An Ohio police officer has been found guilty on several counts
for breaking into the home of the surrogate mother to Sarah Jessica
Parker and Matthew Broderick's children. Barry Carpenter was the chief
of police in Martin Ferry, OH, when he broke into the home of Michelle Ross looking for information about her pregnancy to sell to tabloids.
Carpenter found some ultrasound photos, as well as, some tax documents, which he reportedly took to tabloids seeking a payday. Instead, a paparazzo informed Ross that her home had been violated by Carpenter, which led to the charges.
A jury found Carpenter guilty of receiving stolen property, theft in office and tampering with evidence in connection. He was acquitted, however, of burglary and unauthorized used of property or services. Carpenter could face a maximum of 10 years when sentenced next month.
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The man accused of stalking ESPN's Erin Andrews pleaded not guilty in a Los Angeles court yesterday. Michael David Barrett has been accused of filming the sports reporter undressing and in the nude the a hole in the wall at a Nashville hotel. Barrett had been charged with federal count of interstate stalking, which carries of penalty of five years in prison if convicted. The trial is scheduled to begin in January.
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Rapper Timbaland has dropped Chris Brown from a track on his new album because of the "drama" that currently surrounds Brown, according to TMZ. Brown, right, provided vocals to the song "The One I Love." Timbaland's rep says that the decision to drop Brown was a "creative decision for both parties."
Elsewhere, Brown filed papers in court denying blame for an incident where a paparazzo photographer was injured at an L.A. fitness club. The photographer says that he was chased by members of Brown's entourage, causing him to fall down a flight of stairs, and was ultimately assaulted by the bodyguards. Brown blames the fitness club for not providing better security to keep paparazzi out of the establishment.
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Howard K. Stern has settled a defamation lawsuit against Rita Cosby over her biography of Anna Nicole Smith in which she wrote that Stern had a gay relationship with Larry Birkhead, the father of Smith's daughter, Dannielynn.
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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt donated more than $6 million to charity in 2008, according to Showbiz 411. The Jolie-Pitt Foundation collected $13 million in donations and gave half of it away to such charities as Global Health ($2 million), Human Rights Watch ($1 million) and Pitt's Make it Right Foundation ($1 million).
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Khloe Kardashian and hubby Lamar Odom have purchased a $4 million mansion in Tarzana, Calif., not far from the Kardashian home. The seven bedroom home also has nine bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, a gym, a theater, a pool and spa, among other amenities.• • •
Courteney Cox Arquette's family emergency which shut down production on "Cougar Town" last week has passed and the actress' rep confirms that the show will resume filming after the Thanksgiving hiatus. Meanwhile, husband David has been working steadily at his current film project, according to E! Online. David is filming "The Land of the Astronauts" in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, and has not missed any filming dates.
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John Kerry's daughter Alexandra has been cleared of DUI charges in Los Angeles. Alexandra Forbes Kerry was arrested last week for erratic driving and was said to fail a Breathalyzer test. However police say now that there is insufficient evidence to file charges against Kerry. Kerry blew a .06 on the Breathalyzer, which was below the legal limit in California of .08, and as a result the Los Angeles City Attorney has opted not pursue, which it frequently does for borderline cases.
-- Dave Valenzuela
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