courts-and-crime16.955 min read
Klitschko Wins Temporary Guardianship of Panettiere’s Daughter in Estate Dispute
4 days ago•Source: Rolling Stone
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15.89 min•6 days ago
FKA Twigs Ends Legal Battle as Shia LaBeouf Voids NDA
FKA Twigs has withdrawn her lawsuit against Shia LaBeouf after the actor agreed to void a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) from their 2025 settlement. The singer, Tahliah Barnett, had sued in March, claiming the NDA violated California’s STAND Act by preventing her from discussing sexual abuse. LaBeouf’s legal team had previously attempted to enforce the agreement after Barnett spoke to The Hollywood Reporter. The resolution allows Barnett to speak freely about her experience and support survivor advocacy without fear of legal reprisal.
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Suspect in Rihanna Home Shooting Pleads Not Guilty to Upgraded Assault Charges
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Elijah Blue Allman Indicted on Felony Mischief Charge After New Hampshire Home Invasion
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More Courts And Crime Stories
Sher Tremonte Withdraws From Combs’ Defamation Suit Over Unpaid Fees and Communication Breakdown
Sher Tremonte LLP has filed to withdraw as counsel for Sean Combs in his $100 million defamation lawsuit against Nexstar Media, citing six months of unpaid fees and a breakdown in communication. Combs disputes the unpaid fee claim, calling it a business dispute over unapproved charges, while the firm insists it provided efficient representation. Combs remains in federal custody, with new counsel Jonathan Davis now handling the case.
California Court Denies Jay-Z Bid to Rekindle Extortion Case Over 2000 Rape Claims
A California appeals court rejected Jay-Z’s attempt to revive his extortion and defamation suit against attorney Tony Buzbee over a now-dismissed rape allegation; the panel found Buzbee did not act with malice and was protected by litigation privilege when sending a demand letter before filing, allowing him to seek recovery of fees, while Jay-Z still faces a separate federal malicious-prosecution case against Buzbee.
Carmen Bryan Files Suit Against N.O.R.E. Over 1999 Club Incident
Carmen Bryan filed a New York civil suit accusing rapper N.O.R.E. (Victor Santiago) of nonconsensual digital penetration at a Manhattan nightclub in May 1999, alleging misogyny in 1990s hip‑hop culture and that she was overpowered and humiliated. She says Jay‑Z warned of confronting Santiago but she asked him not to get involved, and she pursued civil action after learning of Cassie Ventura’s 2023 case against Diddy. The suit, under the NYC Victims of Gender‑Motivated Violence Protection Act, seeks compensatory damages and emotional distress for decades of trauma.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s Parents Sue D4vd Over Death, Claim Abuse, Trafficking, and Negligence
Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s parents filed a new civil suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court accusing D4vd (David Burke) and his circle of negligence and wrongdoing, alleging he sexually abused their daughter when she was a minor, murdered her in 2025, and hid her remains in the trunk of his Tesla; the suit also targets Burke’s mother, his Mogul Vision managers, and a security guard for enabling or failing to protect her, seeks unspecified damages (potential triple damages for exploitation), and urges the DA to pursue the death penalty, though that decision rests with prosecutors.
D4VD's Bid for Public Defense Draws Wealth Bias Scrutiny
In Los Angeles, Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s family claims D4VD (David Burke) should not receive a public defender, arguing Burke is wealthy (5+ billion streams, 16 million monthly listeners, and ownership of multiple companies) and thus should pay private counsel. Burke is charged with murder, continuous sexual assault of a minor under 14, and unlawful dismemberment, and the LA County Public Defender’s Office says he is eligible for representation. A judge indicated there’s enough evidence to move toward trial while decisions on defense funding proceed.
D4vd Pleads Not Guilty, Switches to Public Defender in Teen Murder Case
D4vd pleaded not guilty to charges including sexually abusing a 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, murdering her, dismembering her body, and concealing the remains in the trunk of his Tesla; he replaced high-profile defense lawyers with Los Angeles County public defenders. A judge denied a delay and scheduled the next hearing for Oct. 19, with no trial date yet.
Durk Murder-for-Hire Trial Heats Up as Shooter Testifies About Bounty
In Los Angeles, rapper Lil Durk’s murder-for-hire trial intensified as witness Kasey “OTF Jam” Hester testified about a bounty on Quando Rondo and described how he and others were recruited to kill him after the King Von confrontation. Jurors heard a jail-call recording and Hester’s earlier statements, which prosecutors say show a coordinated plot, while the defense argues he cooperated to avoid prison and that there is no direct evidence Durk paid for the killing. The government relies on multiple cooperating witnesses; Durk Banks’s defense contends the charges rely on manipulated testimonies and disputed meetings, with other defendants having already pleaded guilty.
Lil Durk Trial Opens as Defense Claims Co-Defendant Used Him as the ‘Big Fish’
Opening statements in Lil Durk's federal trial feature prosecutors alleging he orchestrated a revenge-style ambush linked to Quando Rondo, while his defense contends a co-defendant used Banks as the supposed “big fish” to gain a lighter sentence, with that co-defendant having pleaded guilty and expected to testify.
Keffe D’s Public Tupac Killing Tale Reaches Jurors
Jurors watched excerpts from Duane “Keffe D” Davis’s 2018 BET docuseries recounting the 1996 Tupac Shakur killing, echoing a 2008 police interview. Prosecutors say his public retelling and a memoir void prior protections, making the 2008 statements admissible to corroborate the murder case in Las Vegas. Davis says he spoke out because he has cancer and “nothing else to lose,” describing a chase with his nephew Orlando Anderson that culminated in the drive-by shooting, with Anderson firing; he also describes a prior beating that fueled revenge. The trial centers on whether prosecutors can use these statements, as Davis pleads not guilty to murder with a deadly weapon and faces life without parole if convicted. Prosecution argues the act was revenge tied to a gang dispute over Death Row memorabilia.
Mob James Refuses to Name Eyewitnesses at Tupac Killing Trial
During Duane “Keffe D” Davis’s murder trial in Las Vegas over Tupac Shakur’s 1996 killing, James “Mob James” McDonald testified he knows everyone who was there but refused to name specific individuals, saying he didn’t want to send Knight’s associate to prison; other witnesses described the post-shooting fallout and a long-running feud between Death Row-linked Mob Piru and Bad Boy-affiliated groups, as prosecutors argue Davis orchestrated the drive-by.