Kevin Bacon Cast In Serial Killer Series

I learned today that a new Fox drama pilot is in the works and the producers have cast Kevin Bacon in one of the lead roles. This is the first time Kevin has scored a major series role. The word is that he has committed to doing 15 episodes a season not the standard 22 [...]

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Conrad Murray Not Expected To Serve Full Four Years

Legal expert Mike Cavalluzzi tells MTV News he isn't surprised by sentence but doesn't think it's justified.
By Gil Kaufman


Dr. Conrad Murray sits in court after he was sentenced for the involuntary manslaughter of singer Michael Jackson at the Los Angeles Superior Court on November 29, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Judge Michael E. Pastor sentenced Murray to four years in the Los Angeles County Jail for the involuntary manslaughter of Jackson. A restitution hearing has been scheduled for January 23, 2012 to determine the amount of restitution to be paid to the Jackson family.
Photo: Mario Anzuoni-Pool/ Getty Images

<P>Though he dodged a potential four-year prison term, former Michael Jackson physician Conrad Murray was sentenced to an equal amount of time in Los Angeles County Jail on Tuesday (November 29) in the death of the pop singer. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:714975.id:1673923" width="240" height="211"></div><p> But the same overcrowding problems that spared the cardiologist from doing time in a federal pen might also save him from serving his entire sentence in county as well. Shortly after the sentence was handed down by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, Los Angeles Sheriff spokesman Steve Whitmore told E! News that Murray would likely end up serving "a little less than two years." Due to overcrowding, most county jail sentences are immediately cut in half, and given the 46 days credit Murray has already been given, he is looking at even less than that. Do you think Conrad Murray deserved the maximum sentence? Let us know on Facebook. Murray's lawyers said afterward that they believed the sentence was unnecessarily long. "Yes, of course [Judge Pastor] was harsh. He gave the stiffest penalty he was entitled to give under the law," Murray's attorney, J. Michael Flanagan, told reporters. "He was openly hostile. ... [Murray has] led 56 years of exemplary life. He was really dreading [sentencing]. I think anybody would dread going into it. He's an honorable man, and he'll get through this. The family is suffering more than Dr. Murray is. ... Dr. Murray is the provider in that family." Pastor had leeway in the sentencing, with options ranging from probation to the full sentence, but in a lengthy ruling from the bench, he said Murray's lack of remorse and negligent behavior called for the highest possible penalty. "He is and remains dangerous ... the request of probation is denied, the court imposes the high term of four years imprisonment in this case," Pastor said during the 90-plus-minute hearing. Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney Mike Cavalluzzi told MTV News that he wasn't surprised by the sentencing but that he didn't believe it was justified. Cavalluzzi said Pastor had incentive to give the full sentence because of the prominence of Jackson and his family and to create the perception that he is tough on crime. "He gets that perception by sentencing him to the max while not having to surrender the defendant to the full sentence," said Cavalluzzi, who was not involved in the case. "He gets the self-satisfaction of being perceived as being tough on crime and making the Jackson family happy, but I don't think it was a fair sentence." Cavalluzzi said when deciding prison versus probation, judges have to look at someone's criminal history and whether a person is likely to complete the terms of their probation, which he believes Murray would. "I'm not seeing aggravating factors here, and I think it was just a chapter in [Murray's] life and he does not have a history of being a mercenary doctor always after money, but of being a good, responsible doctor who was seduced by the celebrity and money that Jackson offered," he said. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:708788.id:1673923" width="240" height="211"></div><p> As to why Pastor gave such a dramatic, lengthy explanation for why he was sentencing Murray to the max, Cavalluzzi said the judge has to have a justification for his actions in the public record. "Because he doesn't have the discretion to give a high prison term, [Pastor] has to justify his sentence in the record and have very specific reasons for it. I don't think there's any way that anyone truly believes that from this day forward Dr. Murray truly represents a threat to society. That's just ludicrous." And while he doesn't agree with the four-year term, Cavalluzzi said the high-profile nature of the case and the glare of the media could have played into the sentence. "It probably gives [Jackson's family] great comfort to have someone to blame," he said. " 'If not for this awful man, my son, brother, father would be alive.' But it's not fair to do that and it feels like a capitulating judgment in favor of feeding the emotional needs of the family." Upon leaving the courthouse, Michael's brother Jermaine, when asked if the four-year sentence was enough, shook his head and said, "No." Mother Katherine Jackson told local TV station KTLA, "Four years is not enough for someone's life. It won't bring him back. But at least he got the maximum, and I thought the judge was very, very fair." The prosecution, however, was satisfied with the ruling. "We're pleased. That's what we thought was appropriate. The judge obviously agreed with us," deputy district attorney David Walgren said. "It was our position that it was not a simple, one-time mistake; it was a series of mistakes culminating in the abandonment of Michael Jackson when he died ... the judge agreed with that sentiment. A brother and a son and a family member was killed, and whatever the sentence may be, the family of the victim deserves justice. And we did everything to bring them that justice." As for how much time Murray will spend locked up, Cavalluzzi said it is likely to be less than two years and, frankly, he predicted, the doctor could be out even sooner than that. "He might be eligible for house arrest very quickly," he said.</p>

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Our Favorite Celebrity Couples Of 2011

From Britney and Jason to K-Stew and R-Pattz, we look back at the best high-profile pair-ups of the year.
By Jocelyn Vena


Jason Trawick and Britney Spears
Photo: Denise Truscello/ WireImage

<P>From young love to established romantic empires, 2011 was all about PDA. Some of La La Land's most A-list couples weren't shy about flaunting the love they share. From musicians to actors to everyone in between, the last 12 months were all about sharing the love. As the year winds down, MTV News is reflecting on some of our favorite couples of the year. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:703500" width="240" height="211"></div><p> <big><b>Britney Spears and Jason Trawick</b></big><br> The couple walked red carpets, gave each other shout-outs at awards shows and even got naked together in Britney's "Criminal" video, but it wasn't until December that they decided to make it official. After two years of dating, Spears and Trawick took their relationship to the next level, with confirmation that Jason put a ring on it. The pair celebrated their love and their impending nuptials in Las Vegas. Their engagement sparked headlines and left Spears "glowing." Who is your top couple of 2011? Vote in our Newsroom poll! <big><b>Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez</b></big><br> Summing up Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez's year into a little blurb isn't that easy. They went to events together, and Bieber lavishly rented the Staples Center just to watch "Titanic." And when they weren't chilling out, they were giving shine to each other's hard work. Or bringing each other gifts. Remember when Bieber showed Selena his pet snake, Johnson, at the VMAs? Yes, we knew you wouldn't forget. <big><b>Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson</b></big><br> The two "Twilight" stars seem poised to make our favorite couples lists for years to come. While in years past, they've remained under the radar, this year they came out of their shell and opened up about one another in interviews. Who could forget the time that K-Stew referred to her not-so-mysterious "English" boyfriend in an interview? We're assuming not R-Pattz. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:686198" width="240" height="211"></div><p> <big><b>Beyonc&#233; and Jay-Z</b></big><br> OK, so Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been together for, like, an eternity, but it wasn't until this year that the pair really had everyone buzzing. When Beyonc&#233; stepped out at the VMAs, her expanding midsection and flashy performance was the ultimate pregnancy announcement. Jay-Z didn't seem to mind all the attention. He celebrated the baby news in the audience with his pal Kanye West. <big><b>Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose</b></big><br> Amber Rose rebounded from her relationship with Kanye West by falling in love with Wiz Khalifa. The couple took the world on their wild relationship ride, from doing interviews together to sparking rumors that they had tied the knot. These two kept everyone talking and they don't seem to mind the attention, or spending lots of time with one another. Did we forget your favorite couple of 2011? Let us know on Facebook!</p>

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Celebs React to 'Soul Train' Creator Don Cornelius' Death

On Wednesday morning, the entertainment community was rocked by the shocking news that Soul Train creator Don Cornelius was found dead in his Sherman Oaks, Calif. home. He died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police reports, and was pronounced dead at 4:56 a.m. He was 75.

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