An unidentified man driving a blue sedan sideswiped one car and smashed head-on into an SUV in front of the Manhattan Criminal Court building just before noon yesterday, the Daily News reports. He then stumbled out of the vehicle and collapsed on the pavement as firefighters put out his car's small engine fire. It was then that they noticed the bottle of vodka that had been riding shotgun. According to the News, Department of Sanitation cops cuffed him until the NYPD got there. (Sanitation cops carry handcuffs?!) Fortunately, no one was injured in the crash, and charges against the driver are pending. To be sure, crashing in front of the courthouse was a nice gesture, but next time he wants to help streamline government services, he should drive drunk over to Rikers. more ›

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Alycia Lane, the Philadelphia newswoman who punched a female NYPD police officer, was relieved after appearing at Manhattan Criminal Court today. The Manhattan DA's office basically dismissed her case, for an "adjournment in contemplation of dismissal." more ›

The young woman accused of killing real estate broker to the stars Linda Stein pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Criminal Court yesterday. Natavia Lowery was denied bail, and her new defense lawyer, Ron Kuby, made a few points:First, he said Lowery's confession was coerced by the police detectives because, having been interrogated for hours on end without access to a phone or her lawyer "She had to make something up to get out of that... more ›

An NYPD detective was arrested in the breaking up of a Bronx drug ring this week. The bust was comprehensive and prosecutors are alleging that officer James Calderon used his inside knowledge of police activities to enable crack and heroin dealers to operate with relative impunity. James Calderon was a 13-year veteran of the force, but is now being accused of acting as an agent for Jorge and Luis Mendoza, Bronx drug dealers who allegedly... more ›

Natavia Lowery, the personal assistant of Linda Stein -- who she is accused of murdering, was indicted on the murder charges yesterday. Last week Lowery confessed to bludgeoning her old boss with a yoga stick, claiming Stein blew pot smoke in her face. Despite the confession, Lowery's friends and family are insisting she is innocent, and shouted out some choice pull quotes at yesterday's hearing:"Liars!" several people among more than a dozen supporters of 26-year-old... more ›

Foxy Brown, after violating probation, got an all access pass to the big house this morning. The rapper managed to use a Blackberry as a weapon earlier this month - the latest on a list of violent outbursts, yet has managed to stay out of jail against all odds until this point. more ›

Last month Remy Ma, after a night out at Pizza Bar in the Meatpacking District, shot her friend Makeda Barnes-Joseph. Oops. The 23-year old survived the rapper's wrath, and Remy Ma went to Riker's. The altercation began after Barnes-Joseph was believed to have stolen $3,000 from Remy Ma, something that is still unconfirmed. According to the victim, instead of calling 911 after the shooting, Remy went through her purse while she bled from two shots to the stomach. more ›

Just when we thought we couldn't possibly hear about more troubles for Busta Rhymes, he's now facing four separate trials in New York for past incidents. E Online recaps the rapper's rap sheet: "The first assault complaint was filed last summer by a 19-year-old man, who claims he was roughed up by the entertainer after spitting on Rhymes' SUV. The second complaint came from a 39-year-old man, reportedly Busta's former driver, who says he was beaten up by Rhymes last Christmas in a beef over money." The third and fourth charges are for driving drunk and driving with a suspended license. more ›

We never thought Foxy Brown was all smart (our favorite example: pleading guilty but then trying to take it back) and given her penchant for getting into trouble (smacking manicurists here, "stealing" belts there), but one would think she'd get a clue. Alas, no, and the Manhattan DA's office attempted to get Brown jailed because she had violated her parole by traveling to Florida. The DA's office and the Department of Probation found out because Brown got into an altercation at a Florida beauty supply store, allegedly throwing a bottle of hair glue at an employee and resisting a police officer. more ›

Sin Sin's Body Work, by mdpNY. more ›

An actor who starred on the Great White Way as Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre and as the Beast in Beauty & the Beast will be in Manhattan Criminal Court facing charges of sexual misconduct towards a minor. James Barbour has been charged with five felony counts of criminal sex acts from an incident five years ago. From the NY Post:

Prosecutors say that the victim was then an out-of-state, star-struck theater lover from a high school somewhere in the New York area. Her drama teacher knew Barbour, prosecutors say, and arranged for her and her parents to see him in the leading role. more ›

Naomi Campbell may be pleading down to a lesser charge in one of her assault cases. In the case of the March incident where Campbell allegedly beat her housekeeper with a cellphone, Campbell and the Manhattan DA's officer are looking into a plea deal that will satisfy both sides. Her lawyer hopes she'll get community service at an Upper East Side hospital, versus street cleaning in the Lower East Side, a la Boy George. Attorney David Breitbart told reporters:

"It's not that she's squeamish...I haven't even broached it with her...But in my mind, it's purely a security issue. I think it's dangerous, in all candor, to put a female of her celebrity in a public place, surrounded by hundreds of photographers. I have to assume that there are going to be people who say, 'Let's shoot her; let's stab her; let's mug her'... The media circus would far eclipse anything that happened to Boy George.

Lawsuits and Naomi Campbell are magical together! Gaby Gibson, the former maid who got beatdown by Campbell after she couldn't find her Stella McCartney jeans in January, filed a second lawsuit against Campbell. The first lawsuit mentioned "employment discrimination, civil assault and civil battery" and now the second adds more defendants (Campbell's publicist, for one), and charges of defamation and "repeated discriminatory assaults based on her national origin." more ›

Foxy Brown was sentenced to three years probation for attacking employees of Bloomie Nails back in 2005. You may recall that in August Brown pleaded guilty to the assault, but then tried to take it back. Brown continued to plead her innocence, claiming her original lawyer had "rushed" and "coerced" her. The NY Times had a funny exchange between Brown (real name: Inga Marchand) and the judge:

Ms. Marchand, 27, said she pleaded guilty only because her lawyer at the time, Robert Kalina, told her that if she did not, she might have to spend a night in jail. (In the small-world category, Mr. Kalina was Mr. Smith’s [Busta Rhymes's] lawyer yesterday.) more ›

If you've been to an anti-war protest in the last couple of years, you probably recognize Geoffrey Blank. He's a fairly constant presence, especially in Union Square Park-- a big, bear-like guy who really knows how to work the crowd. Apparently he's a bit too loud for the cops, who have arrested him more than seven times for disturbing the peace. Newsday is reporting that Blank is now facing up to four years in prison for his crimes: more ›

Poor Natasha Lyonne. After she and her lawyer failed to appear in court for the fourth time yesterday a Manhattan Criminal Court Judge signed an arrest warrant for the former indie-actress. Just sad. more ›