Pop Stand

Gary Coleman's attorney is saying that the actor had divorced wife Shannon in 2008 and, as far as he knew, did not remarry. This puts into question who the "family" was who made the decision to remove Coleman from life support.

Attorney Randy Kester told the AP, "[I]ssues are being raised about whether or not Shannon had authority to terminate the life support." Coleman's parents, Sue and Willie, were not by his side at his death, and initial reports said that "family" had made the excruciating decision to end life support.

Coleman and Shannon Price met in 2006 on the set of "Church Ball" and married in 2007. Kester says that he handled Coleman's divorce in Aug 2008, and as far as he knew, they never remarried, which would have given her authority to make medical decisions for him. "Gary shared a lot of things with me. That's probably something he would have told me," Kester said.

Hospital officials, however, are saying that Price did have authority to make the decision. Despite telling doctors that she was Coleman's wife, when she wasn't, Coleman had once listed her as a decision maker on a hospital form, and that was good enough for them. In a statement, the hospital said, "Mr. Coleman had completed an Advanced Health Care Directive that granted Shannon Price permission to make medical decisions on his behalf if he was unable to do so. ... An Advanced Health Care Directive remains in effect regardless of a patient's marital status, unless modified by the patient." Coleman had been undergoing kidney dialysis around the time of his death, and likely listed Price as his health care decision maker then, according to reports.

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Police have released the 911 tapes from Coleman's accident, in which Price refers to Coleman as her husband, and where she tells the dispatcher Coleman had fallen. "I just don't want him to die. I'm freaking out like really bad. ... Send someone quick because I don't know if he's like gonna be alive cause there's a lot of blood on the floor."

Price told the dispatcher during the nearly six-minute call that Coleman had just come home and was going downstairs to make them food when she heard a "big bang." She said she discovered him with blood coming out the back of his head and that he appeared to be "bubbling at the mouth."

When emergency responders arrive, Coleman was conscious and able to walk to the gurney on his own. But his condition worsened and ultimately was placed on life support.

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Joran Van der Sloot, the Dutch teen last seen with American student Natalie Holloway before her disappearance and presumed death, is now the lead suspect in the death of a Peruvian woman. Stephany Flores Ramirez, the 21-year-old daughter of a Peruvian race car driver, was found dead in a hotel room registered to Van der Sloot. Reports say that the woman disappeared on Friday and was found yesterday, brutally stabbed to death, and wrapped in a blanket in Van der Sloot's room. The father of the victim, Ricardo Flores, told members of the Peruvian press, "I hope that this crime does not go unpunished." Van der Sloot left Peru on Monday and is believed to be in Chile.

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Paul McCartney was awarded the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song last night in Washington. The prize is sponsored by the Library of Congress and was awarded by the Obama administration to McCartney for helping to "lay the soundtrack for an entire generation." McCartney didn't miss out on an opportunity for some fun, as he sang his popular hit 'Michelle' to First Lady Michelle Obama, which includes the line: "I love you, I love you, I love you." McCartney joked on stage that he might be the "first guy ever to be punched out by a president." The night also featured other performers singing McCartney's song book, including Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, the Jonas Brothers, Faith Hill, among others.

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Laura Ling has given birth to a daughter, and she is honoring her sister and former President Bill Clinton with her name. Li Jefferson Clayton was born to Ling and husband, Iain Clayton, yesterday in Burbank, Calif. The name is a combination of Ling's sister, Lisa, and Clinton's middle name, both of whom were involved in rescuing her from captivity in North Korea. Lisa Ling, the former co-host of 'The View', worked tirelessly trying to publicize and arrange for the release of Laura, and even recruited Clinton to try diplomatic means. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were working for Current TV when they wandered into North Korean territory and were taken into custody and held for five months.

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Also welcoming a daughter yesterday was Kevin Costner and wife, Christine. Grace Avery Costner was born Wednesday in Los Angeles, and is the couple's third child, and Costner's seventh. Costner's rep told E! News, "Both mother and daughter are doing well."

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The son of longtime ABC newsman Ted Koppel was found dead in the Manhattan home of a friend in the early hours of Monday morning. Andrew Koppel had been bar hopping Sunday night and crashed at the home of a drinking buddy, and was discovered unresponsive in a bed. When the friend, a waiter Koppel had just met 12 hours earlier, went to check on Koppel, he was found to have urinated and defecated in the bed. When paramedics were called, they found him unconscious, with no breath sounds and were unable to revive him. An autopsy was performed Monday, and while foul play is not suspected, toxicology results will take some time. Koppel, according to reports, had a history of alcohol problems, including a couple of alcohol-related arrests.

Ted Koppel said in a statement, "Our son, Andrew, was a brilliant, caring man, whose loss we will mourn for the rest of our lives." Ilona Lieberman, Andrew Koppel's longtime girlfriend, and mother of his children, said "This has been a devastating tragedy for our family.We will always remember Andrew as a generous, loving and compassionate father, partner, and friend. Our family grieves enormously."