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The following italicized article is from www.people.com:A jury was seated Thursday in Britney Spears's misdemeanor driving-without-a-license trial in a Van Nuys, Calif. court. The 12-person panel, with two alternates, includes 10 women and four men. Of these, at least eight expressed some form of sympathy for the pop star when asked their opinion of her, although most felt neutral in their overall impression of Spears. Said Juror No. 1, "I think she's a train wreck, but it's not her doing. She has some not good people around her. It's a sad situation." At least three of the seated jurors expressed sentiments that Spears was under "too much pressure" from the constraints of fame. Juror No. 18 said Spears had "enormous success at a young age." In addition, juror No. 13 stated that Spears suffers "medical problems, but with the right help, she'll be okay." Several who had negative views of Spears, as well as many with no opinion, were dismissed in the court's effort to seat a fair jury.
Opening StatementSoon after the jury was seated, prosecutor Michael Amerian's brief opening statement called the case "straightforward. Spears was driving on Aug. 6, 2007, and did not have a California license." He added that the jury would conclude "that she is in fact, guilty." Spears's attorney Michael Flanagan then argued that Spears, in possession of a valid Louisiana state license, was not required to get one for California until she becomes a permanent resident of the state. "She regards Louisiana as her [permanent residence]," he said. "She's building a new house there, where she hopes to return as soon as her custody situation is straightened out." Flanagan also pointed out that Spears currently pays income taxes in Louisiana, is registered to vote there and never applied for a homeowner's exemption for a tax break on her Los Angeles home. Among the witnesses expected to be called over the next few days are Spears's father Jamie, a photographer, a DMV investigator, and several police officers. If convicted, Spears faces a maximum six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. She isn't required to attend the hearings as it is only a misdemeanor case. Source: People
Most of you probably know about The B Line by now, but there are a few things you may NOT know about it. I’ll start from the beginning, just to be fair. The B Line is the official Britney Spears hotline where fans can call from their mobile phone to hear an exclusive message from Britney, and also to leave Brit your own sweet nothings. The hotline number is (310) 341-4438. I suggest programming this in your phone ASAP for two reasons: One, to leave Britney your love-filled messages. Two (here’s the best part), because Britney herself will periodically be calling in to leave you MORE exciting messages!Source: Britney.com
The following italicized article is from www.dailymail.co.uk:A court case against Britney Spears got off to a bad start today when two potential jurors told the hearing: 'She’s bound to be guilty.'The star is on trial in California for driving without a licence.But two prospective jurors were kicked off the case for saying she should be convicted, even before hearing a shred of evidence against her.
'I think this case is a slam dunk. I think she's guilty,' said a sandwich shop worker.'I was given a traffic violation and I had to pay the ticket.'
The same man also told judge James A. Steele that he would struggle to stop himself discussing details of the trial with his wife - even if ordered to do so.'If you order me not to talk to her I'm risking getting divorced,' he laughed.One elderly teacher told the court she could not be impartial as she did not have a good impression of Miss Spears.'I don't like that person … as a responsible mother. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm sure that she's guilty,' she said.The courtroom broke into sniggers as another woman claimed she was not certain she could make a decision without consulting her husband.Last night efforts to find 12 people to decide the singer’s fate were still underway at Van Nuys Court, California.Miss Spears is accused of getting behind the wheel in August last year without a valid California driving licence.If convicted, she faces up to six months in jail and a £500 fine.The charge stems from an incident when the singer allegedly struck a parked car with her vehicle.A hit-and-run charge was dismissed after she compensated the other driver fordamage caused, but the charge of driving without a valid licence remained.The Toxic star denies the charge on the grounds that she held a Louisiana driving licence at the time.Prosecutors claim that as a California resident - having made the state her main home - she is legally required to have a California licence.Miss Spears opted for a jury trial after rejecting a plea deal of one year's probation and a £75 fine.Her lawyer Michael Flanagan said she did not want any sort of criminal conviction on her record.The singer is not required to attend the trial, which is expected to last three days.
The case continues.Source: Daily Mail
The following italicized article is from www.x17online.com:What's our girl Brit doing RIGHT NOW?Shooting a new cover for Rolling Stone magazine! Hey, just another Thursday, right?We can't wait to see it! Think she can top her infamous 1999 cover with the purple teletubby? You know it's gonna be hot!Source: X17
The following italicized article is from www.tmz.com:Britney Spears needs a break from the Hills of Beverly. She'll be building a house in Louisiana.Michael Flanagan, the lawyer in her trial of the century -- driving without a license -- just told jurors during his opening statement that soon Brit will be building a house where her kinfolk live.Presumably, Flanagan is raising the issue to show it's not that clear that Brit is a Californicator.Source: TMZ
The following italicized article is from www.abcnews.com:Britney Spears' new single "Womanizer" made a record-breaking leap to top spot on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart on Wednesday, underscoring her musical comeback after making headlines with her personal woes.Billboard said the song, the first from a new Spears album due for release in December, jumped from No.96 to No.1 in the past week and returned Spears to the top of the list for the first time since her 1999 debut single "Baby One More Time.""Womanizer" is also No. 1 on iTunes charts in Canada, France, Spain and Sweden, Spears' record company Jive said.Billboard said the unprecedented leap of "Womanizer" was spurred by first-week download sales of 286,000, the biggest opening week tally by a female artist since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital downloads in 2003.
The charts were released as expectations rose that Spears would start a tour in early 2009 -- her first since 2004 -- to support the new album "Circus" to be released on December 2.Spears, 26, looking recently more like her old pop princess self, told a New York radio station last month that she planned to tour around the world next year but gave no details.Last year, Spears performed a handful of club shows in southern California but did not go on the road to promote her last album "Blackout," which had a good chart debut in November 2007 but faded quickly.Spears has been on the mend this year after making headlines for shaving her head, attacking paparazzi with an umbrella, losing custody of her two sons and two admissions to psychiatric hospital units.Her father took control of her business affairs in February and, in September, Spears won three awards for her 2007 song "Piece of Me" at the MTV video music awards.She plans to set the record straight about her highly public meltdown in a 90-minute documentary to be aired on MTV on November 30.Source: ABC News
The following italicized article is from www.ok-magazine.com:And now for the latest on Britney Spears' never-ending legal troubles!
Day one of the singer's misdemeanor driving without a liscence trial ended on Wednesday without a single juror picked. Britney did not appear at court.Potential jurors differed on several aspects of the case. One man blamed the paparazzi for Spears' troubles while another called the idea of a trial "ridiculous." Only one person was dismissed, a woman who claimed she had some previous contact with Brit's business manager.This puts a damper on the trial, which was supposed to move forward with opening statements on Thursday. The charge is the last remnant of a case stemming from an accident last August in which Britney, 26, hit a parked car and left the scene. At the time she did not have a valid California drivers liscence. Brit's father, Jamie Spears, may be called as a witness in the case, which is expected to last three days. Source: OK Magazine
Britney's new single 'Womanizer' is currently at #19 on Mediabase with 3713 spins and 29.4 est. million listeners!Click here to vote for 'Womanizer' on your local radio station!Source: Break The Ice
The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:Britney Spears' Circus is coming to town, and "Womanizer" looks to be the main attraction.The lead single from Spears' birthday-targeting album, opened at No. 96 based on airplay alone last week. This week, digital sales and expanded radio rotation helped "Womanizer" rewrite the record books with a historic jump to the top of the charts.The song's 95-spot jump to No. 1 is the biggest in Billboard history and marks the third time the record's been broken in the past seven weeks. T.I.'s "Live Your Life" made a 79-spot jump to the top last week and his "Whatever You Like" made a 70-spot jump in late August. Before that, Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" held the record for 15 months after leaping 63 spots to No. 1 in May 2007. Womanizer" also set a record by selling 286,000 digital copies. That not only tops the singer's 179,000-copy debut for 2007's "Gimme More," it's also the biggest digital debut for any female artist since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking digital sales five years ago. Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" previously held the record.For all her success, Spears had topped the Hot 100 just once before, with her debut single, "…Baby One More Time," in January 1999. Her albums, on the other hand, have consistently topped the charts with 2007's Blackout being the lone exception. Blackout bowed in at No. 2 behind The Eagles' Long Road Out of Eden.Spears will drop Circus on Dec. 2, her 27th birthday. She's also set to hit the road again in spring, marking her first tour in over four years. Source: E! Online
The following italicized article is from www.people.com:With jury selection underway Wednesday in Britney Spears's trial on a driving-without-a-license charge, two potential jurors expressed doubt about her innocence. "I'm sure that she's guilty," said the juror, an elderly woman who works as a substitute teacher. "From (what I see in) the media, I cannot be fair, I have bias." Another prospect (the jurors are identified only by number), a middle-aged male employed as a sandwich maker, also said, "I think this case is a slam dunk. I think she's guilty." The trial on the misdemeanor charge is expected to last three days, Superior Court Judge James A. Steele said. Included in a potential list of witnesses are Spears's father Jamie, several police officers, and a photographer.By day's end, only one potential juror out of a total of 31 brought in was excused because she stated that she "deals with Britney Spears's business manager." No opening statements or witnesses were heard. Jury selection resumes Thursday. The trial began after a year of legal bickering in which the 26-year-old pop star rejected plea deals. She faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. The charge stems from Spears's fender-bender in August 2007 in which she had a Louisiana license but not a California license. Prosecutors claim that as longtime California resident, she should have had a license from that state. Source: People
Britney Spears is making history withher new single, "Womanizer." This week, "Womanizer" makes an unprecedentedleap from No. 96* to claim the No. 1* spot on Billboard's "Hot 100 Singles"chart. This is the first time a song has ever made a leap of this magnitudeon the singles chart. Further attesting to the multi-platinum singer'sworldwide appeal, "Womanizer" is the No. 1 song on iTunes charts in Canada,France, Spain and Sweden. The song's astonishing climb up the charts comes despite a major glitchthat occurred yesterday when the "Womanizer" digital track wasinadvertently removed and unavailable for sale at iTunes in the U.S. and inother countries for over a twelve hour period. The track first becameavailable on iTunes on October 7th, and prior to the technical error, thedigital track ranked No.1 there, selling over 275K units within the firstsix days of its release. However, the brief lapse did not slow down themomentum of the super-star's project; currently the digital track is backup on iTunes and digital sales are expected to quickly recover. Rounding out a record-setting week, Spears debuted her "Womanizer"video on ABC's 20/20 news program this past Friday night; this is the firsttime a music video in its entirety has ever premiered during primetime onABC. Additionally, the news program won the ratings race during its timeslot, coming in No.1 in the coveted 18-35 demographic. The captivatingvideo was directed by Joseph Kahn, who also directed Spears' riveting"Toxic" video. "Womanizer" is the first single from her forthcoming album, Circus andwas produced by the up-and-coming Atlanta production team The Outsyders.For her latest album, Britney has enlisted a stellar group of establishedproducers/writers that include Dr. Luke (who wrote and produced the album'stitle track, "Circus"), Danja, Max Martin, Bloodshy & Avant and GuySigsworth (Madonna, Alanis Morissette, Bjork). Her sixth studio album,Circus, is set for release December 2nd, which coincides with Spears' 27thbirthday. Britney Spears is one of the top-selling artists of the last decade andto date; she has sold in excess of 62 million albums worldwide, thatinclude "...Baby One More Time"(1999), "Oops!...I Did It Again" (2000),"Britney" (2001), "In The Zone" (2003), and "Blackout" (2007), nine #1 worldwide singles and four consecutive #1 albums.Source: Jive Records
Britney is seen here leaving another studio located on Highland Avenue in L.A. this afternoon with her Mom Lynne, bodyguard and assistant. She must feel extra motivated today after learning about her number one!Source: Breathe Heavy
The following italicized article is from www.eonline.com:Another day, another step on the ladder for Britney Spears' return to the top.The pop princess will appear on the cover of Glamour magazine's January issue, several sources exclusively tell me.Back in early September, there were reports that Spears was shot by photographer Patrick Demarchelier for Vogue magazine. But as I told you, speculation eventually focused in on Glamour after a rep for Anna Wintour's fashion bible shot down the Vogue rumors.A January issue of a major women's magazine like Glamour makes perfect sense. It will hit newsstands just about the same time Spears' new album, Circus, is released Dec. 2. Spears has also just signed a deal with live entertainment company AEG to produce her upcoming world tour.She has appeared once before on the cover of Glamour, back in 2003 for its annual Women of the Year issue.A music label rep for Spears did not comment. A rep for Glamour would not confirm or deny a Spears cover, because the magazine has a policy of not commenting on upcoming issues.Source: E! Online
Source: Breathe On Britney
The following italicized article is from www.accesshollywood.com:Britney Spears’ legal team headed to court on Wednesday, as jury selection began in the pop star’s driver’s license case.
Because the single charge of driving without a license is a misdemeanor, Britney will not be required to appear in court during the trial.Attorneys for both sides were present in the Van Nuys courthouse early Wednesday.
The judge met with all sides behind closed doors for nearly an hour.Following the meeting in chambers, Britney’s attorney, Michael Flanagan, told Access Hollywood they will proceed with the trial and jury selection will soon begin.The driving without a license charge stems from an August 2007 incident, in which the starlet was videotaped as she bumped another vehicle while parking her Mercedes-Benz. She left — without leaving a note — after looking over the damage to her car from the fender-bender. The owner of the other vehicle later filed a police report and Britney was charged a month later with misdemeanor hit-and-run and driving without a valid license. The hit-and-run charges were dismissed in October 2007 after Spears paid an undisclosed sum to the owner. Last week, Flanagan, rejected a plea deal, which would’ve carried a penalty of a $150 fine and 12 months probation for the singer. “A misdemeanor is a criminal offense and I will not plead to one,” Flanagan told Access Hollywood. “This [case] is a tremendous waste of time.” As a result, Flanagan instead opted for a jury trial, which began today. Flanagan has maintained that Britney was driving with a valid Louisiana license at the time, because she owns homes in that state. However, prosecutors suggest because she has lived in California for quite some time, Britney was legally required to have California license, which she has since obtained. “The max you could get is six months in jail, but I’ve never seen it,” Flanagan said after last week’s hearing. According to People, Britney now faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.Source: Access Hollywood
The following italicized article is from www.justjared.com:Britney Spears and mom Lynne hit up the International Dance Studios in Hollywood on Wednesday morning. The 26-year-old pop princess was seen covering her face with her favorite Louis Vuitton’s “Comete” Handbag in Shimmer.On Monday, Britney had a smashing good time attending a Tina Turner concert at the Staples Center in L.A. Jury selection has begun in Brit’s driver’s license case, in which she is charged with a single count of driving without a valid license. She faces jail time and a fine if convicted!Source: Just Jared
Britney Spears, who is surely happy that her new single Womanizer is the #1 song this week on Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 chart, tried to pull one over on the paps yesterday when she tried to sneak off to meet up with her mother Lynne Spears. A decoy vehicle was sent on its way in order to try and lure the paparazzi away from following the car delivering her to a nail salon where she was meeting her mother for an afternoon of pampering. The paps got wise to Britney’s scheme when they noticed that her bodyguards were following her secret vehicle rather than the decoy vehicle. In any event, Britney showed up to meet with her mother and the ladies shared a laugh or two as they had their nails scrubbed, buffed and polished:
It is really a great sight to see Britney look this happy again. I have really missed her loud, boisterous laugh that has been long absent from daily sightings of our dear Britney. Things were far from a laughing matter last year when the world watched our girl spiral downward into a pit of despair and tragedy. Seeing her look this happy once again … I’m telling you, I’ll never tire of championing her recovery. Never. I am very much looking forward to more happy times with our dear Britney. More music is surely on the way, a new World Tour is promised for next year … the sky is the limit again. Britney absolutely has cause to laugh and celebrate these days. Enjoy it, Brit … the best is yet to come :)Source: Pink Is The New Blog
The following italicized article is from www.celebrity-gossip.net:Continuing to put forth the effort necessary for her big comeback, Britney Spears was spotted heading to the dance studio in Los Angeles on Wednesday (October 15).Accompanied by her mother, Lynne, the “Gimme More” singer showed off her slender waistline in a short white tank top teamed with velour track pants.Meanwhile, Britney’s legal team was busy earlier today - as they went to court so that the pop star’s driver’s license case could be continued. No appearance on Britney’s behalf was necessary.Following a meeting in chambers, Britney’s attorney, Michael Flanagan, told Access Hollywood that the plan is to proceed with the trial, with jury selection beginning soon.Source: Celebrity Gossip
I smell another record breaker! "Womanizer," Britney's #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as ranking #1 on iTunes in top digital songs, is now availble for purchase on iTunes! Now it's time to get the music video, which has already been streamed more than 8 million times on the web, to the top of the charts in digital sales.
The following italicized article is from www.latimes.com:Britney Spears is hot, hot, hot once again, scoring the biggest leap to No. 1 in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. Her new “Womanizer” rocketed from No. 96 to No. 1. The track registered 286,000 downloads last week, according to Billboard, the highest figure for a female artist since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking downloads in 2003."Womanizer" edged out Mariah Carey ’s “Touch My Body,” the previous record holder, by just 200 downloads, Billboard noted. It’s the first single from Spears' forthcoming “Circus” album, due Dec. 2. On the album chart, T.I.’s “Paper Trail” is on top again, selling 177,000 copies during its second week. Rise Against’s “Appeal to Reason” entered at No. 3 with first week sales of 65,0000 copies. Oasis' “Dig Out Your Soul” bows at No. 5, selling 53,000 copies out of the gate. It’s the British group’s first Top 10 album since “Be Here Now” came out in 1997.Bob Dylan landed right behind Oasis at No. 6 with the eighth volume in his “Bootleg Series” of albums culled from his archive of previously unreleased material, “Tell Tale Signs,” spanning tracks he recorded from 1989-2006. It’s also the best reviewed album of 2008 so far, scoring a composite 91 points (out of a possible 100) at Metacritic.com.Source: LA Times
Despite the fact that Britney Spears’s new single Womanizer was accidentally removed from the iTunes online music store for a 24 hour period (and has since reappeared on the site), the single still made a record-breaking leap to the #1 spot on the Billboard magazine Hot 100 singles chart to become the #1 song in the country:
Another week, another record-breaking jump to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Britney Spears makes a near-maximum 96-1 rise with “Womanizer,” returning to the top of the list for the first time since her debut single “…Baby One More Time” hit No. 1 in January 1999. This is the third time in the past two months that the mark for the biggest jump to No. 1 has been shattered. On the Hot 100 dated Sept. 6, T.I. soared 71-1 with “Whatever You Like” and last week he sprinted 80-1 with “Live Your Life.” Spears’ single is spurred by first-week download sales of 286,000, the biggest opening-week tally by a female artist since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital downloads in 2003, besting Mariah Carey’s take for “Touch My Body” by just over 200 units. In between her nearly 10-year gap between No. 1s, Spears has placed four other top 10s on the Hot 100, the last being “Gimme More,” the first single from her last set, “Blackout.” That song jumped 68-3 last October with first-week download sales of 179,000. “Womanizer” previews Spears’ sixth studio set “Circus,” due Dec. 2 via Jive.Sooo … according to Billboard magazine, Womanizer becomes Britney’s second #1 song on the Hot 100 chart?! I guess I never really paid attention to her chart success considering all of the amazing singles she has put out over the years. I am pretty geeked that Britney’s song made a record-breaking jump from the #96 position to the #1 position — especially when you consider the song charted even before it was available for sale and managed to make its mark based solely on radio play. I think it’s quite clear that Britney’s comeback is in full swing with this news … now the question becomes, to what heights will Britney continue to soar as she continues to release new material?Source: Pink is The New Blog
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The following italicized article is from www.people.com:
