Developing Stories

Tito Jackson is accused of single handedly torpedoing a Michael Jackson tribute concert last year -- and now the guy behind the show is looking to settle the score.

A concert promoter named Roy Isaac has fired off a letter to Tito -- demanding he return a $7,500 deposit Tito was allegedly paid for a concert in Michigan -- a concert that never happened.

Isaac tells TMZ the whole thing fell apart, in part, because Tito refused to do any press for the show.

Now, Isaac has told Tito that he wants his money back -- in 30 days -- or else he'll sue.

Tito's rep tells TMZ that Tito never got the money and Isaac's beef should be with Jackson's former booking agent.

The "Jersey Shore" cast will all be paid the same for season 2 of the MTV show, sources connected with the negotiations tell TMZ.

We're told it was important the producers wanted to avoid infighting among the cast ... at least on the subject of money -- so Pauly D, The Situation, Snooki and the gang will all be paid exactly the same.

As we first reported, the cast negotiated their deals like the cast of "Friends" -- either they all got paid the same ... or nobody got paid.

We already posted that Vinnie took the $10,000 per episode offer, so we're assuming the price was right for the rest of the cast as well.

A rep for MTV had no comment.

State police responded to an alarm at the Litchfield Bancorp building in Salisbury, CT at 9:40 PM last night. Police say they found Torn "with a loaded revolver" and he was "highly intoxicated."

Law enforcement sources tell us Torn gained access through a broken window, which they believe Torn broke himself.

Torn was taken to the Troop B barracks in North Canaan and is being held on $100,000 bond.

Cops say Torn was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, carrying a firearm while intoxicated, first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal trespass and third-degree criminal mischief.

According to the Register Citizen, he is scheduled to appear in court on February 1.

Brittany Murphy's death investigation has taken a mysterious turn -- the L.A. County Coroner's Office is now trying to fill in some critical gaps in her medical history ... sources tell TMZ.

We've learned Brittany was suffering from severe anemia and other conditions and was under a doctor's care. The Coroner's Office received medical files from her doctor ... but they show her last visit was months before her death.

We're told the pathologist assigned to the case has been told by Murphy's friends and family that other doctors treated Murphy during her final months. The Coroner's Office is looking for the other doctors to determine her medical condition leading up to her death.

The pathologist also wants to know what medications may have been prescribed by the other doctors.

The toxicology report is not completed. Once the report reveals the drugs in Brittany Murphy's system at the time of her death, the Coroner's staff will then determine if the medications were prescribed to Brittany or, possibly, someone else.

As we first reported, investigators found numerous medications in Murphy's home after her death -- medications prescribed to Murphy, Simon Monjack, Brittany's mother Sharon Murphy and "unidentified third party names."

We're told the Coroner will not release the cause of death for weeks.

Joe Jackson is trying to force UCLA to hand over all of their medical records on Michael Jackson -- because daddy is looking to sue whoever is responsible for killing his son ... according to documents obtained by TMZ.

TMZ has obtained documents that Joe filed Friday in L.A. County Superior Court -- in which he claims, "The UCLA records will permit [Joe] to determine with medical experts and then present to this court, how much support [Joe] needs to pay for the prosecution of his wrongful death action against those responsible for his son's death."

Michael was transported to UCLA on June 25, 2009 -- where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Joe says in the documents that Michael was already dead when he arrived at UCLA so there is no physician-patient privilege for a dead man.

Joe Jackson filed the papers in the Michael Jackson estate case -- responding to the Estate's opposition to Joe's motion for Michael's medical records. Joe claims the estate has refused to file a wrongful death lawsuit on his behalf and it is costing him money.

According to his legal docs, Joe thinks the medical records will show what really happened to Michael, and that will help Joe determine how much he'd be able to collect from those responsible for Michael's death.

UPDATE: Howard Weitzman, lawyer for Michael Jackson's estate, tells TMZ, "The estate continues to believe Joe Jackson's claims are not well taken and he should not have access to Michael's medical records."

Our sources tell TMZ that members of the D.A.'s office -- including Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley -- have already met about filing a criminal case against Dr. Murray.

Members of the LAPD still have not met with the D.A. to present the case, however, our sources say the deputy D.A. assigned to the case -- David Walgren -- has worked closely with LAPD detectives on the case, is intimately familiar with the investigation, has all the LAPD investigative notes and has already briefed Cooley and others in the office.

We're told Dr. Murray could be charged with involuntary manslaughter as early as next week.

Rewind to January 4 in Miami. Tyrese was involved in a car crash with Sheena McCleary. The cops came and took info from both drivers. Both Tyrese and Sheena were cited for the accident. Sheena -- who claims she was injured -- drove away in a cab with Tyrese.

Now fast forward to January 25. For some reason, Miami police

to both Tyrese and Sheena for "Leaving the scene on public or private property - injury" - a felony.

So how could Tyrese have committed such a felony when there are photos of him talking to cops at the accident scene? That's what his lawyers, Jayne Weintraub and Jon Sale, want to know. They filed papers Thursday with court clerks and entered a not guilty plea on Tyrese's behalf.

Miami prosecutors must now decide whether to pursue the case against Tyrese and Sheena. Weintraub and Sale think it must just be a clerical snafu.

Ironically, paparazzi handiwork may be Tyrese's smoking gun.

Sheena's lawyer, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ he doesn't believe there's probable cause to go forward with the case.

Michael Lohan was arrested again today after another incident involving his ex girlfriend Erin Muller -- and once again, the phone is the central issue.

According to Erin's attorney Bryan Konoski, Lindsay Lohan's father allegedly called Erin at work on January 21 -- a violation of Erin's restraining order against him.

Nassau County Police Department tells TMZ Michael was arrested today and booked for criminal contempt.

If this sounds familiar ... Michael was arrested back in December for the exact same thing.

Mike is due in court on February 25.

We're told several people were in a taxi cab with Helms and Jericho when things allegedly got violent around 4 AM yesterday.

Cops say they spoke to several members of the group who told them Helms struck three people -- including Jericho, a man named Gary Kelley and a female passenger named Ashley Storer.

Witnesses told cops Helms ran from the scene right after the violent incident but returned to the gas station soon after, where he -- along with Jericho -- was arrested for being drunk in public.

Cops say Helms was not arrested for the alleged attack because the alleged victims have not pressed charges -- a requirement for an arrest in Kentucky if the police do not witness the attack.

Ashley told cops she did not want to file charges against Helms -- but Kelley told police he's mulling it over and may go after the wrestler.

Ronnie and J-WOWW have accepted MTV's offer. A well-placed MTV source tells TMZ the network is drawing a hard line at the close of business tomorrow -- the rest of the cast members must either accept the offer or MTV replaces them.

Earlier in the week we told you MTV's original deadline was Monday night -- but the network continued negotiations and now they say it's do or die.

The money is from an unclaimed interest fund earned from either a joint property the ex-couple sold back in Louisiana, or some shared income tax filed several years ago. The government's just waiting for Brit and K-Fed to step forward and say it's theirs.

But here's the point -- because the refund is jointly owned, K-Fed and Brit Brit will have to figure out how to divide up their surprise loot.

UPDATE: Warner Bros. just gave us the following statement: "Any claim that Warner Bros. Pictures was somehow responsible for Brittany Murphy's tragic death is demonstrably false, reprehensible, and defamatory. Despite press reports to the contrary, Warner Bros. Pictures and Ms. Murphy never entered into any deal for "Happy Feet 2," and thus, there was not a contract to cancel."

Brittany Murphy's husband, Simon Monjack, says Warner Bros. is responsible for the death of his wife and he plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the company.

Monjack told The Daily Beast Murphy was devastated after reportedly losing a role in the sequel to "Happy Feet." Monjack believes losing the movie caused Murphy to have a heart attack.

The L.A. County Coroner has not released the cause of death.

Before the "Happy Feet" setback, Brittany Murphy had been fired from the film, "The Caller," shot in Puerto Rico. There were numerous reports about her erratic behavior on the set.

Monjack said, "Warner Brothers relied on conjecture and hearsay about the Puerto Rico film for why they canceled Brittany's role in Happy Feet."

Monjack reportedly is days away from filing suit. Warner Bros. has no comment.

UPDATE: The producers of "The Caller" tell TMZ "The decision for Brittany to leave the film was mutual and amicable, and was in fact related to a serious illness in Brittany's family. Any rumors to the contrary are false, and in the circumstances, particularly hurtful."

TMZ has learned Reggie Bush's favorite asset will be hitting the town on Super Bowl weekend in a Vault XXL2 Limousine by Armor Horse -- which is a tank/limo hybrid built with composite ballistic panels and bullet-resistant windows.

And that's not all: Both doors on the limo are fitted with emergency gun ports -- so, whether the limo is rockin' or not ... it's best if you don't come a knockin'.

Brooke's lawyer, Yale Galanter, tells TMZ his client is "OK, not great ... I'm still very concerned about her."

Galanter says Brooke still has fluid in her lungs from the pneumonia that landed her in the hospital last week.

Doctors have said Brooke cannot fly anywhere until the fluid in her lungs clears up. She's supposed to attend the hearing in Aspen on February 8.

Galanter acknowledges Brooke and Charlie cannot communicate with each other now that she is out of the hospital ... because of the protective order.

Yes, it's true -- Obama is a fan. He didn't blame it on his daughters. He owned it.

Barack Obama -- a "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" lover? Even Khloe was speechless.

James -- who's married to Sandra Bullock -- posted an alert on his Twitter page, begging anyone who may come across the "Fawn Pit Bull" to return her to Jesse's West Coast Choppers bike shop.

We're told the dog was last seen wearing a pink collar ... so keep your eyes peeled Long Beach!