trial in California, Jackson&#8217;s subsequent stays in Bahrain and Ireland and the financial difficulties that resulted in the sale of his Neverland Valley ranch in California last year. In 2006 she was appointed general manager of the Michael Jackson Company, which handles his business affairs. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.celebrityportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/michael-jackson.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1420" title="michael-jackson" src="http://www.celebrityportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/michael-jackson.jpg" alt="michael-jackson" width="320" height="306" /></a>Michael Jackson&#8217;s former publicist filed a $44 million lawsuit on Wednesday against the self-styled &#8220;King of Pop&#8221; for failing to pay her for her services.</p>
<p>Raymone Bain, who represented Jackson during his 2005 trial and acquittal on child sex abuse charges and later managed his business company, filed a breach of contract civil lawsuit against the singer in Washington, D.C.</p>
<p>She said in a statement that she had decided &#8220;with deep regret&#8221; to sue Jackson, describing him as someone &#8220;whom I have greatly admired and respected.&#8221;</p>
<p><span id="more-1413"></span></p>
<p>But she added; &#8220;Unfortunately, Mr. Jackson has elected not to honor the financial obligations of our contractual relationship, despite my numerous attempts to amicably resolve this matter. I am sincerely disappointed in Mr. Jackson&#8217;s failure to honor his obligations.&#8221;</p>
<p>Bain, who trained as a lawyer, saw Jackson through some of the most difficult moments in his career. She became his public voice for much of the lengthy child molestation trial in California, Jackson&#8217;s subsequent stays in Bahrain and Ireland and the financial difficulties that resulted in the sale of his Neverland Valley ranch in California last year.</p>
<p>In 2006 she was appointed general manager of the Michael Jackson Company, which handles his business affairs.</p>
<p>She said in the lawsuit that she was hired as a spokeswoman in 2003 and that from 2006, she ran every aspect of Jackson&#8217;s life including arranging housing, emergency refinancing, travel and security and scheduling meetings with record producers as the singer struggled to reestablish his music career.</p>
<p>Bain joins a long line of former advisers, accountants and friends who have sued Jackson in recent years over broken contracts and unpaid bills. Most of the lawsuits have been settled out of court.</p>
<p>A son of the king of Bahrain reached an out-of-court settlement with Jackson in November over allegations that the &#8220;Thriller&#8221; singer had reneged on a recording contract and owed him $7 million.</p>
<p>Jackson&#8217;s current spokesman, Dr Tohme K. Tohme, did not return calls for comment.</p>
<p>After years of living as a virtual recluse, Jackson recently announced a run of 50 comeback concerts in London, starting in July. All have sold out.</p>
<p>Bain&#8217;s lawsuit cited media reports which suggested the London concert deal, which she said she had helped to negotiate, was worth $400 million in revenue to Jackson.</p>
<p>Bain said Jackson had agreed to pay her 10 percent of any deals he entered into as a result of her help but had not done so. She asked for $44 million in damages, plus lawyers&#8217; fees.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/idUSTRE54584L20090508">Michael Jackson&#8217;s former publicist sues for $44 million</a></p>
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		<title>Chuck Norris sues, says his tears no cancer cure</title>
		<link>http://www.celebrityportal.org/chuck-norris-sues-says-his-tears-no-cancer-cure/</link>
		<comments>http://www.celebrityportal.org/chuck-norris-sues-says-his-tears-no-cancer-cure/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>celebrityportal.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lawsuits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[delta force]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[martial arts]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Tough-guy actor and martial arts expert Chuck Norris sued publisher Penguin on Friday over a book he claims unfairly exploits his famous name, based on a satirical Internet list of &#8220;mythical facts&#8221; about him. Penguin published &#8220;The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 facts about the World&#8217;s Greatest Human&#8221; in November. Author Ian Spector and two Web sites he runs to promote the book, including www.truthaboutchuck.com, are also named in the suit. The book capitalizes on &#8220;mythical facts&#8221; that have been circulating on the Internet since 2005 that poke fun at Norris&#8217; tough-guy image and super-human abilities, the suit said. It includes such humorous &#8220;facts&#8221; as &#8220;Chuck Norris&#8217;s tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried&#8221; and &#8220;Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits,&#8221; the suit said, as well as &#8220;Chuck Norris can charge a cell phone by rubbing it against his beard.&#8221; &#8220;Some of the &#8216;facts&#8217; in the book are racist, lewd or portray Mr. Norris as engaged in illegal activities,&#8221; the lawsuit alleges. Norris, who rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s as the star of such films as &#8220;The Delta Force&#8221; and &#8220;Missing in Action,&#8221; says the book&#8217;s title would mislead readers into thinking the facts [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.celebrityportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/chucknorris.jpg"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="chuck norris" src="http://www.celebrityportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/chucknorris.jpg" border="0" alt="chuck norris" width="273" height="364" align="right" /></a> Tough-guy actor and martial arts expert Chuck Norris sued publisher Penguin on Friday over a book he claims unfairly exploits his famous name, based on a satirical Internet list of &#8220;mythical facts&#8221; about him.</p>
<p>Penguin published &#8220;The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 facts about the World&#8217;s Greatest Human&#8221; in November. Author Ian Spector and two Web sites he runs to promote the book, including www.truthaboutchuck.com, are also named in the suit.</p>
<p>The book capitalizes on &#8220;mythical facts&#8221; that have been circulating on the Internet since 2005 that poke fun at Norris&#8217; tough-guy image and super-human abilities, the suit said.</p>
<p><span id="more-1257"></span></p>
<p>It includes such humorous &#8220;facts&#8221; as &#8220;Chuck Norris&#8217;s tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried&#8221; and &#8220;Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits,&#8221; the suit said, as well as &#8220;Chuck Norris can charge a cell phone by rubbing it against his beard.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Some of the &#8216;facts&#8217; in the book are racist, lewd or portray Mr. Norris as engaged in illegal activities,&#8221; the lawsuit alleges.</p>
<p>Norris, who rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s as the star of such films as &#8220;The Delta Force&#8221; and &#8220;Missing in Action,&#8221; says the book&#8217;s title would mislead readers into thinking the facts were true.</p>
<p>&#8220;Defendants have misappropriated and exploited Mr. Norris&#8217;s name and likeness without authorization for their own commercial profit,&#8221; said the lawsuit.</p>
<p>The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, seeks unspecified monetary damages for trademark infringement, unjust enrichment and privacy rights.</p>
<p>Norris, whose real name is Carlos Ray Norris, claims in the suit he is protective of what his name is associated with. He has recently made U.S. headlines for backing Republican presidential candidate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.</p>
<p>A spokesman for Penguin, owned by Britain&#8217;s Pearson, was not immediately available for comment.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.sari2x.info/what-people-do-for-money/chuck-norris-sues-says-his-tears-no-cancer-cure/" target="_blank">Chuck Norris sues, says his tears no cancer cure</a></p>
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		<title>Not the first time Chris Brown abused me, Rihanna tells police: report</title>
		<link>http://www.celebrityportal.org/not-the-first-time-chris-brown-abused-me-rihanna-tells-police-report/</link>
		<comments>http://www.celebrityportal.org/not-the-first-time-chris-brown-abused-me-rihanna-tells-police-report/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:28:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>celebrityportal.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lawsuits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[R&B]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[remorse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rihanna]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[text message]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Pop princess Rihanna reportedly has told cops that boyfriend Chris Brown had a history of abusing her even before a weekend attack that left her bruised and bloodied. Citing a confidential police file, TMZ.com reported Thursday that Rihanna told investigators Brown&#8217;s violence was ongoing &#8211; and escalating. No details of prior abuse were given. Brown&#8217;s attorney Mark Geragos has declined comment. As the Daily News first reported, the shocking fight that landed Rihanna in the hospital ignited when Brown got a suggestive text message from another young woman following a pre-Grammy party Saturday night. &#8220;He got a booty call. He got a text. Rihanna saw it and she got upset. They started to argue. She got out of the car. He wanted her to get back in, so he grabbed her,&#8221; the well-placed music industry source said. &#8220;She pulled away. That&#8217;s when she&#8217;s told people he hit her,&#8221; the source said. Rihanna, 20, had &#8220;visible injuries&#8221; when cops arrived, and she&#8217;s been cooperating with the investigation while freezing out Brown, the source said. When Rihanna gave him the cold shoulder, Brown&#8217;s friends passed along signs of remorse, saying the 19-year-old R&#38;B sensation &#8220;feels very bad.&#8221; Brown, meanwhile, is due for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Pop princess Rihanna reportedly has told cops that boyfriend Chris Brown had a history of abusing her even before a weekend attack that left her bruised and bloodied.</p>
<p>Citing a confidential police file, TMZ.com reported Thursday that Rihanna told investigators Brown&#8217;s violence was ongoing &#8211; and escalating.</p>
<p>No details of prior abuse were given.</p>
<p>Brown&#8217;s attorney Mark Geragos has declined comment.</p>
<p><span id="more-520"></span></p>
<p>As the Daily News first reported, the shocking fight that landed Rihanna in the hospital ignited when Brown got a suggestive text message from another young woman following a pre-Grammy party Saturday night.</p>
<p>&#8220;He got a booty call. He got a text. Rihanna saw it and she got upset. They started to argue. She got out of the car. He wanted her to get back in, so he grabbed her,&#8221; the well-placed music industry source said.</p>
<p>&#8220;She pulled away. That&#8217;s when she&#8217;s told people he hit her,&#8221; the source said.</p>
<p>Rihanna, 20, had &#8220;visible injuries&#8221; when cops arrived, and she&#8217;s been cooperating with the investigation while freezing out Brown, the source said.</p>
<p>When Rihanna gave him the cold shoulder, Brown&#8217;s friends passed along signs of remorse, saying the 19-year-old R&amp;B sensation &#8220;feels very bad.&#8221;</p>
<p>Brown, meanwhile, is due for another interview with investigators building a case against her boyfriend. He was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats Sunday night and released on $50,000 bail.</p>
<p>According to TMZ&#8217;s review of the police report, Rihanna took the keys out of the ignition of the couple&#8217;s rented Lamborghini and enraged Brown when she &#8220;faked a call&#8221; to someone during the fight, saying something like &#8220;he&#8217;s dropping me off,&#8221; and &#8220;make sure the cops are there.&#8221;</p>
<p>That&#8217;s when Brown spat out, &#8220;I&#8217;m going to kill you,&#8221; TMZ reports, citing the police report.</p>
<p>Another source disputed suggestions the sultry singer was asking for trouble by stealing the keys or making provocative statements.</p>
<p>&#8220;Sadly, someone is trying to portray her as the aggressor. She&#8217;s no shrinking violet but there&#8217;s no reason to believe she went crazy,&#8221; the source said.</p>
<p>Ironically, both stars are up for one of NAACP&#8217;s Image Awards. Brown is up for the same prize he won last year &#8211; outstanding male artist. Rihanna is in the running for outstanding female artist.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s unclear whether either star plans to attend the ceremony, which takes place on Thursday.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/02/12/2009-02-12_not_the_first_time_chris_brown_abused_me.html">Not the first time Chris Brown abused me, Rihanna tells police: report</a></p>
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		<title>A Legal Thriller: Michael Jackson Sued by John Landis</title>
		<link>http://www.celebrityportal.org/a-legal-thriller-michael-jackson-sued-by-john-landis/</link>
		<comments>http://www.celebrityportal.org/a-legal-thriller-michael-jackson-sued-by-john-landis/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:38:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>celebrityportal.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lawsuits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael jackson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[royalties]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.celebrityportal.org/news/lawsuits/a-legal-thriller-michael-jackson-sued-by-john-landis/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Remember that Thriller musical we told you about yesterday? Seems Michael Jackson already has a sequel in the works. This one will be playing out not on Broadway, however, but in a Los Angeles courtroom. John Landis, the filmmaker whose credits include Animal House, The Blues Brothers and Trading Places, is suing over another of his best known hits—Jackson&#8217;s &#8220;Thriller&#8221; video. Landis says Jackson owes him big bucks in royalties for the classic 14-minute clip. Per the complaint, filed in L.A. Superior Court last week and obtained by E! News, the 58-year-old filmmaker accuses the 50-year-old Moonwalker of &#8220;fraudulent, malicious and oppressive conduct&#8221; for failing to fork over a check. Landis says he&#8217;s due 50 percent of the net profits from the groundbreaking video, which cowrote and directed, as well as an hourlong &#8220;making of&#8221; documentary. The suit doesn&#8217;t specify the exact amount Landis is owed but it&#8217;s thought to be around $1 million. In any case, the legal action comes at a fortuitous time considering Jackson just sold the rights to the &#8220;Thriller&#8221; video to theatrical wizards Nederlander Organization to stage a Broadway musical based on the horror spoof. Jackson&#8217;s rep, Dr. Tohme Tohme, was not immediately available for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Remember that Thriller musical we told you about yesterday? Seems Michael Jackson already has a sequel in the works.</p>
<p>This one will be playing out not on Broadway, however, but in a Los Angeles courtroom.</p>
<p>John Landis, the filmmaker whose credits include Animal House, The Blues Brothers and Trading Places, is suing over another of his best known hits—Jackson&#8217;s &#8220;Thriller&#8221; video. Landis says Jackson owes him big bucks in royalties for the classic 14-minute clip.</p>
<p><span id="more-180"></span></p>
<p>Per the complaint, filed in L.A. Superior Court last week and obtained by E! News, the 58-year-old filmmaker accuses the 50-year-old Moonwalker of &#8220;fraudulent, malicious and oppressive conduct&#8221; for failing to fork over a check.</p>
<p>Landis says he&#8217;s due 50 percent of the net profits from the groundbreaking video, which cowrote and directed, as well as an hourlong &#8220;making of&#8221; documentary.</p>
<p>The suit doesn&#8217;t specify the exact amount Landis is owed but it&#8217;s thought to be around $1 million. In any case, the legal action comes at a fortuitous time considering Jackson just sold the rights to the &#8220;Thriller&#8221; video to theatrical wizards Nederlander Organization to stage a Broadway musical based on the horror spoof.</p>
<p>Jackson&#8217;s rep, Dr. Tohme Tohme, was not immediately available for comment.</p>
<p>Speaking to the entertainment site The Wrap, Landis attorney Martin Feldman said the lawsuit was a last resort.</p>
<p>&#8220;I can&#8217;t understand what they are doing to John Landis&#8217; company. It is such a straight ahead thing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It makes no sense at all to me.&#8221;</p>
<p>As if the life of Michael Jackson ever made sense to any of us.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/eonline/20090127/en_celeb_eo/81041;_ylt=An0OcGBPGcUFEcB8J2XY5DQRzJV4">A Legal Thriller: Michael Jackson Sued by John Landis &#8211; Yahoo! News</a></p>
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		<title>Police Reveal Details of John Travolta Extortion Plot</title>
		<link>http://www.celebrityportal.org/police-reveal-details-of-john-travolta-extortion-plot/</link>
		<comments>http://www.celebrityportal.org/police-reveal-details-of-john-travolta-extortion-plot/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:11:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>celebrityportal.org</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lawsuits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bahamas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[extortion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[john travolta]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[A paramedic allegedly tried to extort $25 million from John Travolta with a nearly worthless weapon: a medical document that was irrelevant to the death of the actor&#8217;s son, authorities in the Bahamas say. Tarino Lightbourn, an Emergency Services Tech II with the Rand Memorial Hospital ambulance squad in Freeport, has been in custody since his arrest on Jan. 23. He is charged with conspiracy to commit extortion and attempted extortion. He pleaded not guilty on Monday and is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Carolita Bethel in Nassau on Wednesday. His attorney, who is charged with two counts of extortion, is also scheduled to appear before the magistrate. The case revolves around Lightbourn&#8217;s efforts to allegedly sell a one-page &#8220;refusal to transport&#8221; document that Travolta signed when Lightbourn was treating the actor&#8217;s 16-year-old son, Jett, according to the Bahamian police. Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Marvin Dames downplayed the importance of the document. &#8220;The document did not apply in the Travolta case,&#8221; Dames tells PEOPLE. &#8220;It did not apply because he was very ill, and so, the only alternative would be to take him to the hospital. Refusal to transport documents are for cases involving minor injuries. If your injuries [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.celebrityportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/john-travolta-jett.jpg"><img class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://www.celebrityportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/john-travolta-jett.jpg" border="0" alt="john_travolta_jett" width="240" height="320" align="right" /></a> A paramedic allegedly tried to extort $25 million from John Travolta with a nearly worthless weapon: a medical document that was irrelevant to the death of the actor&#8217;s son, authorities in the Bahamas say.</p>
<p>Tarino Lightbourn, an Emergency Services Tech II with the Rand Memorial Hospital ambulance squad in Freeport, has been in custody since his arrest on Jan. 23. He is charged with conspiracy to commit extortion and attempted extortion.</p>
<p>He pleaded not guilty on Monday and is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Carolita Bethel in Nassau on Wednesday. His attorney, who is charged with two counts of extortion, is also scheduled to appear before the magistrate.</p>
<p><span id="more-177"></span></p>
<p>The case revolves around Lightbourn&#8217;s efforts to allegedly sell a one-page &#8220;refusal to transport&#8221; document that Travolta signed when Lightbourn was treating the actor&#8217;s 16-year-old son, Jett, according to the Bahamian police.</p>
<p>Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Marvin Dames downplayed the importance of the document.</p>
<p>&#8220;The document did not apply in the Travolta case,&#8221; Dames tells PEOPLE. &#8220;It did not apply because he was very ill, and so, the only alternative would be to take him to the hospital. Refusal to transport documents are for cases involving minor injuries. If your injuries are minor and you don&#8217;t want to be transported, the ambulance driver would produce that form. It waives responsibility on the part of the hospital.&#8221;</p>
<p>Dames insists the Travoltas did everything possible to save their son.</p>
<p>&#8220;We were satisfied from all our investigations that the Travolta family and those who rendered aid to Jett did all that was humanly possible to revive Jett,&#8221; Dames says. &#8220;All did what they were able to resuscitate him.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s no evidence to support that there was any effort to avoid medical treatment,&#8221; he adds. &#8220;Lightbourn said that himself in several interviews.&#8221;</p>
<p>According to Dames, the alleged case of attempted extortion took place nearly two weeks ago when Lightbourn&#8217;s attorney, former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater, called an attorney for Travolta in the United States and said her client wanted to sell the document. Travolta then complained to the Royal Bahamian Police through his attorney.</p>
<p>&#8220;The complaint states the request was for $25 million,&#8221; Dames says. &#8220;At the time, she represented the young man. She would have made the request.&#8221;</p>
<p>When asked if Travolta might be called as a witness, should the case proceed to trial, Dames simply said, &#8220;He lodged a complaint. He&#8217;s the complainant on record.&#8221;</p>
<p>For now, the police are having difficulty determining the authenticity of the document Lightbourn allegedly tried to sell to Travolta.</p>
<p>&#8220;We don&#8217;t know where the original is,&#8221; the senior assistant commissioner says. &#8220;We don&#8217;t know if he generated the document.&#8221;</p>
<p>But Lightbourn is the crux of their case, he says.</p>
<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s the key person here,&#8221; Dames says. &#8220;He&#8217;s the one who made the attempt.&#8221;</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20255422,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines-yahoobuzz">Police Reveal Details of John Travolta Extortion Plot</a></p>
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