Fame Pictures Inc

A blast from Britney Spears' past is going away for awhile.

Adnan Ghalib, the paparazzo who dated Spears at the height of her public meltdown two years ago, has been sentenced to 45 days in the slammer today stemming from a hit-and-run incident.

The 37-year-old shutterbug agreed to a plea deal to avoid deportation for running over a process server trying to deliver a restraining order on behalf of Spears' conservatorship. He ultimately wound up being permanently barred from further contact with the "Toxic" songbird.

Ghalib was immediately taken from the courtroom today to begin his jail time. After he gets out, he still must do 45 days of roadside trash pickup and 52 weeks of anger-management classes, as well as pay various fines and fees. And then he still has to deal with a civil suit from the run-in.

To paraphrase his former squeeze: oops!

________

Adnan's not the only one facing legal problems. Check out E! Online's Court Appearances photo gallery.

ABC; AP Photo/Will Powers

The Balloongate case appears to be in a holding pattern.

A spokeswoman for the Larimer County (Colo.) district attorney tells E! News exclusively that there was not enough evidence submitted by the sheriff's department to formally press criminal charges against Balloon Boy parents Richard and Mayumi Heene for tricking the world into believing their 6-year-old son was whisked away on a homemade flying saucer.

"They did bring [the report] over a week ago and we asked for additional reports and information," says D.A. spokeswoman Linda Jensen. "We’re waiting for that from the sheriff's Office before we make a final charging decision."

Jensen says she expects the new information "by the end of the week."

Apparently the D.A. needs more than Mayumi's apparent confession to bring down the hammer?

Previously, Sheriff Jim Alderden said he expects Richard and Mayumi to be face counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, attempting to influence a public servant and conspiracy.

While they're at it, how about adding a count or two for trying to foist Boxter on us?

Keep Reading

ABC; AP Photo/Will Powers

Is the lawman behind the Balloongate probe full of hot air?

With what appears to be slam-dunk evidence against his clients, the Colorado lawyer of Richard and Mayumi Heene has chosen a novel defense approach: blame Larimer County Sheriff James Alderden for bungling the investigation and jeopardizing the Balloon Brood's shot at a fair trial.

Per the county district attorney's office, Heene attorney David Lane has accused Alderden of violating privacy laws by informing the media that the three Heene kids were being scrutinized by Child Protective Services after the notorious balloon flight.

"The defense attorney submitted a letter to us asking that [the sheriff] be investigated because he made a comment about child protective services investigating the Heene children," says D.A. spokeswoman Linda Jensen. "He was saying that by statute the sheriff should not have said that."

And now the D.A. has brought in a special prosecutor to hear out Lane's claims.

Does that mean the case goes pop?

Keep Reading

Prince Williams/Getty Images

The preliminary autopsy results are in, and there was a surprising finding regarding the slaying of Real Housewives of Atlanta's Ashley "A.J." Jewell.

Dr. Kelly Rose of the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office tells E! News that Kandi Burruss' on-off fiancé may have suffered from the blood disorder sickle-cellaAnemia, which could have contributed to his death during a bar fight outside an Atlanta strip club.

"Preliminary results are suggestive of [sickle-cell]," said Rose.

Keep Reading

Mike Marsland/Getty Images

Patrick Swayze is closer to his final resting spot.

The remains of the actor have been cremated, according to his death certificated released today and obtained by E! News.

Swayze died Monday at the age of 57 of pancreatic cancer.

There has been no comment from Swayze's publicist about any plans for a family memorial service at this time or whether his ashes will be scattered at his beloved New Mexico ranch.

However, fans will be able to pay their respects to Swayze at a public event being organized by the North Carolina town of Lake Lure, whose pristine outdoors doubled for much of Dirty Dancing's Catskills setting, including the cabin where Baby meets Johnny Castle.

Keep Reading

Peter "Hopper" Stone/CNN

Chris Brown is more than willing to take out the trash—that is, as soon as somone assigns him the job.

Any day now the disgraced R&B star is due to begin serving 180 days of community labor in his hometown of Richmond, Va., as mandated by his probation senentence for beating up Rihanna.

A spokeswoman for the Virginia Commonwealth's Department of Corrections would not confirm Brown's exact start date nor that he had been assigned to a work detail.

And contrary to a media report, she stated that corrections officials are still reviewing the paramenters set up with authorities in California, where he pleaded guilty to assaulting the "Umbrella" singer as part of a deal to avoid prison. 

Here's hoping they figure it out. And soon.

Keep Reading

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

DJ AM is nearly home.

The celebrity spinner's body has arrived in Los Angeles and is now in the care of a funeral parlor while his family searches for a proper burial spot, E! News has learned.

"[The transfer of the body] was all taken care of by the family," New York-based funeral director Frank E. Campbell tells E! News. "The family just wants everything to be private."

DJ AM, aka Adam Goldstein, was found dead Friday in his Manhattan apartment of a suspected drug overdose. An autopsy was inconclusive but the New York City Medical Examiner's Office expect to find out what killed him in a few weeks when toxicology tests come back.

After the autopsy was finished this weekend, AM's body was transferred to Campbell's funeral home, which prepared it for the flight back to Los Angeles.

A rep for L.A.'s Groman Mortuaries tells E! News that the Jewish funeral home was contacted a couple of days ago by Goldstein's family—who said they were looking for a suitable final resting spot. But Groman was not selected to help with interment plans.

No word yet on where Goldstein's remains are being held. The family has not announced any plans for either a funeral or memorial.

________

E! Online Pays Tribute to the late disc jockey. Visit our Memorial Gallery.

Chris Gordon/Getty Images

Did DJ AM kill himself? Maybe. Maybe not.

What we do know is that a rep for the New York City Medical Examiner's Office disputes reports that suicide has been ruled out in the death last Friday of the celebrity spinner.

"We have ruled nothing in and we have ruled nothing out," spokeswoman Ellen Borakove tells E! News. "Everything is still pending. Nothing has changed."

An autospy on Saturday was inconclusive and investigators are banking on toxicology tests to help figure out the cause of death for the 36-year-old DJ, whose real name was Adam Goldstein. Borakove says it will be "several weeks" before the report comes back and the medical examiner won't speculate on the cause until then.

Keep Reading

Getty Images; Pool Photographer/Getty Images

As befitting the King of Pop, Michael Jackson will forever be part of Hollywood's starriest constellation...eventually.

Forest Lawn Memorial Park is swarming with media and police, all awaiting the arrival of Jackson's family. Helicopters are hovering overhead. As of 7 a.m., no guests had arrived for the scheduled 8 a.m. service, but a motorcade just departed the family home in nearby Encino.

The heavy police presence at Forest Lawn began last night, as the Jacksons gathered for a wake.

But this morning ceremony will not include a burial. Instead, immediately after the private funeral, Jackson's coffin will be transported 11 miles away to Los Angeles' Staples Center for the public memorial. (E! and E! Online will broadcast the complete event live.)

Keep Reading

INFPhoto.com

This paparazzo is no longer packing heat.

Britney Spear's shutterbug ex-beau Adnan Ghalib has turned in his handgun to comply with a restraining order her lawyers took out against him, E! News has learned.

Ghalib had a license to carry a Hi-Point C-9mm, but per court papers filed Wednesday, he sold it to a gun shop after a Los Angeles judge signed off on an order barring him him from having any contact with Spears. The order, which is in effect for the next three years, also prohibits Ghalib from possessing weapons. 

Meanwhile, the Ghalib appeared briefly at the Van Nuys courthouse for a preliminary hearing in his felony case for allegedy running down a process server who attempting to deliver the restraining order. At the request of Ghalib's lawyer, the hearing was continued to May 5.

The 36-year-old paparazzo has pleaded not guilty  to one count each of assault with a deadly weapon, battery and hit-and-run for the alleged Feb. 11 incident. If convicted, he could face up to seven years in the slammer or possible deportation.

INFphoto.com

As Chris Brown gets ready to face the music, his legal team is apparently still getting its act together.

A private court meeting had originally been called for Monday at Team Brown's request. On Friday, the in-chambers hearing was postponed, purportedly due to a scheduling conflict. Now, we have learned that the hearing has been canceled altogether.

"The next date [in Brown's felony case] is April 6 for the arraignment. The hearing is not being rescheduled," said a court clerk.

E! News has previously reported that the 19-year-old singer's attorney, Mark Geragos, has been trying to work out a plea deal, but Geragos has yet to comment on why the meeting was nixed.

Keep Reading

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Marion "Suge" Knight's life is broken record at this point. Make that a series of bad raps.

The deposed Death Row Records kingpin was arrested early this morning in Las Vegas on drug and assault charges after allegedly beating up his girlfriend and threatening her with a knife.

Keep Reading