Chris Brown is firing back at the City of L.A. -- claiming the gov. has NO RIGHT to force him to remove the graffiti art on the front of his L.A. home because it's protected by the 1st Amendment.
Brown just filed an appeal with the city -- telling officials the bill they're trying to stick him with for having an "unpermitted" mural on the front wall of his Hollywood Hills home is pure B.S..
According to the legal documents, obtained by TMZ, Brown claims the city is wrongly trying to nail him for having an illegal "sign" -- when the graffiti is art that "[enhances] the architectural and aesthetic features of the residential property."
Translation -- my artwork makes my house look dope, son!
Then Chris drops the constitutional bomb -- arguing, "The murals are a reflection of [my] aesthetic taste and a reflection of free speech and expression protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution."
Brown's case is now in the hands of the Dept. of Building and Safety's board of appeals -- and if they shut him down, he can bring the fight to L.A. County Superior Court.
In fact, there's a chance ... albeit a small chance ... that Brown's case could go all the way up to the Supreme Court if he's not willing to back down.
Justin Bieber is being warned -- return the SIM card you allegedly stole from a paparazzo in Miami ... or else!!!
TMZ has learned ... Gustavo Garces has lawyered up and fired off a letter to Bieber's manager -- demanding the immediate return of the memory card that Bieber took on June 5 ... after the singer allegedly ordered his goons to steal Gustavo's camera.
We obtained an audio recording of the incident in which Bieber can clearly be heard copping to the theft -- and telling Gustavo, "I'm gonna give you your camera back. I'm gonna take your SIM card though."
Now, Gustavo's lawyer has fired off a letter to Bieber's manager informing Team Bieber that he plans on filing a lawsuit ... and he needs the SIM card as evidence in the case.
Garces also warns Bieber not to tamper with the card -- because there are "dire consequences" for messing with evidence.
Kanye West is being slammed as "ignorant" and "distasteful" over a lyric on his new album which uses Parkinson's disease as a punch line ... TMZ has learned.
The song in question is called "On Sight" -- which includes the lyric, "A monster about to come alive again / Soon as I pull up and park the Benz / We get this bitch shaking like Parkinson's."
Now, TMZ has learned the American Parkinson Disease Association is upset about the lyric -- with the org.'s VP Kathryn Whitford telling us, "We find these lyrics distasteful and the product of obvious ignorance."
FYI -- the APDA has been around for over 50 years and it's the largest organization in the country dedicated to helping those with Parkinson's and furthering efforts to find a cure.
Two important things -- 1) "Pants on the Ground" auteur General Larry Platt is STILL ALIVE!!! ... and 2) He absolutely loves the new saggy pants ban in New Jersey.
As we reported, the Jersey Shore town of Wildwood has passed a law banning saggy pants from its boardwalk, and it's scheduled to go into effect next month.
But unlike a bunch of famous rappers, legendary "American Idol" anti-sag crusader Platt tells TMZ, "I am happy about the law and would like to see the law passed worldwide."
The 65-year-old General says he's actually talking to politicians in his hometown of Atlanta about getting the same law passed there.
Platt -- who says he'd consider a post with Wildwood PD just to enforce the ban -- adds, "Saggy pants are a disgrace to the community. When you wear your pants on the ground, you look like a fool, and it pulls down people, churches, schools, education and jobs."
"Braxton Family Values" star Tamar Braxton is a mansion-flipping GODDESS ... just two years after buying her massive L.A. home, she unloaded the palatial digs for a $3.5 MILLION PROFIT.
Toni Braxton's lil sis bought the 11,700-sqaure-foot crib in Hidden Hills, CA with her husband -- bigwig record producer Vincent Herbert -- back in 2011 for $3.4 million. They listed the house in Oct. 2012.
Now for the kicker, the couple -- which just welcomed a newborn baby -- sold the pad earlier this year for ... wait for it ... $6.9 million!!!
Fun Fact -- the home is just a stone's throw from Justin Bieber's private community in Calabasas!
So far, no word on where the couple plans to live next.
Chalk up a victory for Charlie Sheen ... 'cause Selma Blair has officially been 86'd from "Anger Management."
TMZ broke the story ... Sheen personally fired Blair over the weekend after hearing that she was complaining about his work ethic behind his back.
Sheen then went to producers and issued an ultimatum -- get rid of Selma ... or I quit.
Seems producers sided with Charlie -- 'cause Lionsgate, the studio behind the show, just released a statement saying, "We are confirming that Selma Blair will not be returning to Anger Management and we wish her the very best."
Mariah Carey is either a 6 or a 10 on the hot scale depending on which photo you're looking at from her Italian vacation. Not that we're complaining about bikini pics.
"Terminator 2" star Edward Furlong has just been charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend and threatening her if she called the police ... TMZ has learned.
We broke the story ... 35-year-old Furlong was arrested inside his ex's West Hollywood home back in May on suspicion of violating a protective order she had obtained against him.
According to law enforcement, Furlong is accused of assaulting his ex during the incident, which is where the assault charge stems from.
In addition, Furlong has been charged with dissuading a witness by force or threat, as well as vandalism -- for allegedly damaging her laptop and photo equipment during the dispute. All the charges are felonies.
Furlong has also been charged with disobeying a domestic restraining order ... a misdemeanor.
If convicted, Furlong faces up to 4 years in state prison. He's due back in court July 1.
Legendary songwriter Diane Warren -- who wrote pretty much every hit song you've ever heard -- tells TMZ, it took her 56 years to reach the highest point of her career ... when Snoop Dogg got her blitzed out of her mind on some serious sticky icky.
Diane -- whose hits include Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart" and Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" -- recently wrote Snoop's new song "The Good Good" ... and when they recorded it at the studio, Diane says they got high as kites together.
The best part of the video is when Diane's friends tell her not to talk about the weed session on camera ... and she blows 'em off saying -- "I don't care, I'm not running for office. I don't give a f**k."
It's pretty hilarious ... Diane's got a great sense of humor ... watch the clip.
Millionaire choke artist Charles Saatchi -- the guy who says he was only "playfully" strangling his wife in public last week -- surfaced in London today for a dinner date with himself.
Saatchi has been hounded by the U.K. media ever since photos surfaced showing the ad mogul getting a little too hands on with his celebrity chef wife Nigella Lawson.
But today, Saatchi arrived solo to the the swanky 34 Restaurant in London.
With Lawson reportedly out of town -- and far from Saatchi's grip -- looks like the only thing he'll be choking in the near future is his own chicken.
A popular porn star who appeared in the movie "Buttman's Stretch Class #4" is suing the male lead (Buttman) ... claiming he failed to disclose that he was HIV positive before they shot sex scenes.
The woman behind the lawsuit is Katie Summers -- real name Katherine Howard -- who claims she was paid to appear in the film back in 2009 ... and the role involved sexual interaction with John Stagliano (aka Buttman).
In Katie's lawsuit, filed in L.A. County Superior Court and obtained by TMZ, the porn star claims Stagliano had known he was HIV positive since 1997 ... but failed to disclose that information before they shot their sex scenes for the movie.
FYI -- Stagliano has been open about his condition for years.
Still, Katie claims she didn't find out about Stagliano's condition until 2012 ... 3 years after they shot the movie.
In her suit, Summers does not say if she is HIV positive.
Summers is suing for negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and sexual battery. She's also suing John's production company -- Evil Angel Productions -- which produced the flick.
Summers is suing for unspecified damages -- and wants a judge to hit Evil Angel with an injunction forbidding the company from continuing to produce movies with Stagliano unless it discloses his condition to others.
Mary J. Blige is being sued for allegedly bailing on a concert in Dallas last December -- and according to the lawsuit, it's kinda Mick Jagger's fault.
A promotional company called Vision Entertainment Worldwide has sued Mary J. and her production company, claiming the singer agreed to perform in Dallas on December 9th, 2012 ... but canceled just a few days beforehand.
VEW claims it paid Mary a $145,000 deposit to appear ... and she never paid back the money, despite pulling the plug on the show.
VEW claims Blige blew them off because she got a better opportunity to perform at the Barclays Center with Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones on December 8th ... and she took it.
VEW is now suing for breach of contract and more -- demanding at least $145,000 in damages.
Blige's publicist Karynne Tencer tells TMZ, "Mary J did not breach any contract for a Dallas concert last December. Any claim to the contrary is false."
Sad news for "Terminator 3" star Nick Stahl -- TMZ has learned, the actor was placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold last night after being taken to an L.A. hospital.
Sources tell us, Stahl -- who has long struggled with drugs, alcohol, and other personal issues -- was transported to the medical facility around 3:30 AM this morning by a friend ... it's unclear why.
Details about circumstances of the psychiatric hold are also unclear.
It's a huge bummer ... we spoke to Stahl just last month, and he told us he was finally focused on turning his life around.
NOTE: Poll results are not scientific and reflect the opinions of only those users who chose to participate. Poll results are not reflected in real time.
NOTE: Poll results are not scientific and reflect the opinions of only those users who chose to participate. Poll results are not reflected in real time.
NOTE: Poll results are not scientific and reflect the opinions of only those users who chose to participate. Poll results are not reflected in real time.
Ex-NFL star Chad Johnson was scolded for taking his domestic violence case lightly in court ... and now we have photos of his ex-wife Evelyn Lozada's face after the crime. It's a harsh reminder of how serious it was. Is Chad getting the message?Plus, rapper J. Cole is the…
![Evelyn Lozada's Bloody Head Gash After Chad Johnson Fight [PHOTOS]](http://ll-media.tmz.com/2013/06/18/0618-evelyn-injuries-launch-117x81.jpg)
Chris Brown is firing back at the City of L.A. -- claiming the gov. has NO RIGHT to force him to remove the graffiti art on the front of his L.A. home because it's protected by the 1st Amendment. 
Two important things -- 1) "Pants on the Ground" auteur General Larry Platt is STILL ALIVE!!! ... and 2) He absolutely loves the new saggy pants ban in New Jersey.
Millionaire choke artist Charles Saatchi -- the guy who says he was only "playfully" strangling his wife in public last week -- surfaced in London today for a dinner date with himself. 
A popular porn star who appeared in the movie "Buttman's Stretch Class #4" is suing the male lead (Buttman) ... claiming he failed to disclose that he was HIV positive before they shot sex scenes. 
Sad news for "Terminator 3" star Nick Stahl -- TMZ has learned, the actor was placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold last night after being taken to an L.A. hospital.
