Source: Emma McIntyre / Getty Shawne Merriman Sued For Wrongful Death Of Playboy Employee The parents of Kimberly Fattorini believe that former NFL player Shawne Merriman spike their daughter’s drink which ultimately resulted in her death. According to NYDailyNews , Fattorini’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Merriman last week. Kimberly died at a friend’s LA apartment in July 2017 after taking what the coroner says was a lethal combination of alcohol, cocaine, and the date rape drug called GHB. “I realize the (parents) must be suffering greatly, but (I) do not have any idea why they are defaming me by making false accusations in the press and in public pleadings and causing me economic harm,” Merriman wrote in a statement filed Tuesday in his related bankruptcy case. “I realize the (parents) must be suffering greatly, but (I) do not have any idea why they are defaming me by making false accusations in the press and in public pleadings and causing me economic harm,” Merriman wrote in a statement filed Tuesday in his related bankruptcy case. “Until the tragic death of Kimberly Fattorini made the newspaper, I was a sports commentator on a variety of television shows. I was also a motivational speaker, especially addressing the topic of overcoming adversity,” he said in the new statement. Merriman looks EXTRA funny in the light because he filed for bankruptcy late last year and now it kinda looks like he did it to keep ol’ girl’s parents from doing just this. Merriman told a judge that this was NOT the case, but still…
Source: Barcroft Media / Getty There’s has to be a much less poisonous and criminal way to celebrate the death of your spouse… Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). According to NYDailyNews , 59-year-old Duane Johnson was sentenced to three years in prison yesterday after pleading guilty to criminal neglect and 3rd degree murder of his 69-year-old wife Debra Johnson. See, Debra lived in a Minnesota nursing home and she told Duane she wanted to be removed so that she could die at home after some “partying.” The couple used meth for five days, had sex, and listened to their favorite song Quiet Riot’s “Metal Health.” Duane was found butt-naked next to his wife’s dead body back on January 24 this year. Debra’s autopsy revealed her cause of death as “methamphetamine toxicity.” METH DEATH PARTY: Duane Johnson wants it to be known that his wife did not want to die in a nursing home. https://t.co/2dGAUy2XB2 — 23 WIFR (@23WIFR) August 13, 2019 Duane likely would have gotten more time but the judge gave him credit for the 201 days served. Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Ex-NBA Player Sentenced To 3.5 Years in Prison Mystikal Falls Off Stage 30 Seconds Into His Performance [VIDEO] Double Take: Tamika Scott’s Daughter Young Niyah Gives Xscape Vibes [PHOTOS] Follow @TheRSMS
Source: Emma McIntyre /VF19 / Getty Cicely Tyson ‘s latest role in Ava DuVernay ‘s new series will make her one of the oldest series regular on television — and we love everything about that (including that Honorary Oscar last year)! According to Deadline , Tyson will star as “Miss Luma Lee Langston, a legendary star of stage and screen in decades past” , in Cherish The Day , on OWN. Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit The three-time Emmy award winner will star alongside Alano Miller ( Underground ) and Xosha Roquemore ( The Mindy Project ) in the romance anthology series, that will follow a couple who meet and fall in love in Los Angeles during the first season, taking place over five years in eight episodes. Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). Each episode of DuVernay’s second scripted show at the network will span a day and will reportedly “unfold to reveal significant moments in a relationship that compel us to hold true to the ones we love, from the extraordinary to the everyday.” Sounds promising! Ava and Oprah will serve as Executive Producers. [ione_media_gallery src=”https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com” id=”1962158″ overlay=”true”] This story was originally published on TV One . ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Ex-NBA Player Sentenced To 3.5 Years in Prison Mystikal Falls Off Stage 30 Seconds Into His Performance [VIDEO] Double Take: Tamika Scott’s Daughter Young Niyah Gives Xscape Vibes [PHOTOS] Follow @TheRSMS
Well, it's official: Amy Roloff REALLY likes Chris Marek! The Little People, Big World star recently shared a number of photos on Instagram of her and her long-time boyfriend, both glowing and each adorable as they celebrate Marek's birthday. The celebration was a few days late, however, due to Amy feelings VERY under the weather. We'll let her explain via the photo montage below… 1. Me and My Man! Amy shared this sweet selfie of Chris on the occasion of his birthday. The two sure look smitten, don’t they? 2. The Proud Birthday Boy Rocking a Happy Birthday sash, Chris looks psyched to have spent time with Amy in celebration of his big day. 3. What’s in the Box, Man?!? Chris reads his card here and gets ready to open his present from Amy. 4. Alcohol is in the Box Elijah Craig? Good choice, Amy. Looks like these two have a fun night in their future! 5. The Celebratory Meal Did Amy cook Chris his birthday dessert? We don’t know. But it looks yummy! 6. With Good Pals Amy and Chris were joined by friends in Lake Oswego for the fun date and celebration. View Slideshow
Kyle Richards may go on epic Twitter tirades against Lisa Vanderpump , but she’ll always be there to support her sister, Kim. It’s no secret that Kim has struggled in the past with substance abuse. Now, Kyle is reportedly begging her sister to seek help again before it’s too late. Us Weekly reports that Kyle is worried sick about Kim given what she’s learned this summer. “Kyle became aware that Kim was struggling in recent weeks,” the insider reports. “And,” the source adds, Kyle “got extremely concerned based on what she was hearing.” One can only imagine the specifics that she may have heard about Kim. But reports say that Kim isn’t “doing well” and that Kyle is now fully aware of that. “Kyle isn’t a doctor,” the insider points out. “And,” the source continues, when it comes to Kim’s health, Kyle alone “can’t make that determination.” “Which is why,” the insider explains. “She is trying to get Kim into treatment.” Of course. Professionals would be equipped to evaluate how Kim is really doing and to set up the right programs for her. Kyle just hopes that she can persuade Kim to take that important step. Kyle and Kim aren’t quite joined at the hip. The report reminds fans that the sisters have been “living their own lives for some time now.” That is generally very healthy! Despite their independence, the two are said to be on “good terms” with one another. That’s reassuring — especially if it makes Kim more predisposed to heed Kyle’s advice. “t’s going to be an ongoing conversation,” the source characterizes. So not one big dramatic intervention or what have you, but a series of gentle questions and talks. “But the good news,” the insider reveals. “Is that Kim is being extremely receptive to Kyle.” That is an absolute relief. The source affirms that Kim is “recognizing she is coming from a place of love.” That matters so much when it comes to accepting advice and accepting help on your health journey. The hard truth is that part of what made Kim such a source of entertainment as a reality star was her bad behavior. A portion of that bad behavior has been attributed to her substance abuse issues. Even sober, one’s struggle to remain so can alter their behavior. You know how, when you’re hungry, you can eventually become hangry because you’re so impatient for food? For some people who struggle with substances, they lash out angrily when they are sober because they have a similar craving. Kyle has done so much for Kim. Some longtime fans of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills have accused her of having a martyr complex and taking care of Kim to show how nice she is. But she really does care about her sister. We don’t know exactly what’s going on with Kim these days, but we wish both Richards sisters the absolute best. The news that Kim is reportedly receptive to Kyle’s words and concerns is extremely promising. Best wishes to them both! View Slideshow: Kyle Richards Tweets 29 Times, GOES OFF on Real Housewives Drama
Even though Amber Portwood was arrested for domestic violence charges last month, she still enjoys a wealth of support, especially from her current and former Teen Mom Og co-stars. It's more than a little weird, as Amber stands accused of attacking Andrew Glennon with a machete while he was holding the her 1-year-old son, but hey — pretty much everything about the Teen Mom universe is weird as hell at this point. In fact, we reached the point where we thought nothing about this cast could surprise us. Until we learned that Amber and Farrah Abraham have become breast-baring besties. You can't make this stuff up, folks. Take a look: 1. The Throwdown It wasn’t all that long ago that Amber and Farrah nearly came to blows while shooting a Teen Mom OG reunion special. 2. Settling Their Differences But perhaps it should come as no surprise that Amber and Farrah have been able to find common ground. After all, they have an awful lot in common beyond the fact that they were both OG teen moms on Teen Mom OG. 3. In the Same League Both are thought to be the very worst moms to be featured on Teen Mom OG, and many believe they’re up there with Jenelle Evans in terms of the worst moms of the entire franchise. 4. Somehow … Of course, Farrah has never lost custody of her kid, so we guess Amber just took the lead in that competition. 5. Hard Times Yes, as you may have heard, Amber has lost custody of baby James following her attack on Andrew. 6. Sad Stuff In fact, a judge has ordered her to keep her distance from Andrew, and she’s only allowed to see James during supervised visits. View Slideshow
Todd Chrisley and his wife are ready to face the legal music. But will it result in them being entirely played off the celebrity stage? That’s the oddly-phrased question, folks. As previously detailed, Todd and Julie Chrisley were indicted yesterday on 12 counts of tax evasion and financial fraud, foremost among them: Wire fraud… conspiracy to commit bank fraud … and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Yikes , huh? The couple has been at the forefront of Chrisley Knows Best for seven seasons on USA Network. The series chronicles the rich and spoiled lives of Todd, Julie and their three children, all of whom are from Atlanta but now reside in Nashville. According to Radar Online, executives have chosen NOT to renew the contracts of these family members in the wake of this arrest, effectively canceling the series. But Todd and Julie obviously have far more important concerns at the moment. The reality stars have turned themselves into authorities, CNN confirms, and are currently in custody in Georgia. The couple surrendered early Wednesday morning, a spokesman for the attorney’s office tells CNN and TMZ, and are scheduled to attend a bond hearing later this afternoon. As for other pertinent details from this troubling case? The Chrisleys were hit with the multi-count indictment on Tuesday, alleging years of tax evasion, bank fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy between 2007 and 2012. The federal goverment claims the stars ran a scheme in which they swindled banks out of millions of dollars in loans by providing phony information, while also effing over the public in genderal by dodging federal taxes on the money they earned. Their accountant was indicted as well. If convicted on all counts, Todd and Julie could face 30 years in prison. “Todd and Julie Chrisley are charged not only with defrauding a number of banks by fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in loans, but also with allegedly cheating taxpayers by actively evading paying federal taxes on the money they earned,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak, adding: “Celebrities face the same justice that everyone does. These are serious federal charges and they will have their day in court.” But Todd, who has supposedly sold his mansion out of desperation , sounds confident a convinction will never take place. Before the indictment was issued on Tuesday, he denied the allegations in a lenghty post on Instagram, implying the charges are based on evidence presented to investigators by a disgruntled former employee. Wrote Chrisley in his open letter: “I’ve never talked about this publicly before, but there’s been a cloud hanging over Julie and me and our entire family for the past seven years. It all started back in 2012, when we discovered that a trusted employee of ours had been stealing from us big time.” He went on to claim this was an act of revenge, explaining that this employee created “phony documents,” forged his signature and issuing threats to other employees related to the show if anything got out about his doings. Sounds like quite the vengeful and thought-out act, huh? If you believe it. “We even discovered that he illegally bugged our house,” Chrisley says. “I’m telling you all this because we have nothing to hide and have done nothing to be ashamed of. Not only do we know we’ve done nothing to be ashamed of. “Not only do we know we’ve done nothing wrong, but we’ve got a ton of hard evidence and a bunch of corroborating witnesses that prove it.” Todd concluded the post by asking for everyone’s prayers for he and his family. “We want to express our gratitude to everyone who helped place us where we are today in our lives. We thank you for your support and we will continue to work every day to earn your respect, loyalty and admiration.” View Slideshow: Savannah Chrisley: The Most Gorgeous Photos of USA’s Brightest Young Star!
Source: athima tongloom / Getty Cobb County is joining Gwinnett County as the latest Georgia jurisdiction to suspend enforcement of some misdemeanor marijuana violations. The reason? The state’s new hemp law. Gov. Brian Kemp legalized hemp farming in Georga. The hardy, versatile corp has been prompted by some as an economic development opportunity for rural areas. Hemp and marijuana are closely related and similar in smell and appearance, making it very difficult if not impossible for law enforcement to tell the difference between the two, according to officials. In light of that fact, Cobb County Police Chief Tim Cox announced that his department would make “a temporary procedural change” until a “remedy” is found. “After discussions with prosecutors, it appears that arresting someone for misdemeanor marijuana possession is not recommended,” Cox said in a statement. “As a result, effective immediately, any misdemeanor amounts of marijuana that an officer encounters will be confiscated and sent to the Evidence Unit to be destroyed. A criminal charge will not be made until a solution can be found to this dilemma.” Cobb Solicitor General Barry Morgan said there will be no wholesale dismissal of cases that are already on-going, but new cases brought after the hemp bill was signed this past May will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. “The GBI has told us they are working on finding a new test that could differentiate marijuana from hemp and cases will be held pending that,” Morgan said. SEE ALSO: Study: Smoking Weed Can Motivate You to Workout SEE ALSO: Reefer Madness: Ray J Gets In On The Legal Marijuana Business
Source: Star Tribune via Getty Images / Getty Sebastian Telfair Sentencing Turns Into A Scene Sebastian Telfair is heading to prison over the gun charges he racked up in the summer of 2017 and he’s not taking it gracefully at all. On Monday, Telfair was sentenced to 3 and a half years in prison and a complete meltdown over the sentencing ensued. The father began crying, foaming at the mouth while screaming in defense of himself. According to Daily Mail, he yelled: ‘Please don’t take me from society right now,’ Telfair told the court. ‘I am 34. I can go play in China for six years and take care of my family. I’m waiting for my daughter right now to get her period. Real mental illness because I wasn’t around… She hasn’t even gotten her period yet.’ The ex-NBA star was accused by officers of possessing three loaded handguns, a submachine gun, extended magazines, ammunition, and a ballistic vest. The officers also claimed to have smelled the scent of marijuana coming from his vehicle and a “roach” or smoked piece of weed was said to be found in the car as well. Telfair denied being in possession of drugs during his outburst. ‘I’m being convicted on perjury. Your honor, I swear he took it out his pocket. Nobody was smoking right there. Nobody was smoking your honor. What my community gonna do? We’ve been doing basketball classes for 15 years. Don’t let them do this to me.” He was completely devastated from the clip. Hit play to see it. Retired #NBA point guard #SebastianTelfair convicted of weapons charges Telfair, the cousin of former All-Star Stephon Marbury, played 10 NBA seasons with nine different teams from 2004 to 2013, including the Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors pic.twitter.com/HXOclk0m7I — The Daddy Phantom (@DaddyPhantom) August 13, 2019
Source: Sony Pictures Animation / Sony Pictures Animation When the visuals for Matthew A. Cherry’s Hair Love came across our computer screen, we rejoiced at imagery that showed a Black father and daughter in such a positive light. It was the representation we rarely see, even if it is a cartoon. MUST READ: Animated Short Film ‘Hair Love’ Celebrates Black Father & Daughter Relationships Hair Love , an animated short film about a father who takes on the battle of doing his daughter’s hair, will premiere ahead of The Angry Birds 2 movie in theaters this weekend, broadcasting the image in front of millions of children and families. We caught up with director Matthew A. Cherry and producer Peter Ramsey, who both opened up about creating the animated short and why it is important for all to see. HelloBeautiful: What inspired you to create Hair Love? Matthew: I was seeing a lot of viral videos of African-American dads doing their daughter’s hair hitting the timeline and I always like to share family friendly stuff like that. They were going extra viral, 100K retweets, and I would always share videos of moms interacting with their kids too and it would do OK but never as big as that. Obviously they were cute videos but I would come to learn later that part of it was that people weren’t used to seeing these images of African-American fathers doing these type of interactions with their kids (especially when the hair would be moving and breaking rubber bands and hitting dad in the eye). The idea of hair having a mind of its own was the linchpin that created this idea. HB: How does it feel to finally have your work being shown on such a massive platform after so much work to get it made and funded? Matthew: It’s kind of surreal. This literally started with an idea through Kickstarter and for it to be a New York Times best selling book and now about to be in theaters across the country is pretty crazy. It’s definitely surreal. I just really hope that it inspires other creators. Sometimes i think we waste so much time reaching out to people thinking that they have to help us with our ideas and help move them forward and sometimes all you have to do is put it out there and take that risk and bet on yourself and trust that you can raise the money yourself and get the idea to other likeminded creatives that will be able to help you with it and bring it to market. HB: How was it for you to be involved in the short film and taking on the role as Executive Producer? How was that process for you? Peter: It was great because from minute one, I believed in Matthew. I knew he was a really talented, energetic, inspiring guy in his work and in his life. I got to see the story he wanted to tell and it felt like it was right for the time, its got its heart in the right place, it’s going to really speak to people, all of those things made it really easy for me. Really I’ve just been a cheerleader. I’ve just been doing whatever I could, whether it’s advice or encouragement or whatever little thing I could offer to help move it down the line. It’s Matthew and a fantastic team of really talented people working on it that have really brought it to life. Matthew: Yeah, Bruce Smith, Everett Downing, Stacey Newton, Monica Young, Karen Toliver. It’s a great team. Peter : It’s been a whole lot of work and whole lot of love What did you learn about fatherhood in the process? Peter: I have three kids. I’ve experienced a lot of moments like this. I think from this film specifically, the thing that jumps out at me is a lot of it is about people supporting each other in family. You can see everybody in this family in some way shape or form has supported each other. It’s about the idea of a father listening to his daughter and her communicating something that’s really important to her and him understanding why it’s so important and doing what he can to help her express who she is and what she feels. I think that’s a huge part of what drives this movie and makes it feel special. It might not be something you think about watching it but that’s what’s under the surface. That part of a parent/child relationship I think is something people need to pay a lot of attention to and think about that because even the smallest kid is still a real person deserving respect and being allowed to express themselves. Catch Hair Love in theaters August 13. RELATED STORIES: Cornrows, Feed-Ins And Fulani Braids, Oh My! Braid Hairstyles We Love Nafisah Carter Went From Doing Hair In Her Dorm To Being A Celebrity Hair Stylist
