CELEBRITY JUSTICE ™

Richie Sambora had a heated phone call with his ex-gf Nikki Lund about their failing business deal -- but he never threatened to bury her in the desert ... according to Sambora's rep.

The former Bon Jovi guitarist acknowledges talking to Nikki last month about the clothing line they own together ... Nikki Rich. His rep says Richie told her he was backing out of the business because he was hemorrhaging money -- having lost $4 million on the venture.

Lund tells a different story. Earlier this week, she filed a report with the L.A. County Sheriff's department claiming Sambora threatened to "dig a hole in the desert and bury" her during the phone call. Deputies are now investigating.

According to Sambora's rep ... Lund was the one attacking Richie on the phone that day. He claims she was pissed off because Richie had skipped a recent L.A. fashion show for the clothing line, and she really lost it when Richie reiterated he was pulling his financial backing.

The rep says Richie remained calm, and even offered to pay all Nikki Rich employees 3 months of severance ... but claims she just got more and more angry.

Shaquille O'Neal was way out of line when he took an Instagram potshot at an innocent guy's face -- but he's still gonna get away without paying the guy a cent ... according to a Michigan judge.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ Sports ... the lawsuit filed last summer by Jahmel Binion just got dismissed because of a jurisdictional technicality.

We broke the story ... Binion sued Shaq and rapper Waka Flocka Flame for defamation after they posted his pic with captions making fun of his face. Binion has a disorder that causes facial deformities and limited hair growth.

Based on the docs, it's clear the judge thinks Shaq was a jerk for doing this. He calls Shaq's comments, "highly offensive." The problem for Binion is he filed the suit in Michigan federal court and since Shaq has no residence or business dealings in Michigan ... he can't be dragged to court there.

9:55 AM PT -- Katherine's attorney, Perry Sanders, says, "Mrs. Jackson adamantly denies that she was advised of any sort of sexual harassment before Ms. Chase was relieved of her duties." He adds, "Sometimes people are discharged for one reason and wrongly think it is for a different reason. At any rate, a full investigation is underway and I suspect we have a misunderstanding that hopefully gets cleared up soon."

Michael Jackson's former chef claims while she was cookin' for Katherine Jackson's family, her nephew sexually harassed her, and when the cook asked for some kitchen aid, Katherine blew her off ... and now she's threatening a lawsuit.

You may recall Kai Chase ... she was in MJ's home the day he died and made the rounds on TV in the months that followed. Kai took a cooking job with Katherine in 2012 for $96k a year.

She says it didn't go well, because Trent Jackson, Katherine's nephew and confidante, was a real horndog. She claims he would approach her from behind and make grunting sounds, whisper sexual remarks in her ear, stare her up and down in a sexual manner, and sit in front of her in the kitchen with his legs open in a sexually suggestive manner.

Kai, who sent a demand letter to Katherine last month for money, claims she complained to the matriarch, and Katherine first apologized but then pooh-poohed her complaints, asking Kai to just tolerate Trent.

Kai claims in her letter she was fired shortly after she complained, and she was given a lame reason ... she "did not appear happy."

"Dallas" star Charlene Tilton says her Burbank apartment has been overrun by 20 sweaty dudes with jackhammers, and it's driving her crazy.

Tilton, who played Lucy Ewing on the show, claims in a new lawsuit she plunked down $2,600 a month for a nice Burbank apartment, but her peace was shattered when the landlord broke ground on a 3-month construction project, which involved several weeks of breaking concrete.

Charlene claims her building is now a living hell. She can't use the pool or gym, the elevator doesn't work half the time, she can't open the windows because of ear-shattering noise, and the dust is unbearable.

The 56-year-old actress says she's suffered extreme emotional distress and wouldn't wish the apartment on her worst enemy ... which we're guessing would be the photographer on the soap.

Charlene believes the apartment is unlivable, so she's suing for rent she paid during construction and all sorts of other damages, including emotional distress.

The landlord tells TMZ, he's tried to work with Charlene and even offered a discount in rent, but they just can't reach an agreement.

A member of a Latin musical group claims Kanye West and Damon Dash shamelessly ripped him off by stealing the group's name and tarnishing it to boot, and now he's taking them to court.

"Loisaidas" is a Latin musical duo that's been kicking around NYC since 2008. "Loisaidas" -- a slang term for the Lower East Side -- is also the name of a new movie executive produced by Kanye and Damon.

Kanye and Damon just recently reunited after their days together at the old Roc-A-Fella Records, and they decided to collaborate on the movie.

"Loisaidas" singer Michael Medina believes the movie tarnishes his brand because it promotes murder, violence, and drug sales.

Garry Shandling could be in serious trouble for allegedly failing to do the simplest thing ... leaving a note behind after backing into a parked car.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Shandling was at the Will Rogers State Park in the Pacific Palisades a few weeks back when he backed his Porsche into a parked Prius.

Our sources say a witness told police Shandling got out of his car, took a photo of the Prius, and then took off without leaving his info for the other driver.

The Prius driver filed a report with police and they are now investigating.

Vanilla Ice won't serve any jail time for stealing a pool heater and other stuff from a Florida home ... but there are strings attached.

Ice's lawyers, Bradford Cohen and Joe LoRusso, worked some magic and got the prosecutor to agree to dismiss the felony charges, provided the rapper keeps his nose clean for 9 months.

Ice was charged with stealing a bicycle, a pool heater, furniture and other stuff from a home near the house he was renovating. He told cops the stuff was on the curb ... but his foreman ratted him out and told police the stuff was actually inside the house. Oops.

Nonetheless ... Ice was ordered to pay $1,300 in restitution and do 100 hours of community service with Habitat for Humanity. Once he does all of that and 9 months pass, his record is wiped clean.

Anything less than the best is a felony ... unless you have good legal representation.

Darren Sharper has touched down in New Orleans ... where prosecutors say he's expected to plead guilty to multiple counts of rape next week.

Sharper had been locked up in L.A. for more than a year -- but officials allowed him to travel to N.O. so he could appear in court for drug charges on Monday and rape charges on Tuesday.

First, the rape case ... as we previously reported, the former NFL star cut a deal with prosecutors where he'll be sentenced to 20 years in Louisiana for raping 3 women, but will only serve 9 of those years behind bars.

Sharper will get credit for the remaining 11 years while free on parole and probation.

As for the drugs ... Sharper is scheduled to appear in federal court on Monday to face charges that he illegally distributed drugs with "the intent to commit a crime of violence, that is rape."

Harvey Weinstein was not in a talking mood Wednesday night ... in the wake of the allegation he groped a model.

The Weinstein Company honcho was leaving a building in NYC when our photog asked how he was doing. 22-year-old Ambra Battilana has told cops he invited her to his office and then grabbed her breasts and groped her. Weinstein has denied he did anything wrong.

The Italian model has made similar claims against other men in the past.

The stepchildren of the woman who was killed in the Bruce Jenner car crash are gearing up for a wrongful death lawsuit, TMZ has learned, and what's especially interesting is that we're told they had virtually no relationship with their stepmom.

Kim Howe was driving her Lexus on Pacific Coast Highway on February 7th when Bruce slammed into her, sending her car careening into the lane of oncoming traffic where a Hummer demolished her car.

Howe has no direct relatives. Her husband died in 2003, and it appears her parents are deceased as well as other immediate blood relatives.

Kim does have 2 grown stepkids, neither of whom live in California. We spoke with people who were extremely close to Kim who tell us she had "virtually no relationship" with either stepchild.

Nonetheless, were told both stepchildren have lawyered up, because they're the only remaining people who have a legal right to file a wrongful death lawsuit. In California, stepchildren have legal standing to sue, even if they were estranged from the stepparent.

Sources tell us, the lawyer for one of the stepchildren has already asked his client to find as many pictures and other evidence showing some relationship between himself and Kim ... presumably to help establish damages in the lawsuit.

One thing we know ... the stepchildren will not inherit Kim's property. We're told she has a trust with millions in assets that are earmarked for charity. And there's a will with a modest amount -- $55k -- that also benefits various animal charities, including, PETA, Lange Foundation, PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society), Doris Day Animal League and The Elephant Sanctuary of Tennessee.

Jeremy Renner was finally able to put an end to the weirdest custody/support battle in recent memory ... his estranged wife has agreed to a settlement, which Jeremy was willing to do all along.

The settlement includes both custody and child support involving their 2-year-old daughter Ava.

Under the terms of the settlement ... Jeremy will share 50/50 custody with Sonni Pacheco. She'll get $13k a month for child support. She gets no spousal support -- the marriage lasted only 10 months and there was a prenup.

Sonni's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said in court Wednesday there could be more issues, but Jeremy's lawyer, Laura Wasser, rolled her eyes to the judge and said the case was fully resolved.

Rich Homie Quan says he couldn't have beat a Miami security guard senseless, and he has the perfect alibi -- he was getting wasted.

RHQ gave us the ole Shaggy defense ("It wasn't me") at LAX Wednesday afternoon ... and while he's certain he had nothing to do with the attack that left Christian Cajigas a bloody mess outside LIV Nightclub -- he may want to get his story straight.

Watch the clip, and listen closely ... Quan talks about the infamous getaway yacht -- but he seems confused about exactly when and why he was on it ... during the night in question.

The devil is in the details, RHQ.

The Game got slapped with much more than a foul for socking a basketball opponent -- 'cause the hoops league just suspended the rapper until cops and the D.A. decide his fate.

TMZ Sports broke the story -- the rap star walloped a player during a game in Hollywood Sunday. The punchee turned out to be an off-duty cop, and Game claims the guy threatened him with gun play.

We spoke to Jester Black, director of the JBL Basketball League and he tells us Game is persona non grata ... for the time being. He says, "I spoke to Game and told him that as of now his team can participate, but he can't be on the court until the investigation is done."

Black says Game can't even put his ass on the bench or participate in team huddles -- but he can watch from the stands.

Rap mogul Damon Dash's ex-wife had the cops waiting for him at his house because her kid has been AWOL from school ... and she claims there's a more serious issue ... he's an abusive stoner with a history of domestic violence.

According to court docs ... Dash's ex, fashion designer Rachel Roy, wants his visitation rights taken away because she says he's an unfit father to daughters Ava and Tallulah.

Damon says she's using the kids as pawns and this is some kind of power play on his ex's part, but he's not specific as to what he believes she wants from him. He posted video showing the LAPD waiting for him last week, saying this is all just harassment on her part.

Roy makes other claims as well in her docs, saying Dash kidnapped their daughter from a nail salon. He says she's ridiculous because he's her dad and it's not kidnapping.

One of Darren Sharper's ex-college teammates is "appalled" that his alma mater William & Mary has NOT removed him from the school's hall of fame after Sharper's rape conviction ... and he's demanding action, asap.

We spoke with former lineman Josh Beyer -- who was inducted into the W&M hall of fame the same year as Sharper ... after playing alongside the guy back in the '90s.

Beyer tells TMZ Sports he's shocked to learn that Sharper is still enshrined after everything that was revealed in the rape investigation ... and that Sharper's continued association sullies the integrity of the university.

"I'm appalled. His name should be removed from everything representing the university right now," Beyer says.

"You have to think of the bigger picture, being associated with something like that affects everything from recruiting to sponsorships. It's not worth it."

Bad news/good news for Tyga -- he got served with legal papers during his big sneaker unveiling Tuesday night, but the guy who served him bought two pair!

Tyga was hit while revealing his new kicks for L.A. Gear at Shiekh Shoes in Hollywood.

You gotta give the process server credit ... he stood in line for more than two hours, bought two pairs of kicks at $120 a pop, had them autographed ... and that's when he hit Tyga with the papers. To add insult to injury ... the guy even got a pic with Tyga!

The process server wouldn't get into what the papers were for, just saying that apparently Tyga owes someone money.