Posted Nov 21st 2008 6:53PM by TMZ Staff
Travis Barker is suing Bombardier Inc., Clay Lacy Aviation and Goodyear Tire and Rubber in connection with the plane crash that severely injured him and killed two of his friends.
The suit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, was filed by Barker and the mother of Charles "Che" Still, Travis' bodyguard who died in the crash.
In the lawsuit, Travis and Thelma Martin Still claim "one or more of the tires failed leaving tire debris and portions of airplane components along the 8,600 foot runway" ultimately causing the Learjet to crash.
The suit alleges a "negligent attempt to abort the takeoff." The suit continues, "The pilot's decision was a breach of their duty owed to the passengers onboard and was a substantial factor in causing the crash and resultant injuries and deaths."
The suit also alleges the plane was "defective," as were component parts including the tires.
The suit goes on, "It's landing gear, tires, wheels, brakes, reverse thrust system, squat switches and component parts were not airworthy."
Barker is suing for "pain and suffering, mental anguish, psychological and emotional distress and disfigurement and pre-impact fear of death and burning."
UPDATE: A rep for Clay Lacy just told TMZ, "We are surprised about the lawsuit and concerned and knowledgeable about the accident. We are sympathetic for the victims but we want to emphasize we were not operating this airplane. This was not our airplane. We merely assisted the parties in chartering this aircraft with another company. We simply booked it for them."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Nov 21st 2008 6:40PM by TMZ Staff
The Britney Spears hearing is over and it's clear -- Brit is going on tour to push her new album.
Britney told the Commish she wanted to make sure if there would be any ramifications with the conservatorship if she went on tour. Since the hearing was closed, it's unclear what the Commish said.
At one point, Britney went into chambers with the Commish and it looked like she went alone.
Filed under: Britney Spears
Posted Nov 21st 2008 4:41PM by TMZ Staff
Britney has just gone to court again!
She looks incredibly hot. She's wearing a tight black, sleeveless dress with black high heels.
She's there for a conservatorship status conference...we're told nothing spectacular is going to happen. We've learned one of the issues they will deal with is what Britney plans to do with her upcoming album release and possible tour that will follow.
Brit is with her dad and a bunch of Sheriff's deputies. The conservatorship lawyers are there as well.
As soon as she cleared the metal detector, she asked where the bathroom was. No 76 stations at the courthouse.
Story developing
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Britney Spears
Posted Nov 21st 2008 4:35PM by TMZ Staff
Asking a Spanish speaking valet at Mr. Chow if her car was stolen and taken to "México" ... probably ain't the most PC way to complain about the wait -- even if she is Clint Eastwood's daughter.
Filed under: Wacky & Weird
Posted Nov 21st 2008 4:30PM by TMZ Staff
Now that they have legal protection from that crazy stalker guy, Jen Garner and her daughter felt safe enough to break out their giant megawatt smiles at LAX earlier today -- but their security guy, he still meant business.
Just yesterday Jen scored a permanent protection order against Steven Burky, the man she says has been "stalking and harassing" her with some extremely creepy emails. Burky is still under a 5150 psychiatric hold.
Filed under: Jennifer Garner
Posted Nov 21st 2008 4:20PM by TMZ Staff
The song "Happy Together" has successfully annoyed every last American. Now the tune has so bent someone out of shape, they're suing.
The company that owns the rights to the record claims Ford did not have the right to use The Turtles' 1967 hit in a commercial. The sinking motor company had struck a deal to use the words and music from the song in Brazil and Argentina, but the song owner insists Ford violated its Turtle rights.
The suit is for more than $200,000 in damages.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Music
Posted Nov 21st 2008 4:07PM by TMZ Staff
Tonight on TMZ TV -- Sarah Palin talks while a turkey loses it's head -- on camera!!! Marcia Cross musta' found some serious SPF to weather a day in the tanning booth, and Britney Spears shows no love to her ugly fans.
Check your local listings.
Posted Nov 21st 2008 4:00PM by TMZ Staff
Marcia Cross went to a tanning salon yesterday -- and still somehow managed to leave looking lighter than most people do when they go in.
Filed under: Nurse!
Posted Nov 21st 2008 3:35PM by TMZ Staff
We just got docs in the Madonna/Guy Ritchie divorce case. It ain't spectacular, that's for sure, but in case you want to see what a gazillionaire gets from a judge to make her single again, have at it.
The divorce becomes official in 6 weeks.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Break-Ups, Madonna
Posted Nov 21st 2008 3:32PM by TMZ Staff
Kathy Garver is best known for playing eldest sibling Cissy Davis on the '60s TV series "Family Affair." Guess what she looks like now!
Filed under: TV, Beauty, 'Memba Them?!
Posted Nov 21st 2008 3:12PM by TMZ Staff
Bruce Willis has learned a valuable lesson about rubbers.
Willis is suing a Malaysian company and the guys who run it after investing $2 million in what the suit calls "a revolutionary technology to produce devulcanised 'green rubber.'" The product is non-toxic and recyclable.
Short story -- Willis claims Elastomer Technologies and The Petra Group, run by HRH Prince Imran Ibni Tuanku Ja'afar and Datuk Vinod B. Sekhar (both common spelling) guaranteed that it was a "no risk" investment. In the lawsuit filed in Federal Court, Willis says he had a "put option," meaning he could demand his money back at any time.
Willis says he got $1,1000,000 back and is still owed $900,000.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Nov 21st 2008 3:00PM by TMZ Staff
One of the stars of "Stargate: Atlantis" got his face ripped open in a ferocious bar fight -- and now the man who allegedly did the attacking has officially been charged with a crime.
Jason Momoa, who appeared on shows like "Baywatch" and "Stargate: Atlantis" received 140 stitches after Dominic Bando allegedly cracked him in the face with a pint glass at a West Hollywood cafe last week. Cops say the whole thing escalated after "a verbal altercation" earlier in the night.
Now the Los Angeles County D.A. has charged Bando with assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury. Momoa -- Lisa Bonet's baby daddy -- needed reconstructive surgery to fix his face.
Bando, who was already on probation for after he was convicted of gun charges in March, will be arraigned December 10. He could get up to seven years in state prison.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Nov 21st 2008 2:56PM by TMZ Staff
With her hair, face, body and outfit looking the best they have in years -- YEARS!!! -- Britney Spears proved she may have actually exorcised all of her demons.
Papa Spears let the new and improved 26-year-old rehabilitated mother of two out of the house to attend a private, "beautiful fans only" screening of her new MTV documentary.
Ding dang! Looks like she really is back, y'all!
Filed under: Paparazzi Photo, Britney Spears, Hot Bodies, Hot Mamas
Posted Nov 21st 2008 2:54PM by TMZ Staff
Photographers caught Zac Efron getting checked out by his biggest fan ... himself. OMG! I'm so hot!
The 21-year-old man-shagged stud couldn't resist catching a glimpse of his teen idol beauty, as he strutted past an SUV on the Disney Studios lot in Burbank on Thursday.
Hey, if you spent three hours putting an outfit together to look like you just threw it on, you'd want peeps to notice your hard work, too -- even if it's just yourself.
Filed under: Paparazzi Photo, Beauty, Hot Bodies
Posted Nov 21st 2008 2:50PM by TMZ Staff
It's curtains for a Miami house owned by Wyclef Jean's company -- and it's not even built yet.
The as-yet-unfinished manse is going to be sold off by Miami-Dade county Dec. 12 because Wy -- through a company he set up with friends -- has yet to pay back over $2 mil he owes on the mortgage. The house went into FC City in March.
And it wasn't just the mortgage that wasn't paid -- court docs show there were plenty of people working on the house that haven't gotten paid either.
Wyclef didn't immediately comment.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
