LOS ANGELES – A judge has dropped charges against two surfers accused of attacking a celebrity photographer shooting photos of Matthew McConaughey on a Malibu beach.
Los Angeles County district attorney’s spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons says the charges were dismissed Friday after prosecutors decided against starting a third trial against the surfers. A jury deadlocked last month on the misdemeanor battery case against Skylar Peak and Philip Hildebrand.
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Peak and Hildebrand were accused of confronting several paparazzi who showed up to shoot photos of the “Fool’s Gold” star on a Malibu beach two years ago.
Peak’s attorney, Harland Braun, said the case was poorly investigated and never should have been filed. He said paparazzi video of the fight had been manipulated to implicate the surfers.
Etheridge files to make her domestic partner breakup official
LOS ANGELES – Court records show Melissa Etheridge has filed to make her breakup with former girlfriend Tammy Lynn Michaels official.
The singer filed to dissolve her domestic partnership with Michaels on Friday in Los Angeles. They announced their separation in April, and the rocker told Oprah Winfrey it was mutual, but “sad.”
The two held a commitment ceremony in 2003 and registered a domestic partnership in August 2005. Michaels gave birth to twins in 2006.
The 49-year-old Etheridge cited irreconcilable differences for the split in court filings. She is asking to share joint custody of their 3-year-old children.
The filing was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.
King’s ranch again for sale
STANLEY, Idaho — Songwriter and singer Carole King has put her 128-acre central Idaho ranch back on the market with a reduced asking price of $16 million.
The Robinson Bar Ranch compound near Stanley includes a 7,300-square-foot lodge, a private residence, a caretaker’s home, a professional recording studio, guest cabins and horse barns.
King put the ranch up for sale in 2006 for $19 million. A listing agent says the ranch was taken off the market because of problems with a bridge on a U.S. Forest Service road that has since been repaired.
King retains a condominium in the central Idaho resort town of Ketchum, where she is scheduled to perform with James Taylor on July 12 as part of their “Troubadour Reunion” tour.
King’s signature album is 1971’s “Tapestry.”
‘Potter’ actress threatened
LONDON — The father and brother of an actress who starred in the Harry Potter movies have been charged with threatening to kill her.
The 22-year-old Afshan Azad is cast as Padma Patil, a classmate of the teenage wizard, in the movie series.
Her father, 54-year-old Abdul Azad and elder brother, 28-year-old Ashraf, are alleged to have threatened her at her home in the northern English city of Manchester on May 21.
Ashraf is also accused of assaulting his sister.
Both men appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court to face charges on Tuesday.
The case was adjourned until July 12.
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