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AP Entertainment NewsBrief at 12:38 a.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Phil Spector found guilty of 2nd-degree murderLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Rock music producer Phil Spector was convicted Monday of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a film actress at his mansion six years ago, a verdict that will send him to prison for at least 18 years barring a successful appeal. A Superior Court jury returned the verdict after about 30 hours of deliberations. The jury had the option of choosing the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, but did not do so. Mel Gibson's wife files for divorce in LALOS ANGELES (AP) _ Mel Gibson's wife of 28 years filed for divorce Monday, citing irreconcilable differences. Robyn Gibson filed the petition, which offers no details of the breakup, in Los Angeles Superior Court. X-rated star Marilyn Chambers dies at 56LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Marilyn Chambers, the pretty Ivory Snow girl who helped bring hard-core adult films into the mainstream consciousness when she starred in the explicit 1972 movie "Behind the Green Door," has died at 56. The cause of death was not immediately known. A family friend, Peggy McGinn, said Chambers' 17-year-old daughter found the actress' body Sunday night at her home in the Los Angeles suburb of Canyon Country. Chambers was pronounced dead at the scene, the county coroner's office said Monday. New Leno show to air on Boston NBC affiliateBOSTON (AP) _ Boston's NBC affiliate has decided to air Jay Leno's new show, after all. WHDH-TV owner Ed Ansin issued a brief statement Monday saying that "upon further consideration," the station had decided to telecast Leno's 10 p.m. talk show beginning in September. Castroneves jury asks for transcripts in tax caseMIAMI (AP) _ Jurors deliberating the fate of Brazilian race car driver Helio Castroneves and two others charged with evading U.S. taxes asked Monday for transcripts of testimony by two tax lawyers who were called by the prosecution to describe how Castroneves' finances were structured. The request, which was granted by U.S. District Judge Donald Graham, followed a question Friday from jurors about a key aspect of tax law. The 12-person jury began deliberations Friday after six weeks of testimony and did not reach a verdict Monday. They will continue Tuesday. Madonna still hopes to adopt Malawian childBLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) _ Madonna has told a newspaper in Malawi that she still wants to adopt a girl from the poor African nation despite legal obstacles, to educate her and empower her to help people in her country. The pop star told The Nation that she would appeal against a court ruling that she wasn't eligible to adopt a 3-year-old orphan, Chifundo "Mercy" James, because she hasn't lived in Malawi. Spike seals deal for show on Navy pirate huntersNEW YORK (AP) _ Barely a day after the daring rescue of an American sea captain, cable TV's Spike announced a deal Monday to produce a show about U.S. Navy pirate hunters. Two crews for 44 Blue Productions hope to be on board Navy vessels patrolling in the pirate-infested waters off the coast of Africa within two weeks. The company is aiming to have a series ready to put on the air by September, said Rasha Drachkovitch, 44 Blue's president and founder. Who moved my rank? Sales rank purged from AmazonNEW YORK (AP) _ Amazon.com apologized Monday for an "embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error" that led to the sales ranking being removed from tens of thousands of books. The online retailer initially said Sunday that a "glitch" had caused the problem and promised that the numbers would be restored. But Monday afternoon, sales numbers were still gone for such recent works as Chelsea Handler's "My Horizontal Life" and from such classics as Gore Vidal's "The City and the Pillar" and James Baldwin's "Giovanni's Room." Stephen Colbert, Decemberists to face off againNEW YORK (AP) _ Stephen Colbert and his musical nemesis, the Decemberists, will face off again. The Decemberists announced Monday that they will perform on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" on April 27. Dee Dee Ramone's estate executor sues over bookNEW YORK (AP) _ The executor of Dee Dee Ramone's estate has gone to court to stop publication of a book about the late punk rocker by his first wife. Ira Herzog says Vera Davie of Port St. Lucie, Fla., violated an agreement to let him review and change anything she wrote about the bassist. (c) 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |