Fla. man charged in hacking case ordered to LA (AP)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Florida man charged with hacking into email accounts of celebrities including actress Scarlett Johansson was ordered Friday to appear in a Los Angeles courtroom Nov. 1.

A federal magistrate judge in Jacksonville, Fla., issued the order at a hearing for Christopher Chaney, 35. He faces a 26-count indictment in California that includes charges of identity theft, unauthorized computer access and wiretapping.

At a news conference several hours later, Chaney said he regretted what happened.

"I'm very sorry for all of this," Chaney said outside his attorney's Jacksonville office. "What I am most sorry about is I had to direct my mom into this."

Chaney's parents, Cathy and Jerry, agreed to supervise their son while he is free on $10,000 bail. At the direction of his attorney, Chaney didn't say much more at the news conference.

Chaney has not yet entered a plea, but his attorney told The Associated Press earlier Friday that he deeply regretted what had happened. Authorities say there were more than 50 victims, including actresses Mila Kunis and Renee Olstead and singer Christina Aguilera.

"At this point, he is extremely remorseful and sympathetic to the plight of the stars," said attorney Christopher Chestnut. "He is sorry that all of this is happening."

Chestnut said he wanted Chaney to undergo a psychological evaluation but he wouldn't comment on whether Chaney's psychological condition will play a role in his defense.

"Some of the facts vary," Chestnut said. "We have to get in and see what all the facts are. We can't really speak to all the facts since we don't know them. It's very early in the case."

Chaney has been ordered to stay away from computers and the Internet. He also must live with his parents until the case is resolved.

Chestnut described his client as a "quiet guy, a shy guy," who did clerical work in Jacksonville.

"This isn't a guy that Bill Gates would hire or that Google would recruit out to Silicon Valley," he said. "He's not an extremely sophisticated computer whiz."

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Conan O'Brien pilot ordered by TBS (Reuters)

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) – TBS has ordered a half-hour comedy pilot from Conan O'Brien's Conaco, which produces his late night series, and Warner Horizon Television.

The untitled, multi-camera sitcom is about a man who quits his job and returns to his old neighborhood, where he reunites with his former best friend.

The show will be executive produced by O'Brien, David Kissinger ("Eagleheart," "Andy Barker, P.I."), and "Conan" executive producer Jeff Ross, along with the pilot's writers, Ben Wexler ("Still Standing") and Ross Novie and Jay Rondot (both of "Secret Girlfriend").

Wexler will also serve as the showrunner.

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Producer ordered to pay $3M in harassment suit (AP)

LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles jury has ordered film producer Jon Peters to pay his former assistant more than $3 million after finding she was subjected to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment.

The jury on Friday awarded Shelly Morita $822,000 in compensatory damages and $2.5 million in punitive damages.

City News Service reports that Peters' attorneys plan to appeal the verdict.

Morita sued Peters five years ago, alleging he fondled her at his Malibu home and climbed into bed with her in an Australian hotel during the 2005 filming of "Superman Returns." She claimed that she couldn't find work in Hollywood after suing Peters because of his pull in the industry.

Peters produced several acclaimed films, including "A Star Is Born," "Flashdance," "The Color Purple," "Batman" and "Rain Man."

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Film producer ordered to pay $3 million in sex scandal (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A jury found movie producer Jon Peters was guilty on Friday of sexual harassment and ordered the man behind films such as "Batman" to pay more than $3 million to a former personal assistant.

The nine-woman, three-man panel awarded Shelly Morita $822,000 in compensatory damages. They found that Peters created a hostile work environment and acted with malice, which led to a second phase of the trial in which they awarded the Morita an additional $2.5 million.

Peters, a onetime hairdresser turned movie mogul whose producing credits include "The Color Purple," "The Bonfire of the Vanities" and "Superman Returns," was not present for the verdicts. Along with former business partner Peter Guber, he also ran Sony Pictures movie studio for a time.

Morita, a 44-year-old single mother, sued Peters and his company, J.P. Organization Inc., in December 2006.

She claimed he inappropriately touched her and alleged that he crawled into bed with her when they were in Australia during the filming of "Superman Returns."

In his testimony, Peters, 66, denied any wrongdoing. His attorney said the verdicts will be appealed.

(Reporting and writing by Sheri Linden; Edited by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Fawcett's son ordered to rehab in heroin case (AP)

LOS ANGELES – The son of Ryan O'Neal and the late Farrah Fawcett pleaded no contest Wednesday to heroin possession and was ordered to spend the next year in an intense inpatient rehab program.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz also told Redmond O'Neal to serve five years on probation and gave him a three-year suspended prison sentence, which would only be imposed if the younger O'Neal gets into trouble again.

O'Neal, 26, also pleaded no contest to being a felon in possession of a firearm when he was arrested Aug. 2 after a traffic stop.

He entered the pleas without an agreement with prosecutors, district attorney's spokeswoman Jane Robison said.

"The defense team appreciates that Judge Schwartz gave Redmond the help that he needs to turn his life around," attorneys Richard Pintal and Michael Brewer said in a statement. "The court recognized that drug rehabilitation is the best thing for Redmond and society as a whole."

Pintal said his client will be required to remain in a lockdown rehab facility and is facing a tough fight to beat his heroin addiction.

"It's especially insidious in that it's intensely physically addictive and coming off of, or ceasing in any respect; causes incredible physical pain," Pintal said.

Ryan O'Neal attended his son's sentencing, which was first reported by celebrity website RadarOnline.com.

Redmond O'Neal has had a string of drug-related arrests over the years. He had to be released from jail briefly to attend his mother's funeral when she died in June 2009.

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Sharon Stone ordered to compensate yard worker (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – US actress Sharon Stone has been ordered to pay $232,000 in compensation to a worker who injured his knee after slipping and falling in her back yard.

Peter Krause, who injured his right knee while installing a sound system in the star's yard in August 2006, had been seeking up to $1.5 million for pain, suffering and loss of earnings.

A jury at the Los Angeles Superior Court found her guilty of negligence, and on Wednesday ordered her to pay the much lower sum after considering arguments from both sides in the case, which started last week.

"We're very relieved it's over," said Krause as he hugged his wife, Melissa, after the verdict.

Stone's lawyer Jerry Popovich said he would speak to her before deciding whether to appeal, and lamented that the jury had not been convinced by the actress's testimony in court of why she did not consider herself negligent.

"We're disappointed they did not take her testimony at face value," he said.

Krause sued Stone in August 2008. He claimed he slipped on mud, but when he reached for a lattice fence to steady his balance it gave way, and he fell about 12 feet down a slope into the neighboring yard.

Stone was found guilty of negligence for only having a flimsy fence.

Stone's lawyer said earlier this week that both sides agreed Krause's medical damages were $33,000, but said he should receive no more than about $120,000 for the rest of his claims.

Krause's lawyer John Torjesen had said his client should get $900,000 for pain and suffering due to the accident, and the rest of the $1.5 million claimed for lost wages.

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TV producer ordered to Mexico on murder charges (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A judge on Tuesday ordered a former producer for the TV show "Survivor" extradited to Mexico to face charges that he killed his wife two years ago while they were on holiday in the resort town of Cancun.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian determined that Bruce Beresford-Redman, who has been jailed since November 2010 awaiting a decision, should be sent to Mexico for a trial because there was enough circumstantial evidence to show probable cause he could have murdered his wife.

The U.S. is required to send Beresford-Redman to Mexico within 60 days but he can appeal the judge's ruling, which would extend the process for an undetermined period of time, a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors said.

The badly beaten body of Monica Beresford-Redman was found in a sewer at a resort hotel where the couple and their children were vacationing in April 2010. Beresford-Redman had reported his wife was missing three days before she was found.

Mexican authorities believe the two had an argument, he beat her to death, then dumped her body.

Beresford-Redman has proclaimed his innocence, saying in a statement that he was "devastated at her loss" and "incensed at the suggestion" that he could have killed his wife.

At Tuesday's extradition hearing, defense attorneys Richard Hirsch and Vicki Podberesky claimed that statements from the couple's 6 year-old daughter suggested there was no animosity between them while on the Cancun vacation with their family.

But U.S. prosecutors, who have reviewed the case made by Mexican authorities, believe there is enough evidence to show Beresford-Redman killed his wife for three reasons: collecting insurance money, getting sole custody of their children and continuing an extramarital affair.

According to court papers filed in Los Angeles, Monica Beresford-Redman was hit on the head, her face and body were badly beaten and the cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation. Mexican police searched the couple's hotel room in Cancun and found blood spatter in several areas.

The couple's two young children are currently being raised by their grandparents.

(Reporting by Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Greg McCune and Cynthia Johnston)

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Man ordered to stay away from Lohan for 2 years (AP)

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY, AP Entertainment Writer Anthony Mccartney, Ap Entertainment Writer – Wed Jun 8, 2:54 pm ET

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – A judge on Wednesday ordered a man accused of showing up at Lindsay Lohan's court appearances and leaving gifts at her house to stay away from the actress for the next two years.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joseph Biderman issued the restraining order against David Cocordan after a hearing in Santa Monica, Calif. Neither Lohan, who is serving house arrest, nor Cocordan attended the hearing.

Biderman said the man had filed a statement agreeing to the stay-away order.

Lohan wrote in a court filing last month that she is frightened of Cocordan, 38, who she stated had sent her more than 100 text messages, including one describing having sex with the "Mean Girls" star.

The actress is serving house arrest on a 120-day jail sentence for violating her probation by taking a necklace without permission from a jewelry store in January. She is expected to serve about 35 days.

One text message contained in the court documents indicates Cocordan was in the courtroom last month when the 24-year-old actress was sentenced to jail.

Lohan's attorney, Blair Berk, told the judge that police officers would serve the two-year restraining order on Cocordan, who according to court records lives in Glendora. That is about 45 miles east of Lohan's home in the beachside community of Venice.

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