#Mark Geragos

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Jay Kuo at The Status Kuo:

In a letter to the Fox Network, Hunter Biden’s attorneys have put the company on notice that it’s about to get its pants sued off for defamation.  Again. Biden’s attorney, Mark Geragos, best known for his successful representation of celebrities, issued the following statement: 

[For the last five years, Fox News has relentlessly attacked Hunter Biden and made him a caricature in order to boost ratings and for its financial gain. The recent indictment of FBI informant Smirnov has exposed the conspiracy of disinformation that has been fueled by Fox, enabled by their paid agents and monetized by the Fox enterprise. We plan on holding them accountable.]

The letter specifically cited the network’s “conspiracy and subsequent actions to defame Mr. Biden and paint him in a false light, the unlicensed commercial exploitation of his image, name, and likeness, and the unlawful publication of hacked intimate images of him.” It also stated that Hunter Biden would be suing the network “imminently.” Supporters of the younger Biden cheered, glad to see he was finally taking the gloves off against purveyors of salacious, fake news. Fox is already reeling from other defamation lawsuits, including one it settled with Dominion Voting Systems for nearly $800 million and another by Smartmatic, a voting software company presently seeking $2.7 billion in damages. Not everyone is happy, though. Advisers to the president had been hoping his son would keep a low profile and not put himself back in the news during an election year. They worried that news stories about the lawsuit would resurface the allegations, even if false and defamatory, which would then suck the air out of the news cycle. Such media time might otherwise be focused on Donald Trump’s problems and Joe Biden’s many accomplishments.

[...]

The Burisma bribes lie

There are three main things Fox was fixated upon that have now opened it to possible massive liability. The first is what I call the fake “Burisma bribes.” Fox gleefully amplified the false claims of former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, who had conveyed to his handler that he had information that both Joe and Hunter Biden had accepted $5 million in bribes from the Ukrainian company, Burisma, on whose board Hunter Biden once served. This false statement was dutifully recorded, as most statements by informants are no matter how wild, in a standard FBI informant form. This was left to gather dust for years until Rudy Giuliani and the FBI, at Bill Barr’s urging, resurfaced and weaponized it along with help from members of Congress.

For its part, Fox made sure that story went wide and was repeated ad nauseam. For months, host Sean Hannity ran nonstop coverage about the alleged bribe, poisoning viewers with actual Russian disinformation. Hannity’s show alone aired at least 85 segments that amplified these false Burisma bribery claims in 2023. Of those 85 segments, 28 were Hannity monologues.  After his indictment and arrest, Smirnov admitted that the story he received had come straight from Russian intelligence. By centering and repeating the fake story, Fox had become a willing Russian disinformation mule, along with many members of Congress. But it never retracted the story or apologized for its role. Instead, it continued to claim that the source, Smirnov, was “highly credible.”

[...]

Nude pics

We all have heard about, but hopefully not personally seen, intimate images of Hunter Biden at parties and in sexual acts with various partners. His lawyers claim that these images were “hacked, stolen, and/or manipulated” from his private accounts, and then aired by Fox in violation of his civil rights and copyright law. They also appeared during congressional hearings as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q-MW) infamously used them as visual props. (She’s lucky to be shielded by the Speech and Debate clause of the Constitution, or she could be swept up in a suit as well.) The decision to go after those committing what amounts to “revenge porn” on Hunter Biden, including the Fox Network, is part of a larger legal counteroffensive that began last year, according to sources with NBC News.  As you may recall, the “Hunter Biden Laptop” story emerged as a kind of “October surprise” in 2020. The repair technician who leaked the contents of it to Rudy Giuliani later sued Biden and others for defaming him, claiming he had suffered damage to his reputation because they had claimed the laptop contents were part of a Russian disinformation campaign. 

[...]

The “Trial of Hunter Biden”

In fall of 2021, Fox aired a six-part series called “The Trial of Hunter Biden,” which amounted to a mock trial of what his upcoming trial would look like if he were charged with being a foreign agent or with bribery, none of which has happened.  Biden’s lawyers claim in their demand letter that “the series intentionally manipulates the facts, distorts the truth, narrates happenings out of context, and invents dialogue intended to entertain. Thus, the viewer of the series cannot decipher what is fact and what is fiction,” and it should be removed entirely from all streaming services.

[...]

The reality is, Fox and other right wing media continue to give oxygen to Rep. James Comer, who has yet to end his evidence-free impeachment inquiry. At least now, Fox will be on notice that it could face ongoing liability for failing to retract its false reporting, even while pushing out more lies about Hunter Biden. The network will have to tread more carefully, and ultimately it will have to consider whether it doubles down or backs off. Then there is the actual trial of Hunter Biden which is set to begin this fall. Attention will be on the president’s son at that time anyway, but with this lawsuit, just as with his counterclaims and counteroffensives against those who violated his privacy, Hunter Biden will look like a fighter and not just a victim. With all that has been done and said about him, he has very little to lose but a very large ax to grind. And if the GOP overplays its hand, as it inevitably will, it could create voter sympathy for him, even though it had hoped to paint him as a criminal, drug addicted womanizer. Democrats are often accused of not having enough courage to go on the offensive, of being too reticent to push back against the onslaughts of numerous bad faith actors on the right. Then when they do, there’s a good deal of hand wringing about how this assertiveness might come across to the voters.

Glad to see Hunter Biden fight back against the right-wing smear machine by threatening to sue Fixed News for defaming him.

[fans4wga]

SAG-AFTRA Takes Up Bethenny Frankel’s Fight To Unionize Reality Show Contestants & End “Exploitative Practices”

August 10, 2023

"SAG-AFTRA, which covers the hosts but not the contestants on reality TV competition shows, said today that it’s working “toward the protection of the reality performers” in an effort to end “the exploitative practices that have developed in this area” and “to engage in a new path to union coverage.”

“We are tired of studios and production companies trying to circumvent the union in order to exploit the talent that they rely upon to make their product,” the guild said.

The announcement comes after Bethenny Frankel, a former star of The Real Housewives of New York City, suggested that reality performers should go on strike in order to win residuals for their work and to combat abuses in the workplace. Reality show hosts, but not contestants, are covered by the guild’s Network Code, which is not part of its strike against films and scripted TV shows.

“Why isn’t reality TV on strike?” Frankel said in a recent TikTok video. “I got paid $7,250 for my first season of reality TV, and people are still watching those episodes.” Reality stars, she said, “are the stepchildren, the losers, the mules, the pack horses. The ones that the entertainment industry is going to rely on, right now, to carry the water and do the heavy lifting when real stars, real A-list Hollywood is on strike.”

She added, ��Reality television exploits affairs, bankruptcy, falling off the wagon, not really having what you say you have, something inappropriate, risking cancellation every single time the camera goes on.”

To address the alleged abuse of reality stars, she’s engaged high-powered attorneys Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos to investigate the alleged abuse of reality stars.

In a statement today, SAG-AFTRA said that it “has engaged in discussions with Bryan Freedman at the Freedman + Taitelman, LLP law firm who has been retained by Bethenny Frankel around the subject of treatment of reality performers. SAG-AFTRA is the union that represents reality performers. Depending on the structure of the production and the performers involved, we can cover these performers under our Network Code Agreement.

“We stand ready to assist Bethenny Frankel, Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos along with reality performers and our members in the fight and are tired of studios and production companies trying to circumvent the Union in order to exploit the talent that they rely upon to make their product.

“We encourage any reality performers and/or members to reach out to SAG-AFTRA’s Entertainment Contracts Department so that we may work together toward the protection of the reality performers ending the exploitative practices that have developed in this area and to engage in a new path to union coverage.”

“Please be advised that the day of reckoning has arrived,” Freedman, working with Geragos, said in a letter sent to NBCUniversal on Aug. 3. “While our investigation is still ongoing, we have reason to believe that cast members and crewmembers on NBC reality TV shows have been subjected to disturbing mistreatment by NBCUniversal and/or its employees, contractors, and third-party affiliates.”

Building off Frankel’s union aims, the list of such mistreatment that Freedman lays out includes:

Deliberate attempts to manufacture mental instability by plying cast members with alcohol while depriving them of food and sleep.

Denying mental health treatment to cast members displaying obvious and alarming signs of mental deterioration.

Exploiting minors for uncompensated and sometimes long-term appearances on NBC reality TV shows.

Distributing and/or condoning the distribution of nonconsensual pornography.

Covering up acts of sexual violence.

Refusing to allow cast members the freedom to leave their shows, even under dire circumstances.

In response, an NBCUniversal spokesperson told Deadline that the company is “committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows. At the outset, we require our third-party production partners to have appropriate workplace policies and training in place.  If complaints are brought to our attention, we work with our production partners to ensure that timely, appropriate action is or has been taken, including investigations, medical and/or psychological support, and other remedial action that may be warranted such as personnel changes.”

@bethennyfrankel on Tiktok: This is a union. I’ve defined fair & reasonable terms & consider those making $0 on the bachelor to a housewife making millions. This is a 1st pass & how I’d negotiate, w/ my institutional knowledge & wisdom in this industry w/ over a decade on 8 tv, w/ 10 books, 5 podcasts, multiple businesses & what was the fastest growing spirits business in history. I know a contract. Looking into traditional TV residuals is like looking inside “a beautiful mind.” Content used later with no profit sharing & l exploitation of hard working talent is as archaic as calling empowered independent women “housewives,” a term setting back women 100 years then using them for drama.

This is the REALITY RECKONING aka THE REALITY REVOLUTION. The is the new BETHENNY CLAUSE. Reality TV has existed for decades & sustained entertainment during the last strike & exploded. This isn’t for people like me, who have thrived & succeeded and clawed their way to the top despite the odds. This is for the next generation. These are broad stroke terms subject to modification. This fight is just getting started. We’re rogue & nimble & not entangled & unwieldy. The intention here is to affect change, get things done and make history.

I’ve listed some names who have contacted me & want to get involved. People not on this list are Vanderpump rules talent & the Kardashians, ironically the most powerful entities in entertainment right now, with the most leverage. They should fight for others who paved the way & for those after them. Shows like Summer House and others in production should stand down. Viewers should not watch this content. This paves the way for nurses and teachers, essential workers, production members & glam teams that will be inspired to create a model of their own reckoning.

Change takes courage. I’ve alienated this industry & burned bridges with the entire network and streaming community in one fell swoop. This is not for the faint of heart but it’s for the greater good. This is correct. We will be sending these terms by email with the subject line: “Reality Reckoning” starting emails with: imwithbethenny Who’s with me?"

[philosophicalconservatism]

A Threat To Democracy?

The Democratic party begins the election season with the legal prosecution of its political opposition on grounds, and by procedural methods that even Left-wing legal experts like Elie Honig and Mark Geragos describe as outlandish. these are the kind of shenanigans employed by authoritarian regimes. The party then proceeds to unseat the sitting president, clearly against his will, and replaces him with a candidate of the party elite's own choosing, entirely bypassing the democratic process. The people of that party have no say in who their leader is to be, and this leader is also an individual who was nominated, not elected to their last political office.

Now I can hear someone responding to this by pointing out that the individual in question is at present leading slightly in the general election polls. This of course is simply a way of doubling down "You see that! the people don't really need the right to elect their leaders, we actually know what is best for them". But of course making a decision for people, and then presenting them with a second decision obviously does not tell you what decision those people would have made in the first instance if given a choice (especially when the same candidate had been roundly rejected in the primaries before).

And to solidify its political choice the Democratic party now attempts to gaslight the entire country (another tactic of authoritarian regimes) into suddenly believing in the amazing leadership attributes of a candidate that none of them ( including those same party elites) saw as an astounding leader ten minutes ago. In other words, naked and obvious propaganda. And this is the party that tells us that the opposition candidate is a "threat to democracy"; a candidate that we have already seen in office.

[manumikku]

Cain Velasquez was granted $1 million bail Tuesday after eight months in custody.The former UFC heavyweight champion is being charged with attempted murder and 10 other gun-related charges in Santa Clara County (Calif.). Velasquez is being accused of chasing down a man, Harry Goularte, in his vehicle and shooting at him. Goularte is being charged with sexually assaulting a young relative of Velasquez.

Velasquez said in a civil lawsuit filed in June that Goularte molested Velasquez's 4-year-old son.

Velasquez will have to wear a GPS tracker and not come within 300 yards of the alleged victims in the case, per Velasquez's attorney, Mark Geragos.

"It's been a long slog and I am very grateful," Geragos told ESPN. "Nothing is as touching as watching him having it sink in with his wife, Michelle, there."

Velasquez, 40, had been in jail since Feb. 28 and pleaded not guilty in August. He was granted bail Tuesday by Judge Arthur Bocanegra at the end of a pretrial hearing after previously having been denied bail four times by Judge Shelyna Brown. Velasquez allegedly shot Goularte's step-father Paul Bender when he fired into the vehicle Goularte was riding in. Bender sustained no serious injuries.

Velasquez followed Goularte's truck in his own vehicle on an "11-mile, high-speed chase" through the city of San Jose, rammed the truck and fired a 40-caliber handgun multiple times into the truck, which carried Goularte, Bender and Goularte's mother, Patricia, according to the DA's office. Bender was hit with a bullet, though he sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Velasquez's son told police Feb. 24 that Goularte took him into the bathroom of a daycare center and touched his genitals, per a court document. The child said Goularte told him not to tell anyone what happened and that this situation might have occurred "100 times." The child told police that they witnessed Goularte go into the bathroom with other kids, as well.

Geragos said having a hearing was key to Bocanegra making this decision. He said he's not sure when the trial will be held, but Velasquez will have a chance to go home beginning Tuesday.

"Instead of listening to all this hyperbole and nonsense bandied about, we had a hearing with cross-examinations and witnesses under oath," Geragos said.

[novumtimes]

Erik Menendez Calls Ryan Murphys Monsters Dishonest

The reviews are in for Ryan Murphy‘s latest true crime outing, and one critic is certainly not pleased. After Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story debuted Thursday on Netflix, Erik Menéndez called out the series’ “naive and inaccurate” depiction of his and brother Lyle’s 1989 murder of their parents José and Mary Louise ‘Kitty’ Menéndez. “I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant likes rampant in the show,” said Erik in a statement shared on Lyle’s Facebook page. “I can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent. “It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward — back through time to an era when the prosecution built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and that males experienced rape trauma differently than women. Those awful lies have been disrupted and exposed by countless brave victims over the last two decades who have broken through their personal shame and bravely spoken out,” he continued. “So now Murphy shapes his horrible narrative through vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and of me and disheartening slander.” Erik added in part, “Is the truth not enough?” Nicholas Chavez as Lyle Menéndez, Chloë Sevigny as Kitty Menéndez, Javier Bardem as José Menéndez and Cooper Koch as Erik Menéndez in Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story Courtesy of Netflix After José was shot six times and Kitty 10 times on Aug. 20, 1989, police initially investigated several mob leads. The brothers were arrested in March 1990 after Erik confessed to his psychologist, and they alleged in trial that they killed their parents out of fear for their lives after a lifetime of abuse, including sexual abuse from their father. Although Erik and Lyle were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, their attorney Mark Geragos told People he’s “cautiously optimistic” that new family testimonies will help get the case reduced to voluntary manslaughter, According to the show’s official Netflix logline, Monsters “dives into the historic case that took the world by storm, paved the way for audiences’ modern-day fascination with true crime, and in return asks those audiences: Who are the real monsters?” Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch star as Lyle and Erik Menéndez, with Javier Bardem stars as José, Chloë Sevigny as Kitty, Nathan Lane as Dominick Dunne and Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson. Source link via The Novum Times

[taffydragonblog]

Stupid brain if you don't shut up right now... This is just like when I misheard criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos as "Gyarados"

[jayessentialsblog]

US president Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, to plead guilty in federal tax case in bid to avoid trial

US President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden plans to change his not guilty plea in his federal tax case, his defense attorney said on Thursday just as jury selection was set to begin for the trial. Defense attorney Abbe Lowell told the judge about Hunter Biden’s plans to change his previous plea, just months after the president’s son was convicted of gun charges in a separate case, but did not provide further details. Hunter Biden's son plans to enter an Alford plea, an unusual plea where a defendant admits guilt but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to gain a conviction. Mark Geragos, another lawyer, stated that there is overwhelming evidence of the defendant's guilt, allowing for a resolution today. Hunter Biden is being prosecuted for a four-year tax avoidance plan involving overseas corporate organisations on misdemeanour and criminal counts. He intends to challenge the conviction and is due to be sentenced on November 12. Read the full article

[labelleperfumery]

Matthew Perry Had No Connection With 'Ketamine Queen,' Her Lawyer Claims

Jasveen Sangha, who federal prosecutors allege is a drug dealer known as the “Ketamine Queen,” has NO association with Matthew Perry, despite being charged in connection with his death … at least according to her attorney. Mark Geragos’ firm is… from TMZ.com https://www.tmz.com/2024/09/04/matthew-perry-no-connection-ketamine-queen-lawyer-mark-geragos/

[bllsbailey]

New Details About What Hunter Biden Spent Money on Instead of Taxes Revealed at Pre-Trial Hearing

During a pre-trial hearing in Hunter Biden’s federal tax evasion case Wednesday, defense attorney Mark Geragos revealed his team’s unsurprising strategy and prosecutors laid out some details of the evidence they plan to introduce during the trial, which is scheduled to begin September 5 in Los Angeles.

Attorneys for both sides argued their motions in limine, which are "motions that seek the exclusion of specific evidence or arguments from being presented during a trial."

RELATED: Filings in Federal Tax Case Claim Hunter Biden Was Paid by Romanian Oligarch to Get Investigation Killed

Judging by the motions filed and the arguments made Wednesday, it seems the defense strategy will be to argue that while in the throes of addiction Hunter had diminished mental capacity, and secondarily that his tax preparers and advisors had some type of enhanced responsibility to ensure that his deductions were all legit and shirked that responsibility.

Assistant US Attorney Leo Wise hit back at that strategy, saying:

“No matter how many drugs you take, you don’t suddenly forget that when you make $11 million you need to pay taxes.”

Geragos argued at length that he should be able to call an addiction expert who’ll supposedly provide testimony that Hunter’s cocaine addiction was caused by traumas such as the 1972 car crash that killed his mother and sister and his brother Beau’s death in 2015, but in the expert witness disclosure he failed to list any of the particular opinions this expert would give or the methodology used or how the expert arrived at that opinion.

The prosecution argued that without knowing these details there was no way they could prepare to cross-examine the witness or call their own rebuttal expert. On that motion Judge Mark Scarsi ruled for the prosecution, excluding that expert.

Scarsi also ruled that witnesses can testify to what they observed about the level of Hunter’s drug use over time, but not opine as to what they think caused it. Witnesses such as Hallie Biden could testify to Hunter's drug use, Wise said, and other family members the defense might call to the stand could also be asked about it. Inexplicably, Geragos then said:

“The difference between the government and the mafia is that the mafia spares women and children."

Geragos attempted to exclude any evidence or testimony about “tabloidy” details of what Hunter Biden spent money on instead of paying taxes, saying:

“What they are asking to do is … we’re gonna sit here, we’re gonna read from his autobiography, we’re gonna talk about his paying for prostitutes, we’re gonna talk about him being on drugs 24 hours a day. That’s what they plan on presenting in their case in chief.”

The legendary defense attorney claims that the prosecution strategy is to “slime” his client by going into detail about the money Hunter spent on prostitutes, drugs, Lamborghinis, pornographic websites, and luxury hotel suites for drug-fueled orgies and claimed as business expenses.

“It’s actually a form of character assassination by the prosecution in order to paint a lopsided, completely untethered from reality, picture of Mr. Biden.”

AUSA Leo Wise retorted:

“[Hunter] describes his life as a bacchanal. Partying in those hotels with a cast of strippers. He chose to pay those strippers. He chose to take it as a business deduction.”

And, Wise argued, it’s necessary for the government to provide details of what the money was spent in order to meet their burden of proof:

“We don’t need to gild the lily here. He goes to pick this woman up at the airport. He rents a Lamborghini. Then he deducts that as a business expense. The jury needs those details in order to determine whether there was a mistake.”

In other words, if the prosecution doesn’t provide full details of what the money was spent on, which would come into evidence through bank or other financial records, or witness testimony, Hunter could argue that the inclusion of that expense as a business expense was a simple mistake.

As one example, Wise mentioned the website StreamRay, which he said their investigation revealed "allowed consenting adults to meet, and it's of a sexual nature,” adding:

'You can spend $30,000 on a porn website if you want. That's not illegal, but you can't claim it's a business expense.”

The government also plans on calling numerous women who were paid by Hunter during the time in question, whether through sites such as Venmo or as “employees.” Wise read from a transcript of grand jury testimony from one potential witness:

“I got a $1,500 Venmo payment.”

“Where'd you meet him?"

"In a strip club." 

"The [payment description] is for artwork. Did you sell him artwork?"

"No."

Wise also revealed that Hunter paid a number of women as employees through his Owasco PC company so that he would have the required number of employees on payroll to qualify for a corporate health insurance plan since Hunter needed health insurance. A few of the women actually signed up for the plan, as well. The problem is, none of the women were actually working for Hunter.

Scarsi provided a stern warning for the defense team should they try to allude to evidence he’s already ruled would not be coming in, as a Hunter’s defense team in the Delaware gun case (a different group) did.

“The Court’s pretty strict about motions in limine; I’ve overturned jury verdicts because of violations of motions in limine,” Scarsi said. And given the high-profile nature of this particular case, the number of witnesses flying in to testify, the extra security expenses of this trial, Scarsi warned that if there are violations of his rulings on motions in limine that lead to a mistrial, “the Court will issue monetary sanctions against attorneys” who are in violation and that those sanctions would likely be in the six-figure range.

In addition, it was learned that entertainment attorney Kevin Morris was paying a number of Hunter Biden's expenses during the time Hunter was not paying taxes, including rent on his Malibu mansion, a Porsche payment, retainers for a crisis communications team, and a security detail.

While jury selection in the trial begins September 5, opening statements are scheduled for Monday, September 9. The attorneys estimated that it would take eight court days to present their evidence.

[hourlyhiphop]

Federal Raids On Diddy’s Homes Aimed At Encouraging Witness Cooperation, Says His Former Lawyer Mark Geragos

Federal Raids On Diddy’s Homes Aimed At Encouraging Witness Cooperation, Says His Former Lawyer Mark Geragos

[rebeleden]

Geragos' 'boat stunt' under fire

[wanderervenom]

NBC, Bravo Reality Stars Demand Right to Speak About Alleged Racism, Sexism, Revenge Porn

NBC, Bravo Reality Stars Demand Right to Speak About Alleged Racism, Sexism, Revenge Porn https://www.tmz.com/2023/08/21/bravo-nbc-letter-attorneys-speak-out-mark-geragos-reality-tv-unionize/

[cyarsk5230]

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theneighborhoodtalk

TNHT Staff: @therealmeche_

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Neighbors, it’s about to get messy over at Bravo! The network and its parent company NBC are facing a major lawsuit filed by its own reality stars who claim they’ve been subject to "grotesque and depraved mistreatment."

——————————————————————

According to TMZ, attorneys Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos sent a letter to NBC, claiming current and former cast and crew members of its reality shows have been tormented. The letter lays out multiple allegations including producers deliberately serving talent alcohol to manufacture their mental inability, distributing and/or condoning the distribution of non-consensual pornography, and covering up acts of sexual violence.

——————————————————

In the letter, the lawyers mention "distribution of revenge porn," though they do not elaborate. The letter demands that NBC retain a slew of information, including "nonconsensual pornography in connection with cast members ... [and] alleged sexual violence perpetrated by or against cast members.” The lawyers claim NBC has "threatened [cast members] with ruin should they decide to speak out about their mistreatment."

———————————————————

NBC has yet to respond to the lawsuit, but it’s sure to unfold in the coming days. Thoughts Neighbors? | via @tmz_tv

[boricuacherry-blog]

Los Angeles police say they have arrested singer Chris Brown on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

Police Lt. Chris Ramirez says Brown was arrested Tuesday and was being taken to downtown Los Angeles for booking.

Los Angeles police detectives were searching the home of Brown on Tuesday after a woman said he pointed a gun at her.

Baylee Curran told The Los Angeles Times that she and a friend went to Brown's house with a business associate Monday night.

She said she was admiring the diamond necklace of a man who had been showing off his jewelry when the man got angry and told her to back away.

That's when she said Brown pulled out a gun, pointed it at her face and told her to get out.

Brown came out of his Los Angeles home peacefully Tuesday after an hours long standoff with police who responded to the woman's call for help.

Ramirez said earlier that several people were escorted from the residence after a search warrant was served.

Brown's attorney Mark Geragos arrived at the home shortly before the warrant was served.

Earlier, Brown posted several videos to social media declaring his innocence.

"I don't care, y'all gonna stop playing with me like I'm the villain out here, like I'm going crazy," Brown said in one Instagram video, waving a cigarette and looking at the camera. "When you get the warrant or whatever you need to do you're going to walk right up in here and you're going to see nothing. You idiots."

Calls and emails seeking comments from Geragos and other representatives were not returned Tuesday.

After several missteps, Brown completed his probation last year in the case involving Rihanna.

In 2013, Brown struck a man outside a Washington hotel and was charged with misdemeanor assault. The singer was ordered into rehab but was dismissed from the facility for violating its rules. He spent two and a half months in custody, with U.S. marshals shuttling him between Los Angeles and the nation's capital for court hearings.

In another incident while in treatment, Brown allegedly threw a brick at his mother's car following a counseling session. This was after Brown had completed court-ordered anger management classes.

In January, a Las Vegas woman alleged that Brown hit her and took her cellphone.

A woman also claims he smacked the back of her head with such force that her weave came off.

-CBS News article from 2016

[businessinsider]

Here's proof that everything is connected

On Tuesday, prosecutors charged Michael Avenatti with trying to extort Nike of tens of millions of dollars.The charges bring into view a head-spinning array of connections between various high-profile scandals in the past few years.