Michael Jackson Estate Sued for $1 Billion by Nut Job
Michael Jackson owes a convicted criminal $1 BILLION for exploiting personal details about her life in his music — this according to a bizarre and, dare we say, bogus lawsuit, TMZ has learned.
Kimberly Griggs filed the case in San Diego — claiming she and Jackson had an intimate relationship beginning in 1979, which she says he chronicled in his albums “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” “Bad,” “Dangerous,” and his greatest hits album … “Number Ones.”
Griggs — who spent years in prison for burglary and robbery – claims she was pissed that Michael exposed her personal secrets in his tunes, so to make things nice he promised to give her the rights to the songs.
She says she was stunned when MJ died and she was completely left out of his estate.
According to the handwritten lawsuit, Griggs wants $1 billion in damages.
Thunder close out Spurs in 6 games, move on to NBA Finals
After years of nagging Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks not to take him out of games, Kevin Durant finally got his wish.
And now, he's one big step closer to making his basketball dreams come true.
Durant had 34 points and 14 rebounds while playing all of regulation for the first time all season, and the Thunder claimed a spot in the NBA Finals by beating the San Antonio Spurs 107-99 on Wednesday night.
Russell Westbrook added 25 points for the Thunder, who trailed Game 6 of the Western Conference finals by 18 in the first half and erased a 15-point halftime deficit before pulling ahead to stay in the fourth.
"It's an amazing moment for him to play like this in this moment, in this setting, and I wasn't going to take him out," Brooks said.
"I was not going to take him out. I don't care how many times he looked at me fatigued. He has enough, and I think all of our guys have enough to play. You just have to fight through it."
Durant grabbed the final rebound, dribbled the ball across half court and raised his right fist to celebrate with a sold-out crowd wearing free white T-shirts. The franchise will play for the NBA title for the first time since 1996, before relocating from Seattle.
Even before the final buzzer, Durant indulged by hugging his mother and brother seated courtside after a foul was called with 14 seconds remaining.
"I never want to take those moments for granted," Durant said. "I know it's just one step closer to our dreams, but it felt good."
Tony Parker had 29 points and 12 assists for San Antonio, but only eight of the points and two assists came in the second half.
The Thunder outscored the Spurs 59-36 after falling behind 63-48 at halftime and getting a challenge from Brooks that he said had "nothing to do" with committing eight turnovers against only six assists while allowing San Antonio to shoot 9 for 15 on 3-pointers.
"It just had everything to do with who we are as men, who we are as a team, the type of spirit that we want to show every time down the court," Brooks said. "It was all about that, about body language, about being a family. I thought our guys did that the first possession of that second half and they did not look back."
Tim Duncan chipped in 25 points and 14 rebounds, and Stephen Jackson scored 23 as San Antonio lost its fourth straight after becoming only the fourth team in NBA history to win 20 games in a row.
In the process, the Spurs pushed past Oklahoma City for the best record in the league and home-court advantage in the playoffs. But the Thunder took that back by winning Game 5 in San Antonio on Monday night.
"There's not much to complain about," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said. "We had a great run. We just couldn't beat these guys."
The Thunder, only three years removed from a 3-29 start that had them on pace for the worst record in NBA history, went through the only three West teams to reach the Finals since 1998 -- Dallas, the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio -- to earn their shot at the title.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be Tuesday night in Oklahoma City against either Boston or Miami. The Celtics lead that series 3-2 and can earn a trip to the Finals with a win at home in Game 6 on Thursday night.
The Thunder took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter, getting nine of their first 13 points on free throws as the fouls started to pile up for San Antonio -- six on the defensive end and three on the offensive end in the first 7 minutes.
Even Durant drew what he thought was his first charge of the season, stepping in front of Ginobili.
Derek Fisher and James Harden hit 3-pointers in a three-possession span to increase the lead to 99-93 with 3:13 remaining. Jackson, who had made his previous six 3-pointers, and Parker both missed 3s that would have gotten the Spurs within 103-102 in the final minute.
England do not fear France - Stewart Downing
England's Stewart Downing says that the squad does not fear France and is confident of a result when the the sides meet at Euro 2012 on Monday.
Roy Hodgson's England face France in their opening group game, before taking on Sweden on 15 June and Ukraine four days later.
Downing, 27, said: "We are confident we can get a result. We don't fear them.
"We know they are a good team but so are we. We know their strength and weaknesses."
He denied that the England's players are talking about Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand's omission, saying: "Whoever the manager picks, we get on with it. I concentrate on my position in the team and so do the other players."
Downing is one of six Liverpool players in the England squad - more than any other club side - despite their eighth-placed finish in the Premier League.
The former Middlesbrough and Aston Villa midfielder defended the club's season, saying: "If you look at our performances, we battered teams at times but we did not have the killer instinct."
Speaking about Liverpool defender Martin Kelly, who has replaced Gary Cahill in the England squad, Downing said: "He's a quiet lad, goes about his business. He's going to be a terrific player and is a real talent.
"The manager has seen his ability and he's settling in quite well."
Goalkeeper Joe Hart, 25, supported Hodgson's stance of leaving it to Uefa and referees to take action if players are racially abused at Euro 2012.
Manchester City's Hart said: "We have discussed it and we will get on with it and let the referees and Uefa deal with it.
"It is not for us to walk off the pitch if that problem does occur and, fingers crossed, it won't happen."
Sammy hails return of Gayle for ODIs
West Indies captain Darren Sammy believes Chris Gayle's return will augur well for this side's fortunes in the upcoming three-match One-Day International series against England.
Gayle on Monday was included in a 15-man squad, bringing to an end a 14-month squabble with the West Indies Cricket Board stemming from a controversial interview he gave to a Jamaican radio station following last year's World Cup.
Sammy, who took over the helm of the squad from Gayle in late 2010, said he expected Gayle to fit back into the squad without any problems.
"He's a professional and I think he'll do what's necessary for the team," Sammy told reporters here Wednesday.
"At the end of the day, his contributions out there on the cricket field - we all know what he can do - that will be the most valuable thing for us."
Gayle is one of the most feared batsmen in world cricket, already scoring 8087 runs in 228 ODIs, with 19 centuries an average of nearly 40.
The explosive opener is expected to arrive on Saturday and Sammy expects to have his first chat with the Jamaican thereafter.
"I haven't (spoken to Gayle) but they (ODI squad) are coming in on Saturday morning so we'll have enough time to talk," Sammy said.
Gayle forms part of what appears a strong ODI squad with powerful all-rounders Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo also included.
West Indies have also recalled opener Lendl Simmons following his recovery from injury and have handed all-rounder Dwayne Smith his first ODI cap in two years.
The squad will be further boosted by batsman Darren Bravo, fast bowlers Fidel Edwards and Tino Best, along with mystery off-spinner Sunil Narine, who are all already in England.
"Looking at that one-day team I am very excited but we have a Test match here we have to get over first and then after this the one-day stuff starts," Sammy said.
The one-day series runs from June 16-24.
CMC
Bolt vs Asafa - Jamaican sprinters clash again in Oslo
Jamaican sprint sensation Usain Bolt will square off with fellow countryman Asafa Powell for the second time in as many weeks, in a 100-metre contest that headlines the Oslo Diamond League meet here today.
Bolt posted a world-leading 9.76 seconds in Rome last week in condemning Powell to his 10th defeat in the duo's last 11 meetings and will now renew the rivalry at Oslo's Bislett Stadium.
The 25-year-old, who will defend his Olympic sprint titles in London later this year, said these meets were crucial to his preparation.
"I can't complain. The key thing is that I'm injury free and that's always a good thing. Everything's been coming together slowly but surely. I'm happy where everything is at, I'm making progress," Bolt pointed out.
"I came to Europe to run these races to make sure that everything was going well and my coach could analyse my race and figure out what was going wrong to work on it and get me ready for the trials and Olympics."
He struggled to a sluggish 10.04 win in Ostrava a fortnight ago — his slowest time in 26 finals — and the time raised speculation about chinks in his armour.
Bolt, however, quickly silenced his critics by dismissing his field with contempt, days later in Rome.
Powell, who finished second in 9.91 seconds, will now attempt to upset Bolt and raise his profile ahead of the London Olympics.
Despite dipping below the 10-second barrier 76 times in a stellar career, Powell has never won a World or Olympic title.
He said today's race would be important not only to his build-up to the Olympics but to next week's Olympic trials in Jamaica.
"This race is very important because it puts you in a good state of mind," pointed out Powell, who has run a season-best of 9.88 seconds.
"It makes you very comfortable with competing and going into the trials, it shows it shouldn't be a big problem to make it through.
"I'm in good shape but I just haven't been able to put it all together yet. I feel very strong, I'm in good shape to run fast."
Powell holds the current stadium record of 9.72 set two years ago, but will need a significant improvement this time around to attain those lofty heights.
UN Committee Against Torture blasts Cuba
The United Nations (UN) Committee Against Torture has hammered Cuba’s Raul Castro administration for a lengthy string of alleged human rights abuses and complained that the socialist government in Havana had provided few or none of the details about specific allegations of abuses as requested.
The committee noted that it was “concerned by reports denouncing the use of coercive methods during (police) interrogations, particularly the denial of sleep, detention under conditions of isolation and exposure to sudden changes in temperatures.”
With reference to Cuba’s prisons, the panel said that it “continues to be supremely concerned by the reports received about the … overcrowding, malnutrition, lack of hygiene and healthy conditions (and) adequate medical attention.”
Adding that there have been thousands of complaints of short-term detentions of dissidents, the strongly-worded report singled out José Luis Ferrer García and Oscar Elias Biscet. And Cuban officials never explained the deaths of dissidents Orlando Zapata Tamayo and Juan Wilfredo Soto García, it noted.
Cuba should establish an independent body to gather, investigate and report on allegations of government abuses, and should meet its promise to allow a visit by the UN’s top official on several types of mistreatments, the committee urged in the 6,000-word report.
The report summed up the panel’s conclusions following its May 22-23 hearings in Switzerland on Cuba’s compliance with the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The report, marked “unedited,” was issued by the UN media office in Geneva.
In essence the report amounted to a harsh indictment of Cuba’s human rights record, especially in areas involving physical punishments or abuses, such as the justice and prison systems and the harassment of dissidents.
The Castro administration’s report on its compliance with the convention on torture, presented to the panel last month, was more than nine years late and “does not fully meet the guidelines” set by the panel, it noted.
The UN report urged Cuba “to investigate, without delay, exhaustively, without bias and in an efficient way, all deaths of prisoners.”
Cuba told the panel that prison officials were not responsible for any of the 202 such deaths in 2010-2011, but gave no further information.
The UN report also blasted Cuba for the rapid increase in short-term arrests of dissidents without any judicial orders, usually to keep opposition activists away from activities. Cuban officials told the panel last month that all detentions follow due process.
Despite Cuba’s denials, panel member Fernando Mariño told a news conference Friday, “it seems that this has been generalized of late.” Human rights activists in Havana reported the number of such arrests doubled from 2010 to 2011.
The panel also condemned the “restrictions on freedom of movement, invasive security operations, physical aggressions and other acts of intimidation and harassment presumably committed by the National Revolutionary Police or members of the Organs of State Security.”
It added that Cuba should also abolish vaguely worded crimes, such as “pre-criminal social dangerousness,” and halt the “acts of repudiation” by pro-government mobs against dissidents like the Ladies in White and Cuban Patriotic Union “with the presumed connivance … of police authorities.”
The report went on to say that persons detained should be allowed immediate access to independent defence lawyers and doctors as well as relatives. The government should also guarantee the independence of the justice system and resolve gaps in its due process regulations, it added.
It also repeatedly complained that Cuba had provided little or none of the detailed information the panel had requested on some issues, specifically the deaths of Zapata Tamayo after a long hunger strike and Soto Garcia after an alleged police beating.
Havana provided no details on the 202 prison deaths or the 46 prison officials and guards that the government claimed had been put on trial and convicted for abuses. It denied prison overcrowding, but gave no numbers.
On the upside, the report lauded Cuba for signing four international agreements on the rights of children and disabled persons and banning “forced disappearances,” approving a multi-year plan to improve prison facilities and working to reduce family violence.
The report also noted that the Cuban government gave “an affirmative answer” to a request for a visit to the island by the UN’s Special Rapporteur on torture and other physical abuses.
Caribbean 360 News
UN Committee Against Torture blasts Cuba
The United Nations (UN) Committee Against Torture has hammered Cuba’s Raul Castro administration for a lengthy string of alleged human rights abuses and complained that the socialist government in Havana had provided few or none of the details about specific allegations of abuses as requested.
The committee noted that it was “concerned by reports denouncing the use of coercive methods during (police) interrogations, particularly the denial of sleep, detention under conditions of isolation and exposure to sudden changes in temperatures.”
With reference to Cuba’s prisons, the panel said that it “continues to be supremely concerned by the reports received about the … overcrowding, malnutrition, lack of hygiene and healthy conditions (and) adequate medical attention.”
Adding that there have been thousands of complaints of short-term detentions of dissidents, the strongly-worded report singled out José Luis Ferrer García and Oscar Elias Biscet. And Cuban officials never explained the deaths of dissidents Orlando Zapata Tamayo and Juan Wilfredo Soto García, it noted.
Cuba should establish an independent body to gather, investigate and report on allegations of government abuses, and should meet its promise to allow a visit by the UN’s top official on several types of mistreatments, the committee urged in the 6,000-word report.
The report summed up the panel’s conclusions following its May 22-23 hearings in Switzerland on Cuba’s compliance with the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The report, marked “unedited,” was issued by the UN media office in Geneva.
In essence the report amounted to a harsh indictment of Cuba’s human rights record, especially in areas involving physical punishments or abuses, such as the justice and prison systems and the harassment of dissidents.
The Castro administration’s report on its compliance with the convention on torture, presented to the panel last month, was more than nine years late and “does not fully meet the guidelines” set by the panel, it noted.
The UN report urged Cuba “to investigate, without delay, exhaustively, without bias and in an efficient way, all deaths of prisoners.”
Cuba told the panel that prison officials were not responsible for any of the 202 such deaths in 2010-2011, but gave no further information.
The UN report also blasted Cuba for the rapid increase in short-term arrests of dissidents without any judicial orders, usually to keep opposition activists away from activities. Cuban officials told the panel last month that all detentions follow due process.
Despite Cuba’s denials, panel member Fernando Mariño told a news conference Friday, “it seems that this has been generalized of late.” Human rights activists in Havana reported the number of such arrests doubled from 2010 to 2011.
The panel also condemned the “restrictions on freedom of movement, invasive security operations, physical aggressions and other acts of intimidation and harassment presumably committed by the National Revolutionary Police or members of the Organs of State Security.”
It added that Cuba should also abolish vaguely worded crimes, such as “pre-criminal social dangerousness,” and halt the “acts of repudiation” by pro-government mobs against dissidents like the Ladies in White and Cuban Patriotic Union “with the presumed connivance … of police authorities.”
The report went on to say that persons detained should be allowed immediate access to independent defence lawyers and doctors as well as relatives. The government should also guarantee the independence of the justice system and resolve gaps in its due process regulations, it added.
It also repeatedly complained that Cuba had provided little or none of the detailed information the panel had requested on some issues, specifically the deaths of Zapata Tamayo after a long hunger strike and Soto Garcia after an alleged police beating.
Havana provided no details on the 202 prison deaths or the 46 prison officials and guards that the government claimed had been put on trial and convicted for abuses. It denied prison overcrowding, but gave no numbers.
On the upside, the report lauded Cuba for signing four international agreements on the rights of children and disabled persons and banning “forced disappearances,” approving a multi-year plan to improve prison facilities and working to reduce family violence.
The report also noted that the Cuban government gave “an affirmative answer” to a request for a visit to the island by the UN’s Special Rapporteur on torture and other physical abuses.
Caribbean 360 News
Jamaica to strengthen ties with overseas community
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said that the government of Jamaica will be strengthening relations with the Diaspora and regional and international partners.
Speaking in the 2012/13 budget debate on Tuesday, Simpson Miller said that an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Diaspora Affairs will be established, involving all relevant ministries and agencies of government.
The committee, she said, will work “to ensure that the linkages are in place for fuller participation of our nationals living overseas”.
She pointed out that the Jamaican Diaspora contributes “far more than family remittances” and “has the potential to increase investment in our economy”.
The prime minister also advised that the administration will seek to contribute to the revitalization of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), “to make it fulfill the promise, which the founding leaders envisaged”.
“We strongly believe that CARICOM, working at its best, is an important instrument in the management of our relations (within) the (western) hemisphere and the wider world. This government’s foreign policy will be determined by what is best for Jamaica, what is best for the region, and what we consider to be best for the advancement of humanity,” she contended.
Simpson Miller said, despite being a small nation, Jamaica will be making every effort to ensure that “our voice and presence continue to be heard and felt in positive and productive ways” in the global community.
“We must see ourselves as making a contribution to peace, good order and sustainable development around the globe. We must play our part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race. There can be no doubt that since Jamaica’s interests – economic and otherwise – remain substantially tied-up with those of our traditional partners, a central pillar of our foreign policy must be the continued nurturing and strengthening of these relations,” she argued.
To this end, Simpson Miller, disclosed that in addition to the opening of embassies in Brazil and Kuwait, which took place earlier this year, plans are in place to enhance Jamaica’s presence on the African continent, through the accreditation of a special representative to the African Union.
Arrests target Puerto Rico airport drug running ring
On May 31, a federal grand jury indicted 25 individuals as a result of an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD), and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez announced on Wednesday.
The defendants are charged in a 16 count indictment with violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
The defendants were members and associates of a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in narcotics distribution and criminal acts principally out of the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The leader of the organization is Maribel Rodríguez-Fragoso, aka “La Flaca.”
The indictment alleges that in or around 2010 until May 2012, members of the enterprise and their associates carried kilograms of cocaine in backpack/bags, or hidden on their person, or driving official work vehicles into the Airport through the employees secured entrance. Once in the secured area, they would transfer the kilograms of cocaine to couriers inside of a designated restroom, who would then board flights departing to the continental United States.
It is further alleged that members of the enterprise transported large sums of drug proceeds in the form of US currency from the continental United States to Puerto Rico. Some of the drug proceeds were used to purchase items, such as vehicles, which were regularly used to further the enterprise.
DEA deputy administrator Thomas Harrigan said on Wednesday, “Americans have a right to expect the highest integrity from those they entrust with their safety, and DEA is committed to protecting that trust. Today’s arrests at one of the nation’s busiest airports reflect our relentless commitment to working with our partners to aggressively fight drug trafficking, not only at our nation’s points of entry, but at source, transit, and arrival zones throughout the world.”
A second indictment unsealed on Wednesday charges 20 individuals for aiding and abetting each other, and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute in excess of 9,000 kilograms of cocaine, aboard American Airlines commercial aircraft. At times pertinent to this indictment, convict Wilfredo Rodríguez-Rosado, aka “Mogoyo” recruited and organized a group of individuals to package, transport and deliver suitcases loaded with kilograms of cocaine to the American Airlines cargo area at the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport. Moreover, he recruited and organized a group of American Airlines employees to ensure that those suitcases were smuggled into American Airlines aircrafts destined to Miami and Orlando, Florida and Newark, NJ.
“The defendants in this investigation not only utilized their positions and security access to smuggle large quantities of illegal narcotics, but they also compromised the safety and security at one of the Caribbean’s most vital airports,” said acting special agent in charge of the Caribbean Division, Pedro Janer. “DEA will continue to dismantle these organizations that think they can blatantly use legitimate entities to carry out their smuggling operations.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office, along with our state and federal law enforcement counterparts, will continue investigating and prosecuting drug trafficking organizations which use our island as a trans-shipment point for drugs to the US mainland. The use of commercial aircraft to smuggle narcotics in and out of Puerto Rico, also creates a serious threat to our national security,” added Rodríguez-Vélez.
Vincentians sue NYPD over alleged racial rough-up
Fifteen-year-old Brittany Rowley, a Vincentian honour student at an all-girls Catholic high school in Brooklyn, was heading to the library with a friend when she noticed a vehicle trailing them.
What followed was “the most horrible thing I have ever experienced,” according to the injured teenager.
And Brittany’s outraged parents aren’t taking the matter lightly.
Delmus and Wendy Rowley have filed a notice of claim with the City of New York and the New York Police Department (NYPD) for US$5.5 million in a case of mistaken identity.
Mrs. Rowley, née John, was born and lived in Rillan Hill, St Vincent before moving to New York.
The Rowleys, who reside in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn, said they have decided to take legal action because two white plainclothes cops last week severely and unnecessarily roughed-up their daughter, claiming she matched the description of a shoplifting suspect in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn.
“I feel my daughter was racially profiled,” Delmus Rowley told reporters. “They had no proof, just a description of a black young lady with braids.
“It wasn’t necessary to tackle a 15-year-old girl,” the outraged father added. “It was excessive.”
In court papers, the Rowleys alleged that Sergeant Jonathan Catanzaro and Officer Stephen Nakao of the 78th Precinct in Brooklyn used “excessive force” and “falsely arrested” Brittany, a freshman at St Saviour High School in Park Slope, who was on her way to the library with an unidentified friend when she noticed the vehicle trailing them.
Court documents also indicate that Catanzaro slammed Brittany to the pavement and flung his keys at her.
“It was terrifying,” said Brittany, who suffered whiplash to her neck, and received injuries to her hand and other parts of her body. “It is the most horrible thing I have ever experienced.”
Brittany said that she and her friend thought they were being abducted and began to run, after they saw the unmarked car reversing towards them.
She said they became more apprehensive when she heard a male voice shouting, “Get them!”
The teenager alleged that the sergeant threw her to the ground and yelled: “Why did you f******* run? I should punch you.”
She said they were arrested and released hours later after cops realized they had arrested the wrong suspects.
Police said two black teenage girls had earlier shoplifted shorts and jeans from Rivet, a clothing store a few blocks from the incident. They said the description matched Brittany and her friend.
“It is not a surprise that parents fear more that their children will suffer violence at the hands of the police than from common criminals,” Sanford Rubenstein, the Rowleys lawyer, told reporters, expressing deep concern about heightened racial profiling by the NYPD.
The NYPD was at the centre of controversy recently when a white police officer unlawfully arrested St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ United Nations Ambassador Camillo Gonsalves in the lobby of the building that houses the SVG Mission to the UN in midtown Manhattan.
Critics alleged that Gonsalves’ arrest was also a case of racial profiling. As a diplomat, Gonsalves was entitled to diplomatic immunity under the Geneva Convention.
Caribbean 360 News