Latest news with #CountySupremeCourt
The Star
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Hugh Jackman's wife files for divorce 2 years after split
The 'Deadpool & Wolverine' star and award-winning 'Shame' actress met in 1995. Photo: TNS Hugh Jackman's estranged wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, filed for divorce in New York, nearly two years after the pair announced they were ending their 27-year marriage. Furness, 69, filed for divorce on Friday (May 23) in Suffolk County Supreme Court, according to court documents obtained by TMZ. The outlet reports the divorce will be finalised once the judge signs off on the complaint and other documents Furness submitted – filings regarding continuing health care coverage, a medical child support order, the New York State child support registry form, the exes' settlement deal, a proposed judgement of divorce and official certificate of dissolution. The Deadpool & Wolverine star and award-winning Shame actress met in 1995, working on the Australian miniseries Correlli , and married the following year. They later adopted son Oscar and daughter Ava, now 25 and 19 respectively. In September 2023, the couple announced their separation in a joint statement to People . 'We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,' the actors said at the time. 'Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth. … We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love and kindness.' Jackman sparked romance rumors with his Music Man co-star Sutton Foster as far back as 2022, though the Broadway stars only confirmed their relationship earlier this year. Furness' filing comes seven months after 50-year-old Foster filed to divorce screenwriter Ted Griffin in October, after a decade of marriage. The exes share daughter Emily, whom they also welcomed via adoption. Prior to Griffin, Foster was married to fellow Broadway veteran Christian Borle, who, like Jackman and the Thoroughly Modern Millie actress, has won two Tony Awards. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
NBC News
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
'Drag Race' alum Shangela accused of 2017 sexual assault in new lawsuit
Darius Jeremy 'DJ' Pierce, known by his drag persona Shangela, has been accused of sexually assaulting a crew member of a movie he was filming in 2017, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in a New York court. The complaint naming Pierce is the latest accusation against the popular 'RuPaul's Drag Race' alum, who has denied other allegations of sexual assault, including one filed in 2023 that was settled last year. The new suit claims Pierce, 43, and an unidentified John Doe broke New York City's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, which gives survivors of alleged gender-motivated violence, including sexual abuse, nine years from the date of the incident to file civil claims. Andrew Brettler, a lawyer for Pierce, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. Pierce could not be immediately reached for comment. Plaintiff Eric Poff was an art assistant for the 2018 film 'Hurricane Bianca: From Russia With Hate,' while it filmed in New York City in the fall of 2017. Pierce was among the actors in the movie, which starred fellow 'Drag Race' alum Bianca Del Rio. During a night out, Poff, then 28, went to a Manhattan bar with Pierce and consumed one or two drinks, according to his complaint filed with New York County Supreme Court. Poff alleges in his suit that his drink was ''spiked with a drug' because he had 'no memory of events between consuming the drink and becoming semi-conscious in a hotel room.' Another man was in the hotel room, along with Poff and Pierce, according to the suit. While in the room, Poff 'started to fade into consciousness' and 'was bent over a bed being anally penetrated without consent by John Doe with Pierce watching from the corner of the room,' the complaint says. Pierce also anally penetrated Poff 'without his consent,' and then later sent Poff money via PayPal, according to the suit. Poff was unavailable for a phone interview Monday, but he said in a statement to NBC News that he came forward because sexual assault remains a 'particularly taboo subject' in the LGBTQ community. He added that anti-sexual violence laws that allow people to pursue litigation against their accused years later are important, and New York's law gave him time to process what he says happened. 'I am coming forward because I have the ability and resources to do so, knowing many other victims cannot,' Poff said, adding, 'I will not be deterred by the Defendant's popularity or potential backlash.' New York City's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law typically gives alleged victims nine years to file a claim, but in December 2022, a temporary window was open permitting claims stemming from older allegations; that window is set to close at the end of this month. The decades-old law has been cited as the basis for recent complaints filed against other high-profile defendants, including music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs and luxury real estate brothers Oren and Tal Alexander. Poff's lawyer, James Vagnini, said Pierce is seeking a jury trial and damages to be determined at that time. Vagnini added that Poff's memories were 'foggy' since he was not fully conscious, but similar claims against Pierce that have become public in recent years compelled him to come forward. Poff continues to work in the entertainment industry, Vagnini added, and said that speaking up against a major drag performer such as Pierce, who was on multiple seasons of 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' became the first drag artist on ABC's 'Dancing with the Stars' and has been in movies such as 2018's 'A Star Is Born,' was fraught with risk to his own career. 'We shouldn't let anyone off the hook because of who they are,' Vagnini said. 'There are people coming forward, and it shows that you can be raped no matter what your gender may be.' In 2023, a former production assistant on the hit HBO show 'We're Here,' which features drag queens in real-life situations, filed a lawsuit accusing then-series star Pierce of raping him in a hotel room following an after-work party three years earlier. Pierce said in a statement at the time that the allegations were 'entirely meritless,' and 'perpetuate damaging stereotypes that are harmful not only to me but also to my entire community.' That suit, filed by Daniel McGarrigle, was dismissed last year after a settlement was reached, Rolling Stone and others reported. The terms were undisclosed, and Pierce at the time did not respond to requests for comment. Last March, Rolling Stone interviewed and reported on multiple people accusing Pierce of either sexually assaulting them or attempting to have sex with them when they were too inebriated to consent. In a response to Rolling Stone, Brettler, the lawyer for Pierce, called the allegations 'false and unsupported by any evidence or reliable witness testimony,' and said there were 'significant problems with purported accusers' accounts.' He added that Pierce also 'adamantly denies ever engaging in nonconsensual sex.' Pierce, who has 1.4 million followers on Instagram, is set to appear in the forthcoming film 'Magic Hour,' directed and starring Katie Aselton, according to the movie's IMDB credits.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dems sue Nassau County exec Bruce Blakeman for establishing ‘illegal militia' with civilian deputy program
Democratic legislators are suing Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman claiming that the Long Island Republican illegally created a tax-payer-funded militia — allegations his office quickly slammed as bogus. A lawsuit filed in Nassau County Supreme Court by Democrats Debra Mule and Scott Davis and the Free and Fair Litigation group names Blakeman, Nassau County, and county sheriff Anthony LaRocco as defendants alleging they created an illegal and redundant 'militia' by starting an emergency 'special deputies' program of civilians last year. 'New York State law does not authorize defendants to create a taxpayer-funded militia,' the lawsuit states. 'Defendants' militia is illegal and represents a substantial and ongoing waste of public funds,' it later adds. The so-called 'militia' refers to the 'provisional emergency special deputy sheriffs' program Blakeman established on March 17, 2024. The program deputizes volunteer citizens who are licensed to carry firearms to assist local law enforcement agencies during emergencies. The civilian members would be expected to help protect critical infrastructure in Nassau County in the event of a natural disaster, terrorist attack or other emergency. Nassau County swore in its first 26 citizen members on Dec. 31. Many of the members are retired from the military, police departments, or other emergency service organizations. They're not paid unless they are deployed. The lawsuit claims the program includes expenses that qualify as illegal spending of taxpayer money — including shelling out funds for background checks, conducting random drug screening, providing training, and the $150-a-day stipend when they are activated. The suit further claims that Blakeman's office intended to keep the details of the program secret and has refused to comply with Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests. But Blakeman's office said the lawsuit slanders the gracious volunteers and called the legal action needless and shameful. 'Debra Mule and Scott Davis are a disgrace for bringing this frivolous action and defaming the volunteers, many of whom are retired military and law enforcement, who have agreed to pitch in in the event of an emergency,' a rep for Blakeman said to The Post.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Long Island lawmakers sue Nassau County executive for creating taxpayer-funded militia of armed civilians ‘in secrecy'
NEW YORK — Long Island lawmakers have sued Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and a local sheriff for a program sanctioning a taxpayer-funded militia of armed civilians shrouded 'in secrecy.' The suit challenges the legality of the 'special deputy sheriffs' program announced in March 2024 to public outcry by Blakeman, which authorizes the activation of 'minimally trained, unregistered private civilians to act as special sheriff's deputies with authority to use deadly force and make arrests under color of law' if Blakeman declares an emergency. The suit, filed Tuesday by Democratic members of the Nassau County legislature's public safety committee, Debra Mulé and Scott Davis, alleges that Blakeman — a prominent Republican and ally of President Trump— and Nassau County Sheriff Anthony LaRocco have stonewalled their requests for basic information about the program's development and withheld details of how it's being funded in their 2025 budget proposal to the local legislature. In a statement Wednesday, one of their lawyers, civil rights attorney Carey Dunne, said allowing local leaders to arm civilians and grant them police powers could have nationwide implications. 'County Executive Blakeman's militia endangers public safety in Nassau County and the health of our democracy nationwide,' Dunne said. 'Our lawsuit alleges an authoritarian power grab in the heart of suburban America, where a handpicked group of armed vigilantes operates secretly at the beck and call of an unchecked executive.' One request for information denied by Blakeman and LaRocco last year sought details about what training the militia members — paid $150 daily stipends — were undergoing, where they were receiving it, who was conducting the training, how many hours were required, and how much it was all costing New York taxpayers, according to the lawsuit. The suit says the militias are illegal under New York law, which, in emergencies, allows local police departments to enlist officers from municipalities' law enforcement agencies, and questions the need for civilian paramilitaries when Nassau County — ranked last year as the safest county in the U.S.— has a police department with 2,500 members, hundreds of unarmed civilian volunteers, and the ability to request assistance from 60,000 registered officers statewide. 'Defendants have not publicly explained how a group of less than one hundred armed civilians would materially aid the thousands of trained, registered, sworn, and armed police and peace officers available to meet the needs of Nassau County residents in the event of an emergency,' the suit filed in Nassau County Supreme Court reads. It's also unclear who has been recruited so far, the suit details, referencing reporting in Newsday that said 25 people had been signed up as of September, six of whom Blakeman and LaRocco had refused to share details about publicly. The suit seeks a court order finding Blakeman and LaRocco's creation of the civilian militia with taxpayer funds illegal, an order barring them from continuing to use public funds and resources to deputize private citizens, and a directive they respond fully to an outstanding Freedom of Information Law request, which also seeks information on what weapons recruits are being armed with. The suit was brought on the same day Blakeman announced a never-before-seen initiative that will see 10 Nassau County detectives partner with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help carry out Trump's mass deportations. At a press conference Tuesday, Blakeman and Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder refused to rule out that local detectives 'working on behalf of ICE' would not target undocumented immigrants who have not been accused of violent crimes. The Trump administration has made clear it regards anyone in the U.S. without documentation to be a criminal. Asked whether the civilian militias would be enlisted to work alongside ICE, Blakeman said, 'They have nothing to do with this.' Representatives for Blakeman and LaRocco did not respond to the Daily News's inquiries Wednesday. At a press conference Wednesday announcing the suit, Seth Koslow, a Democrat who plans to challenge Blakeman in the general election in November, said that although Blakeman denied the militias would be involved in the ICE partnership, it was impossible to confirm given the lack of transparency. 'I don't believe when he says he won't use them. I'm concerned he will activate them and declare an emergency where an emergency doesn't exist,' Koslow said. 'He's already said he can use the militia for protests or for anything he deems to be an emergency. We don't know what he wants to do. We don't know what they're trained to handle because he hasn't told us.' _____
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs Accused of Sexually Assaulting Male Musician in 2015 — Report
is facing new allegations of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed by an unnamed male musician, referred to as John Doe. The accuser claims the rapper drugged and assaulted him in 2015 after offering career opportunities. Here are all the details we've gathered about the latest lawsuit and shocking accusations against Diddy. The 'Last Night' singer is facing new allegations, as an anonymous man has come forward with claims of sexual assault. According to a lawsuit filed in New York County Supreme Court, the accuser, referred to as John Doe, alleges that Diddy drugged and assaulted him at an after-party in Los Angeles in 2015. At the time, the plaintiff was a 23-year-old aspiring singer. He was led to believe he had a chance to sign with Bad Boy Records and record with Diddy. John Doe's lawsuit seeks damages for the emotional and physical suffering. (via USA Today) The lawsuit describes an unsettling night of events after John Doe performed at a Los Angeles nightclub. A known associate of Diddy reportedly informed him that the rapper was interested in his talent, raising hopes of a breakthrough in the music industry. Later that night, John Doe was invited to an after-party, where he encountered a scene filled with drugs and alcohol. The accuser alleges that Diddy personally sent him a drink made with his vodka brand, Ciroc. Shortly after consuming it, he began to feel lightheaded and eventually lost consciousness. The lawsuit states that while slipping in and out of consciousness, John Doe witnessed Diddy and others engaging in sexual activities. They were allegedly involved with individuals who appeared to be intoxicated or unconscious. Moreover, when John Doe fully regained awareness, he discovered that his pants had been removed and that Diddy was allegedly assaulting him. Despite his attempts to resist, he says the musician threatened to sabotage his career. John Doe managed to escape the situation by pretending to go to the restroom and leaving the venue unnoticed. Meanwhile, Sean 'Diddy' Combs' attorneys have dismissed the allegations. Currently in custody, he is set to stand trial in May 2025. Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on The post Sean 'Diddy' Combs Accused of Sexually Assaulting Male Musician in 2015 — Report appeared first on Mandatory.
