Drugs & Alcohol

A California appeals court just formally and forever shut down Conrad Murray's contention ... Michael Jackson killed himself by self-injecting that fatal dose of Propofol.

Murray had appealed his manslaughter conviction with a kitchen sink of arguments, including MJ accidentally offing himself. The California Court of Appeal has ruled ... Murray's theories are just that -- theories. The court went on to say the evidence was plentiful ... that he did the deed.

The judges noted incredulously ... Murray's fingerprints were all over the Propofol bottle and they said he acted like a guilty man when cops showed up ... by lying to them. They also zeroed in on Murray cleaning up the scene after the fact.

Even though Murray has served his sentence ... the appeal was important. If he won he could have made a credible pitch to regain his medical license.

Lloyd's of London has dropped its claim that it doesn't have to honor a huge insurance policy on grounds it was never told Michael Jackson was a drug addict ... and we've learned Lloyd's has now agreed to a payout.

Lloyd's filed a lawsuit claiming it did NOT have to honor the policy it issued to cover losses from the failed "This Is It" tour. Lloyd's felt it had been deceived because no one ever disclosed Michael had serious drug problems.

The case just settled and we know ... Lloyd's has paid something to settle. We're told it's not the full $17.5 mil under the policy. We do not know the amount ... just that it forked over money.

The reason a payout is so important -- Lloyd's essentially folded on its fraud claim.

There must be something in the water in Sherwood, Arkansas -- TMZ has learned, another star from TLC's "Cheer Perfection" reality show has just been arrested ... this time for drug possession.

As we reported, one of the show's moms Andrea Clevenger was just arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly raping a 13-year-old boy.

Now, less than a day later, Cheer Time Revolution co-owner Ronald Dunlap has been arrested for marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the Sherwood police report, Dunlap and CTR coach Ryan Dahl (who doesn't appear on the show) were popped around 1AM this morning after an officer claims he found them inside Dahl's car, which reeked of pot.

When confronted, the officer claims Dunlap and Dahl 'fessed up to smoking weed and were placed under arrest. The officer claims he also found a glass pipe in the vehicle. Dunlap has since been released. Dahl is still in custody.

Ronald's wife and CTR co-owner Alisha Dunlap is NOT happy either -- she tells us, Ronald and Ryan are both currently suspended from the gym, which has a zero tolerance drug policy.

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.

The former "Black Ink Crew" receptionist who claims in a lawsuit she was roofied on the show is a DRUNK and a LIAR ... so says the owner of the tattoo shop.

TMZ broke the story ... Alex Estevez sued producers of the VH1 reality show, claiming someone connected with production roofied her on the set back in 2012. She says she blacked out and acted the fool, but producers made her look even worse in the editing ... she thinks she came off as a slut.

But shop owner Ceaser -- whom Alex tried to seduce during the episode in question -- isn't buying it ... telling us, Alex was 100% under the influence of alcohol and nothing else ... and it was her own doing

He adds, "Ain't no one give her s**t. She was drunk off Henny. You can see from her behavior no one gave her any drugs, or tried to make her anything she's not."

As for the slut allegation, Ceaser says, "You don't have to give a slut drugs to do what she naturally does."

Justin Bieber learned a hard (boiled) lesson -- cracking eggs on a neighbor's house ... makes cops scramble ... and gets your friends busted. For drugs.

But if ya love puns ... egg raids can be fun! For everyone but Lil Za.

Police now believe the powdered drug they confiscated at Justin Bieber's house -- allegedly belonging to Lil Za -- may NOT be cocaine ... they think it's probably Molly ... a form of Ecstasy.

Law enforcement sources tell us, they're testing the drug right now and should have results shortly.

In addition to the white stuff, we're told police also found Xanax ... which they believe belonged to Za as well.

If Za was in possession of Molly (MDMA), less is on the line than if it were cocaine.

Cocaine could land him in prison for 3 years, but punishment for MDMA is much less, about 1 year.

2:55 PM PT -- Police now believe it's probably NOT cocaine, but Molly ... a form of ecstasy.

Justin Bieber's BFF Lil Za has just been arrested for COCAINE POSSESSION at the singer's home -- during the early morning raid stemming from the Bieber egg attack on his neighbor.

A rep for the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. confirmed the arrest for FELONY drug possession ... and said the cocaine was "in plain view" during the raid. Officials say Bieber was "not connected" to the cocaine.

Za's bail has been set $20,000. He is still in custody.

Lil Za is a rapper who once lived at Bieber's Calabasas home ... and he's been tight with JB for years.

Eleven L.A. County Sheriff's patrol cars descended on Bieber's house this morning to execute a search warrant in connection with Bieber's egg-throwing incident last week outside his neighbor's home ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

Sources tell us ... deputies are looking for any evidence that links Bieber to the egg assault.

We're told this is a FELONY search warrant -- meaning Justin is under a microscope for a crime that could land him in prison.

A Sheriff's official told us they were NOT looking for eggs in Justin's house, but another law enforcement source said cops were searching for anything that was relevant to the egg incident, including eggs and possibly video.

Sheriff's deputies have looked at TMZ's video of the incident and believe Justin has surveillance video that might have captured the egging. We're told deputies dismantled Justin's security system and took it during the search.

By the way ... looking for other eggs may sound silly, but it isn't. There could be some sort of identifier that links what's in Justin's fridge to the broken eggs outside.

Here's the thing ... If in the course of the search cops find something illegal -- like drugs -- it's fair game.

We're told there's a battering ram at the scene.

You know you're a redneck if ... you swear to give up drinking Jim Beam and Maker's Mark for selling the company to a Japanese liquor brand -- which is exactly what comedian Ron White is doing.

The "Blue Collar Comedy" legend tells TMZ ... he's vowing to NEVER DRINK Jim Beam or Maker's Mark again -- after Beam Inc. (which distributes both) announced Monday it'd be selling the company to Suntory in Japan.

Ron explains, "It’s a goddamn shame! There’s not too many things American these days…hot dogs maybe, and bourbon. But them selling outside the United States is disappointing."

Jennifer Lawrence is a GREAT actress ... 'cause she ACTED like she wasn't hungover at the Golden Globes -- despite getting TRASHED the night before.

The 23-year-old -- who won Best Supporting Actress -- was actually TOO sober for her own good during her acceptance speech. She said afterwords she wished she had boozed it up beforehand to calm her nerves.

A finalist from "America's Next Top Model" was arrested Saturday morning in Hollywood -- after she got a little too swervy on the road, and got busted for suspicion of driving drunk ... TMZ has learned.

Season 19 runner-up Kiara Belen was driving in Hollywood when an LAPD officer observed her driving erratically, and pulled her over ... according to law enforcement sources.

The cop administered a field sobriety test ... and we're told Kiara performed poorly -- so she was hauled off to jail and booked for suspicion of DUI ... and someone bailed her out a few hours later.

Here's Tyra Banks' reaction to Kiara's arrest ... most likely.

If award shows were actually awesome ... Emma Thompson would be the totally boozed up presenter at all of 'em -- just like she appeared to be at the Golden Globes tonight.

Emma lazily carried her shoes on stage, along with a martini, while doling out the award for "Best Screenplay" -- and the 54-year-old celeb struggled to keep to it together through her rambling ... yet entertaining presentation.

The champagne she downed on the red carpet probably helped too.

Former "Survivor" runner-up Jessica Kiper was busted for DWI Saturday in New Orleans ... so she did what any other drunk fame-monger would do -- she snapped a selfie in the cop car.

Jessica -- who finished 3rd on Season 17 (and later appeared on "Celebrity Rehab") -- allegedly plowed into the back of another vehicle parked outside of a local high school.

Cops say Jessica was clearly hammered, so she was arrested and taken to the back of a squad car ... where she managed to snap a selfie. She was later taken to jail where she was booked and eventually released.

But the next day, Jessica posted the selfie along with a rambling caption making fun of the situation ... saying, "In my 8 hours [in jail] I made my weakest cell mate my bitch."

She added, "#survivor was worse. Crossing this off my bucket list. #wakeupcall."

Jessica also predicted, "My mugshot is going to be as bad as my yearbook photos."

Here's the mug shot -- her yearbook pics must be pretty bad.

David Cassidy was arrested Friday night for driving drunk ... TMZ has learned.

David had just exited the 405 freeway in LA when cops say they saw him make an illegal right onto a surface street ... this according to law enforcement sources.

The cop approached the vehicle and says he smelled alcohol. He ordered David out of the car and administered a field sobriety test ... which David flunked.

To make matters worse, David blew .19 ... more than twice the legal limit.

Cassidy was hauled off to jail, booked for driving under the influence and released hours later.

If this sounds like the same old song ... it is. David was arrested last year in New York for DUI ... as well as once in Florida back in 2010.

Tami Erin -- the actress who played Pippi Longstocking -- has just been charged with 4 crimes in connection with her insane DUI arrest last year ... when she allegedly smashed into 3 cars before cops finally put her in cuffs.

TMZ broke the story ... Pippi was popped in L.A. for felony DUI and hit-and-run back in December. Cops claim she hit one car, drove off, hit another, drove off again, then finally hit a third ... and one person had to be taken to the hospital.

When cops finally found Tami, they gave her a field sobriety test and placed her under arrest. One source said she was completely out of it. Cops say she also refused to give a blood alcohol test.

Now the L.A. City Attorney has officially filed charges against the actress: 1 count of DUI with a refusal, 2 counts of hit-and-run, and 1 count of failure to provide proof of insurance.

7:15 AM -- Amanda was just granted the ACD -- as we told you she would be -- and her next progress report was set for June. So, 6 months of good behavior ... and she's good to go.

Amanda Bynes has effectively BEAT THE RAP in her criminal case ... where she stands accused of throwing a bong out of her NYC apartment window.

Cops had claimed they came to Amanda's unit after getting complaints from neighbors she was smoking weed. Cops say they smelled weed in her unit and before they could do anything she threw a bong out the window.

Amanda -- who said she threw a flower vase and not a bong -- was charged with marijuana possession, evidence tampering and reckless endangerment.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the case will be resolved tomorrow in court. Here's what will happen. The case will be put on ice. Amanda will NOT enter a plea. If she keeps her nose clean and continues her therapy for the next 6 months, the charges will be formally DISMISSED and the case will be sealed. The fancy legal term -- Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal.

One reason the case is essentially being dropped ... cops didn't retrieve the glass for days, which means there's no proof what they eventually found was thrown by Amanda. Our TMZ producer spotted the broken glass first, which looked like a bong, but the evidence was contaminated by weather, time and cigarette butts.

We contacted Amanda's lawyer, Gerald Shargel, but he had no comment.

Flavor Flav was arrested today in Hempstead, NY in a bizarre bust ... triggered by the fact Flav had 16 suspensions on his license -- yes, 16.

According to cops ... Flav was driving a black Hyundai when cops spotted him ... claiming he was driving 79 in a 55 zone.

Upon further investigation ... troopers discovered Flav had 16 license suspensions. Law enforcement tells TMZ ... Flav had a variety of unpaid tickets that resulted in the suspensions. In addition, they found a small amount of marijuana.

Flav was arrested for felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle. He was booked, released without bail and went on to attend his mother's funeral.