Exclusives

Dr. Conrad Murray is one step closer to being charged in the death of Michael Jackson after yet another top level meeting in the L.A. County District Attorney's Office last Friday -- this according to multiple law enforcement sources.

The way it was described to us: It was "a big meeting." D.A. Steve Cooley was on the list of attendees.

As we first reported, the D.A. is ready to charge Dr. Conrad Murray with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson and the case could be filed as early as this week.

The deputy D.A. assigned to the case -- David Walgren -- has all the LAPD's investigative notes, and the D.A. could charge Murray even without having the case formally presented by detectives.

Phil Harris -- the captain of the F/V Cornelia Marie on "Deadliest Catch" -- underwent a 12-hour emergency surgery last night ... and was put in a medically induced coma.

Harris suffered a stroke on Friday and was rushed to the hospital. According to a source close to the family, doctors put Harris in a coma to reduce brain swelling after the surgery.

We're told his sons Jake and Josh -- who are both deckhands on the F/V Cornelia Marie -- plan to speak with doctors today. The F/V Cornelia Marie is currently back out at sea -- minus Harris and his two sons.

Harris was off-loading his boat when the stroke hit and he was immediately airlifted to an Anchorage hospital -- where a Discovery rep says Harris "is resting comfortably and is in the care of excellent doctors and nurses."

"Jersey Shore" alleged cast member Angelina is far from being a sure thing for Season 2 -- even though she says she signed a new contract.

Sources involved in the negotiation tell TMZ that the contract Angelina signed is actually a holding deal -- meaning she's agreed to appear on the show, but MTV still has an option to exercise the contract -- or not.

Translation -- Angelina received a holding fee, but MTV can decide down the line whether they want her on the show. If they don't, Angelina will walk away with her holding money -- and that's it.

MTV -- smartly we might add -- is hedging its bet as they map out Season 2 production. The network might be interested in our TMZ poll -- 87% of our readers say they don't want Angelina back.

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.

Schneider might have gotten the license with plans to get married in the future -- but the rep says he "didn't share his plans."

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.

Think of all the nightmare scenarios that went through the minds of the cops who were called to Wes Craven's house on Thursday -- zombies, serial killers, swamp creatures, Eddie Murphy -- but alas, it was all for nothing.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the alarm at Craven's Hollywood Hills home went off Thursday. We're told when cops arrived, Craven had no clue the alarm had even gone off and the coast was completely clear.

Just to be safe, cops are looking to question an undead suspect who has a disfigured face, wears a red and dark green striped sweater with a brown fedora, and sports a metal-clawed brown leather glove.

Rip Torn is so in need of help, even the CEO of the bank he allegedly broke into on Friday night wants to see someone stage an intervention.

Torn was arrested after cops found him drunk inside a bank in Connecticut with a loaded revolver.

Mark E. Macomber, President/CEO of Litchfield Bancorp in Connecticut, tells TMZ no one was in the building at the time Torn allegedly broke in -- and the only damage was to the smashed window cops say was Torn's point of entry.

Macomber says he didn't believe Torn was trying to hurt anyone or steal anything. Macomber spoke to authorities in Connecticut who told him Torn was found lying on the floor. He said cops believe Torn thought he was in his own house.

He called the incident a "serious matter," but seemed to think Torn needed help with his alcohol problem more than anything else.

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. He is due in court on Monday.

UPDATE: As of Sunday morning, Rip Torn is still in custody.

Michael Madsen's swimming in some serious hot water -- all because he allegedly stiffed the guy who cleans his pool.

According to a lawsuit just filed in small claims court, the "Kill Bill" star stiffed a Malibu pool company out of $6,809.88 for work from November 2008 through January 2010.

Madsen has a history of debt -- as TMZ previously reported, he filed for bankruptcy last June, saying his monthly net income was $-3,392.

Uchitel partied it up at Pistache, a French bistro that we're told is run by a Uchitel family friend.

Rachel had originally planned a big bash at a Palm Beach club -- but opted against it when word got out.

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.

Prince and Paris Jackson, Michael Jackson's two oldest children, have been sweating over addressing the audience at tonight's Special Merit Awards ceremony .. where their dad will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Joe Jackson tells TMZ Prince and Paris have each prepared a speech. Joe says they are both great speakers and Paris has been working on her speech for a week.

As for the buzz that the kids will perform at the Grammys on Sunday: Joe says it ain't happening.

Accused John Travolta extortionist Pleasant Bridgewater continues to proclaim her innocence -- and now she's doing it through the words of Martin Luther King.

In a rare statement, Bridgewater tells TMZ, "I do maintain my 100% total and complete innocence and will defend myself. As one great writer said, 'No lie will live forever' and 'truth crushed to the Earth will rise again.'"

Bridgewater and Tarino Lightbourne are both accused of demanding millions of dollars from John Travolta, in return for keeping a document related to Jett's death secret. The first trial was famously declared a mistrial -- they are due to be retried on September 6.

A guy by the name of Ramiro (or Ramoro) Benitez filed for the TRO on Wednesday, claiming Paris has threatened him both physically and financially and Benitez appears to mention "numerous sexual assaults."

Beyond that, we can't piece together enough of the handwritten TRO to figure out what exactly Paris is accused of doing. The TRO was denied, pending a hearing next month.

No immediate comment from Paris.

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."