newsmakers

newsmakers

NYPD investigating allegations by Bynes

NEW YORK

Internal Affairs officers on Saturday were looking into allegations made by actress Amanda Bynes that New York Police Department officers sexually assaulted her when she was arrested for heaving a marijuana bong out the window of her 36th-floor Manhattan apartment Thursday night.

The 27-year-old former child star first alleged during her arraignment Friday that police illegally entered her apartment after being called to her midtown building. But in a Twitter message believed to be from the troubled actress posted Saturday, Bynes alleged that her arresting officer also sexually assaulted her.

“As it would with any such allegation, regardless of its credibility, IAB is investigating it,” said the NYPD’s chief spokesman, Paul Browne, referring to the internal affairs bureau.

The Twitter handle used to make the sexual assault allegations Saturday does not appear to be verified by the social network — but Bynes’ friend, former Hollywood publicist Jonathan Jaxson, said Saturday the tweet was made from Bynes’ account. Twitter did not immediately return a request to comment.

Stone Temple Pilots sue ex-frontman

LOS ANGELES

The Stone Temple Pilots accuse former frontman Scott Weiland of misusing the band’s name to further his solo career and want a judge to strip the rocker of his ability to use the group’s name or songs.

A lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles accuses Weiland of being chronically late to concerts while the group was together and having his lawyer attempt to interfere with the airplay of the group’s new single, “Out of Time.”

Weiland and Stone Temple Pilots parted ways in February, and the 45-year-old singer said at the time that he learned of his ouster from a statement released to the media.

The lawsuit sheds light on the band’s breakup, accusing Weiland of interacting with band mates only through lawyers or managers and showing up late to the group’s 2012 shows. It cites Weiland’s addiction struggles and poor performances as detriments to the band’s earning potential.

“The band endured much strife and lost significant opportunities because of Weiland,” the suit states.

In a message posted to his website, Weiland said his former band mates shouldn’t call themselves Stone Temple Pilots, either.

“First of all they don’t have the legal right to call themselves STP because I’m still a member of the band,” he said. “And more importantly, they don’t have the ethical right to call themselves Stone Temple Pilots because it’s misleading and dishonest to the millions of fans that have followed us for so many years.”

The suit claims the band owns the rights to the name Stone Temple Pilots and the band’s songs, copyrights and trademarks. Weiland has used many of the band’s hits in his solo shows, the lawsuit states. The band wants a judge to block him from even calling himself a former member of the band.

The band has been reconstituted with Chester Bennington of Linkin Park taking the frontman role.

Associated Press