Country Singer Daniel Lee Martin Commits Suicide Amid Child Sex Abuse Probe
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A country singer under investigation for child sex abuse crimes has committed suicide ... TMZ has learned.
Daniel Lee Martin died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound ... this according to the Pasco Sheriff's Office in Florida.
Martin was arrested January 27th after the alleged victim, a child, told cops Martin exposed himself to them while the 2 were sitting on a sofa. Cops say the victim claimed Martin fondled himself and shared pornographic images. Cops went on to say there were numerous incidents where the victim spent the night at Martin's home.
He was released on $15,000 bail hours after his arrest.
Cops tell us they were attempting to serve a warrant at Martin's home Friday out of Tennessee, for 3-counts of sexual exploitation on a minor, along with aggravated sexual battery and solicitation of a minor to commit rape.
We're told when deputies entered the home, they found Martin dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Martin released several albums, including "All That I Am" in 2003 and "On My Way to You" in 2007.
Martin was 54.
Blac Chyna Rob Only Suffered a Broken Heart ... Claims He's Just Playing Up 'Injuries'
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Blac Chyna claims Rob Kardashian didn't suffer any REAL injuries or pain in her alleged beat down of her ex -- so she wants his lawsuit against her tossed.
Chyna just filed new docs, obtained by TMZ, claiming her baby daddy grossly exaggerated his injuries from their alleged fight way back in December 2016.
As ya know, Rob alleges BC tried to choke him with an iPhone charging cable before repeatedly hitting him ... all while she was high on booze and drugs.
However, BC says the only harm Rob suffered that night relates to his heartbreak over Chyna leaving his ass. As we reported, Chyna moved out of Kylie Jenner's home where she and Rob were living back then with their newborn, Dream.
She's also laughing off, almost literally, an incident involving a gun.
Chyna says Rob testified she pointed his gun at him, and told his friends she would kill him if he "messes up." In her docs, BC says everyone knew it was a joke, and she had NO intention of pulling the trigger.
She asking the court to dismiss Rob's lawsuit for assault simply because she says there was no assault and the guy wasn't hurt. Case closed, at least to her ... we'll see what the judge says.
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Dina Manzo Home Invasion Baseball Bat Attack Seems Fishy ... Says Expert Witness
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Former 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' star Dina Manzo's husband is getting called out over his claim he was bludgeoned during a home invasion -- a medical expert thinks he's full of it.
The 'RHONJ' alum and her hubby, David Cantin, told cops they were the victims of the attack back in May 2017. Cops arrested James Mainello, a 51-year-old New Jersey man, last year for the alleged crime.
However, Mainello's lawyer, Marco Laracca, says he has a doctor ready to testify Cantin's allegation he was beaten with a baseball just doesn't add up.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... Laracca plans to call Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Peter DiPaolo to testify it's "highly unlikely" the baseball bat portion of the attack is accurate.
The doctor says baseball bat injuries are "very well-described in the trauma literature" and typically result in skull and orbital fractures when someone's struck in the head or face ... as Cantin claims he was.
DiPaolo says Cantin sustained no such injuries ... according to photos and medical records he says he reviewed. For the record, Cantin claims he was repeatedly hit by the bat "in the leg, knee, arm, back and face."
We reached out to Dina and David. Their attorney, Andrew Brettler, tells us ... "This doctor did not even examine Mr. Cantin. He was hired by the defendant. For him to opine on Mr. Cantin's injuries is ludicrous. My clients were the victims of a violent attack."
Mainello is facing multiple robbery and assault charges in the case.
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Jussie Smollett City of Chicago Lawsuit will NOT be Dropped ... Jussie Will Take the 5th
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Jussie Smollett now has a fight on his hands on 2 fronts, because the City of Chicago is not backing down from its lawsuit to recover the cost of investigating what authorities say was a fake "attack."
Multiple sources tell us, the City of Chicago could drop its case against Jussie to recover nearly half a mil but if he's convicted in criminal court the judge would almost certainly order restitution on behalf of the City.
Thing is ... it makes total sense for the City to press on with its lawsuit, despite the Special Prosecutor reinstituting 6 felony criminal charges against him. The standard of proof in a criminal case is way harder to meet than in a civil case. In a criminal case, the proof needs to be 99% solid against Jussie. In a civil case, it just has to be 51% - 49%.
Now, the new problem facing the City is that Jussie will almost certainly take the 5th against self-incrimination in the civil lawsuit because of the looming criminal case. In Illinois, if a defendant takes the 5th in a civil case, the judge can tell the jury it can conclude that person is hiding something.
One thing we know ... Abel and Ola Osundairo -- the 2 brothers who Jussie says attacked him -- will testify that the whole thing was a setup masterminded by Jussie.
It's an interesting situation because Jussie has brought the Osundairo brothers in as a defendant in the City of Chicago's lawsuit, claiming they did indeed attack him. It's gonna be hard to prove that if he doesn't take the stand.
BTW ... The City of Chicago is playing coy, saying, "the City stands by our original complaint seeking to recover costs for Mr. Smollett's false statements." We pressed and asked if that meant the case will not be dropped and a City official refused to comment, but sources with direct knowledge say the lawsuit will proceed.
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Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan Lock Down Parenting Schedule ... As Even as Can Be
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Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan have checked off another big box in wrapping up their divorce ... a judge has signed off on an official parenting schedule.
As you may recall ... things turned a little nasty between the ex-couple and resulted in a custody battle, but they've reached an agreement that pretty much splits their time with their 6-year-old daughter, Everly, right down the middle.
According to the legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Channing and Jenna will share joint custody "pursuant to a 2-2-5" parenting schedule, which goes like this ... Mom gets Everly Monday through Wednesday, Dad gets her Wednesday through Friday, and they alternate weekends.
Because of their unpredictable work schedules, the 2 agree to use a Parenting Plan Coordinator to make minor adjustments to the custodial schedules should there be any issues.
As for holidays ... Channing and Jenna will alternate every year, and each is allowed up to 10 days of exclusive summer vacation time with Everly. For the child's birthday, the parents will split the day ... unless they agree to have a joint celebration.
If there are any other complications ... once again, the PPC has the authority to step in and make a decision.
Despite the custody agreement, there's still a couple lingering issues in the wake of the divorce ... like Jenna wanting to legally take her maiden name back, as we first reported.
The 2 are also still hashing out a property settlement agreement ... stay tuned.
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Jussie Smollett New 6-Count Indictment ... For Alleged Racist Attack
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5:33 PM PT -- Jussie's attorney, Tina Glandian, is also questioning the timing of the indictment, saying, "the attempt to re-prosecute Mr. Smollett one year later on the eve of the Cook County State's Attorney election is clearly all about politics not justice."
She also says ... "After more than five months of investigation, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has not found any evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever related to the dismissal of the charges against Mr. Smollett. Rather, the charges were appropriately dismissed the first time because they were not supported by the evidence."
2:59 PM PT -- Foxx's campaign is calling out the timing of the special prosecutor's announcement saying, "What's questionable here is the James Comey-like timing of that charging decision, just 35 days before an election, which can only be interpreted as the further politicization of the judicial system, something voters in the era of Donald Trump should consider offensive."
Jussie Smollett is facing felony charges in Chicago again -- the special prosecutor just announced an indictment against the actor for the alleged homophobic attack against him last year.
A grand jury handed up the new indictment against Jussie on Tuesday. Dan Webb was appointed special prosecutor for the case last summer. We're told he's now facing 6 felony counts for lying to law enforcement. The indictment calls the 6 charges "disorderly conduct," but all 6 involve allegations of lying to cops.
This effectively re-opens the controversial case that led to Smollett getting fired from "Empire."
Special Prosecutor Webb says Jussie "planned and participated in a staged hate crime attack, and thereafter made numerous false statements to Chicago Police Dept. officers."
Webb adds the new charges -- pared down from 16 to 6 -- were re-filed "in the interest of justice." Webb was critical of the State's Attorney who dismissed the case, saying Kim Foxx's office had no additional evidence from what the Grand Jury had when they indicted Smollett in the first place, so the dismissal made no sense.
Jussie and his attorneys had staged a legal battle against the special prosecutor, saying it would expose him to double jeopardy. That effort was shot down in court. You'll recall Cook County prosecutors dropped all 16 felony counts against Smollett in March 2019 ... calling it a "just disposition and appropriate resolution," but not an exoneration.
That decision pissed off Chicago law enforcement -- and in August, Webb was appointed special prosecutor to investigate how the case was handled, and if there was any reason to renew charges.
3/26/19
FOX32 in Chicago first reported the indictment.
A source connected to Jussie tells us, "The officers who re-investigated the case are the same ones who originally investigated it. These officers are currently being sued by Smollett. They have also spent taxpayer money on having these officers go to Los Angeles and harass members of Smollett's team and friends."
3/26/19
We're told Jussie still maintains his innocence, and finds the timing of the indictment interesting -- because Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx is up for re-election next month. He plans to plead not guilty.
Jussie will be arraigned February 24. We're told he faces up to 3 years in state prison if convicted.
You'll recall, Jussie claimed he was attacked on a frigid night in Chicago by 2 white men who put a rope around his neck and doused him with bleach while yelling racial and homophobic slurs.
However, 2 black men -- brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo -- were eventually detained, and told police Jussie paid them to stage the whole attack.
After the new indictment, the Osundairos' attorney, Gloria Schmidt, says they remain "fully committed to the public knowing the truth" about the so-called attack -- and will cooperate with the investigation. However, they did not testify before the new grand jury. Instead, the panel relied on the brothers' previous testimony.
Originally published -- 2:02 PM PT
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Trivago Guy DWI Dismissed ... Completes Alcohol Ed.
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The face of Trivago ads compared all his options after getting busted for a DWI and, apparently, chose wisely -- his case has been dismissed.
Tim Williams -- the actor in the ads for the popular hotel search engine -- successfully completed a pre-trial diversion program ... although he did it overseas, despite the fact he was arrested last year in Texas.
Williams lives in Germany, and prosecutors allowed him to take the necessary classes over there, and he was prompt about it.
Nathan Beedle from the Harris County D.A.'s Office tells TMZ ... "Mr. Williams took his Harris County case seriously by diligently completing programs in his home country that were comparable to our mandatory classes, and even did more than he had to in order to make sure he was complying."
Extra credit never hurts.
As we reported, Williams was busted last April after cops say they found him passed out at the wheel with his foot on the brake while on the road. He was booked for DWI after bombing a field sobriety test and submitting a blood test.
The pre-trial diversion program is typically offered to first-time offenders and Tim took advantage of it. Now that's ideal.
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Yella Beezy Sued I Got My Ass Beat ... That's On You!!!
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Rapper Yella Beezy is being accused of opening a can of whoop-ass on a guy tied to another rapper with whom Beezy's got serious beef.
Brandon Rainwater is suing Yella claiming he and his crew beat him to a pulp outside the hotspot strip club, V Live in Dallas ... this according to docs obtained by TMZ. We're told the alleged beatdown left Rainwater with a dislocated hip.
Surveillance video taken across the street from the club appears to show the fight in progress.
In docs, Rainwater claims he showed up to the club last month but when he tried getting inside he was told by security to wait. Rainwater manages Dallas-based rapper Mo3 ... who has a history of beefing with Yella. Anyway, Rainwater claims a security guard approached him with a gun in his left hand and Yella standing behind him.
Fearing trouble was about to go down, Rainwater claims he ran out of there but Yella and his crew chased him down and beat him up. Rainwater claims after the dust settled, Yella and his crew headed back to the club's parking lot and bragged about the alleged assault.
Rainwater says he was taken to the hospital that night and is undergoing physical therapy following the assault. He's also suing V Live for inadequate security. He's suing for assault and claims he's owed up to $1 million in damages.
We've reached out to Yella ... so far, no word back.
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Lori Loughlin Olivia Jade's Fake Rowing Resume ... Good Enough for USC, But Who Wrote It???
Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli's youngest daughter has quite the list of accomplishments in rowing -- at least her resume made it seem that way to USC.
Federal prosecutors released some of the documents Olivia Jade submitted to USC, allegedly to make it seem like she wanted a coveted spot on its crew team ... and it's packed with a list of events and some impressive finishes. Remember, Olivia never really competitively rowed a day in her life.
However, according to the docs, from 2014 to 2017 ... Olivia earned 2 gold medals, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes as a coxswain for her high school team. She didn't do so well in the prestigious Head of Charles race in Boston, though. In 2016, her team came in 11th, and the next year they came in 14th.
BTW, the resume was clearly drawn up by someone who doesn't have deep crew knowledge. It's missing key stats about Olivia's participation, and while her high school really did compete in these events ... the finishes don't match the real results.
The resume also suggests Olivia could be a very successful coxswain in one of USC's 4 boats. Interestingly, she points out her older sister, Isabella, is already on the school's roster as coxswain for boat #4. The resume ends by boasting Olivia is "highly talented and has been successful in both men's and women's boats."
The feds are obviously including the resume as an exhibit to show how extensively they believe the Giannullis lied and plotted to get their daughters into USC. Prosecutors say USC associate athletic director Donna Heinel submitted Olivia's rowing resume to the athletics sub-committee without referencing any donations her parents made to the university.
The feds claim this shows USC, with the exception of Heinel, was defrauded.
Lori and Mossimo's lawyers have long maintained they only submitted materials that Rick Singer asked them to, and had no knowledge of anyone being bribed at the university. In fact, the feds don't even say who created the phony resume -- and if it were someone on Singer's team, the document would seem to strengthen the Giannullis' case.
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3 Doors Down's Matt Roberts Doctor Acquitted in His Death ... Could Lose Medical License
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The doctor who was charged but acquitted in the death of former 3 Doors Down guitarist, Matt Roberts, is in hot water once again ... and at risk of having his medical license revoked.
Dr. Richard Snellgrove's been hit with an administrative complaint by the Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners, and he's facing wide-ranging allegations that span a decade from 2006 to around the time of Roberts' death in August 2016 ... according to the docs.
It should be noted these aren't criminal charges, but the Board is bringing 7 counts against Snellgrove, which include prescribing controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose, unprofessional conduct: conduct detrimental or harmful to patients, exposing patients to unreasonable risk or harm, and gross/repeated malpractice.
According to the docs ... the conduct detrimental or harmful to patients count alleged Snellgrove committed unprofessional conduct that resulted in the death of Patient 1, but it's unclear if that refers to Roberts.
Snellgrove has voluntarily surrendered his controlled substances certification while the board conducts its investigation.
If the Medical Licensing Commission of Alabama agrees with the Board ... Snellgrove could lose his medical license.
We broke the story ... Roberts died of an overdose in Wisconsin in 2016. Snellgrove was indicted months later for improperly prescribing controlled substances to Matt leading up to his death, but was found not guilty.
However, the doctor's also still fighting the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Matt's estate.
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Tekashi 6ix9ine Sued Hey, 'Stoopid' ... Never Said You Could Use My Intro
2:49 PM PT -- Looks like the 'Stoopid' music video featuring the alleged stolen intro has been removed from Tekashi's official YouTube page.
Tekashi 6ix9ine is being sued by a guy who says the rapper jacked his vocals to hype up a track right from the 0:01 mark ... and the proof seems to be online right now.
An artist named Yung Gordon filed suit against T69, his label 10K Projects and others claiming he recorded a radio drop -- a short audio recording used at the beginning of songs to plug a station, company or artist -- for an org. called Take Money Promotions ... which he insists contacted him in 2016 with the request. Yung Gordon says he happily obliged.
Waiting for your permission to load Spotify track.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Gordon claims a couple years later ... Tekashi dropped a song called "Stoopid," which he says featured his 9-second drop -- something he claims he was never asked about, let alone signed off on through Tekashi or TMP.
Now, Gordon says some versions of the song that have since been published to different streaming platforms have actually ditched his drop. Others, however, haven't ... according to the docs. Case in point, per Gordon, is the current 'Stoopid' music vid on YouTube.
The video opens with a guy saying what Gordon claims to have recorded in his lawsuit ... "You already know, it be the boy Yung Gordon // You rockin' with Take Money Promotions // Aye Take Money Promotions, give 'em that new s*** no foo s***. Let's go!!" The TMP plug goes on for about 20 seconds, and blends into the start of Tekashi's song.
'Stoopid' has gone on to rack up over 180 million views and countless streams, meaning it's made a significant amount of money. Gordon wants a cut of that -- he's asking a judge for damages, and for all 'Stoopid' recordings using his voice to be yanked immediately.
Originally Published -- 11:27 AM PT
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Lori Loughlin Prosecutors Scoff at Her ... We Don't Have Time Travel or Telepathy Skills!!!
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Lori Loughlin says the government has withheld key evidence proving her innocence in the college admissions scandal, but the government has just fired back ... sarcastically responding that the so-called exculpatory evidence was a statement that the witness had not even made when Lori started complaining.
TMZ broke the story ... Lori and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, claimed the U.S. Attorney intentionally withheld evidence showing they were giving money to USC and unaware any of the $500,000 was used to bribe University officials.
The government just responded, saying there is no such evidence being withheld, and then doubling down, saying, "the absence of such evidence is a result of their criminal conduct, not any government disclosure violations."
And, now prosecutors get nasty. They say some of the information that was just handed over -- evidence Lori claims was wrongly withheld -- is from interviews conducted with witnesses very recently. Prosecutors say in the legal docs ... "The government has broad powers, but they do not include mental telepathy or time travel. The government cannot disclose witness statements before the witnesses make them."
The government goes on to say no University officials condoned the scheme.
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Shannen Doherty State Farm is Cigarette Shaming I Quit When I Got Cancer!!!
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2:43 PM PT -- A rep for State Farm tells TMZ that Shannen's latest motion "once again distorts the facts. Rather than try this smoke damage case in the media, we will do so in a court of law."
Shannen Doherty claims State Farm is engaging in a smear campaign against her, and exhibit A is a cheap shot it took about her tobacco use ... which she calls way over the line.
The former '90210' star filed new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, claiming State Farm is invading her privacy and making false claims about her smoking habits. As a result she wants a judge to punish the insurance giant with crippling sanctions.
Shannen says State Farm got it totally wrong when it claimed, in docs, she was smoking cigarettes up until March 2019. Total BS, according to Shannen, who says she kicked the habit back in 2015 ... after her original breast cancer diagnosis.
Of course, her recent stage 4 cancer diagnosis is at the center of her legal beef with State Farm. They're haggling over her home repair costs following the devastating California wildfires.
In the docs, Shannen says it's utterly ridiculous State Farm is attempting to smear her image by raising her tobacco use in the lawsuit.
What's more, Shannen's also pissed her insurer included her medical records and street address in other legal filings -- 2 things she's worked hard to shield from the public.
Originally Published -- 1:14 PM PT
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Jordan Belfort Madoff Deserves Life in Prison ... No Way He Gets Out Early!!!
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Jordan Belfort's not showing Bernie Madoff any sympathy following his request to get out of prison early, due to a terminal illness ... and he doesn't think the judge will either.
The "Wolf of Wall Street" has some history with the notorious Ponzi scheme mastermind, but he tells TMZ regardless of that ... the notion of Madoff getting released -- when he was sentenced to 150 YEARS -- is utterly ridiculous.
Belfort says Madoff got a life sentence for a reason -- because his crimes were horrendous, staggeringly affected people's lives and resulted in suicides ... including his own son's. Jordan doesn't see any justifiable reason to let a guy like that off the hook, even if Madoff claims he only has 18 months to live because of kidney failure.
As for their personal beef ... Belfort reminds us Madoff went after him when Bernie was the chairman of NASDAQ. Jordan admits that was justified, but says Madoff was just diverting attention from his own heinous crimes ... the ultimate hypocrite move.
Belfort concedes he'd be willing to cut Madoff some slack if he initially received a shorter sentence and had served a large chunk of it, but life is life, and that's the point ... according to the Wolf.
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Grant Robicheaux, Cerissa Riley Lawyer Still Confident Charges Will Be Dropped 'Ultimately I Think It's Very Good'
12:54 PM PT -- Philip Kent Cohen, attorney for the couple, told reporters the judge's decision is surprising but feels ultimately it'll be very good for a third entity to see why the charges should be dropped. He likened the disappointment to waking up on Christmas and seeing an empty tree. But, he's adamant ... "whatever questions the judge had and may have will be sufficiently and significantly and overwhelmingly answered when he gets to see the reports."
The couple did NOT talk to reporters and Cerissa was emotional during Cohen's presser.
11:31 AM PT -- The hearing has ended and judge has ordered the prosecutors to submit their briefings, saying, "So that I can have a better understanding of the facts involved." The charges were NOT dropped and everyone is to return to court April 3.
11:24 AM PT -- The judge has not yet agreed to dismiss the case and has requested briefings from both sides before making a decision.
9:11 AM PT -- There's a 9 AM hearing going on right now, but there will be a news conference immediately afterward where Dr. Robicheaux and Cerissa are expected to speak about the charges being dropped. We'll be streaming live.
The Newport Beach surgeon and his girlfriend, who were charged with drugging and raping women and facing decades in prison, are breathing a huge sigh of relief Friday ... the charges against them will be officially dropped.
Dr. Grant Robicheaux and his GF, Cerissa Riley, have been in the crosshairs of a former O.C. prosecutor for a year-and-a-half ... for allegedly using their good looks and drugs to lure women to their home and rape them in an unconscious or semiconscious state.
Robicheaux was charged with 17 felonies, including 5 counts of rape. Riley was charged with 13 felonies, including rape. The prosecutor who filed the charges -- Tony Rackauckas -- claimed at the time he filed the charges there were thousands of photos and videos to support his case and claimed there could be as many as a thousand victims.
But, the D.A. who defeated Rackauckas -- Todd Spitzer -- claims the prosecution was bogus and there was no evidence of sexual assault. Spitzer says not a single video shows any evidence of an unconscious victim or sexual assault, adding this was a shocking and transparent attempt by Rackauckas to win reelection.
Today Spitzer will formally drop all charges against the couple. The alleged victims may be allowed to testify during the hearing.
The couple has maintained their innocence from the start, and Riley told "Good Morning America" the decision by O.C. District Attorney Todd Spitzer to drop the charges has allowed her to "breathe again" and she feels like she's finally awoken from a nightmare.
Robicheaux says they're still in a state of shock and disbelief this happened to them, and they both insist they never even thought they were crossing a line with any of the women they had sex with.
Despite their relief, Robicheaux and Riley feel their lives have been ruined by the allegations and the story going nationwide ... and it's going to be a struggle going forward for quite some time.
Originally Published -- 7:48 AM PT
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Jenna Dewan Forget Tatum ... I Want My Maiden Name Back!!!
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Jenna Dewan is looking to erase all traces of Channing Tatum after their divorce ... because she's asking a court to go back to her maiden name.
In the eyes of the law, Jenna is known as Jenna Tatum ... but according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, she wants to have her legal name restored to Jenna Dewan.
We broke the story ... Jenna and Channing finalized their divorce and became legally single back in November ... but their settlement didn't include anything about a name change for Jenna.
The exes are moving on from each other in more ways than one ... as we reported, Jenna recently moved into a new house with her boyfriend and baby daddy, Steve Kazee, and Channing is back together with his former flame, Jessie J, and the reconciliation is Instagram official.
There's still a few balls in the air as far as the divorce is concerned ... Jenna and Channing are locked in a nasty custody battle and are hashing out a property settlement agreement.