LAS VEGAS – A NEVADA judge released warrant documents on Wednesday similar to those previously disclosed in the investigation of pop singer Michael Jackson’s death.

However, Clark County District Court Judge Valerie Adair decided to keep other documents sealed for at least 30 more days at the request of police conducting a homicide investigation.

Ms Adair refused to disclose documents relating to an Aug 11 search of a Las Vegas pharmacy where authorities say Jackson’s personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray, bought the powerful anesthetic propofol.

The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Jackson’s death a homicide, caused primarily by propofol and another sedative. Dr Murray has not been charged with a crime but is the focus of the probe.

Lawyers representing The Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, TMZ Productions Inc of Los Angeles and Stephens Media LLC, the parent company of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, are seeking the release of all search warrant documents relating to the Jackson case in Nevada.

After reviewing affidavits and hearing closed-door testimony from a police detective, Ms Adair said she was convinced that releasing documents involving the search of Applied Pharmacy Services ‘could compromise the Los Angeles Police Department’s ongoing investigation into the homicide of Michael Jackson.’ She ordered a Nov 18 hearing to determine whether there is continued justification to keep the search warrant sealed. — AP

Straits Times

NEW YORK – THE latest weapon in the publishing price wars: Stephen King.

Scribner announced on Wednesday that the digital edition of King’s Under the Dome, a 1,000-plus page novel, would not be released until Dec 24, virtually the end of the holiday season and a month after the hardcover.

E-books have already been delayed for Sen Edward Kennedy’s True Compass and Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue as publishers try to prevent the cheaper digital editions from taking sales from hardcovers, which, until recently, cost more.

‘Given the current state of the marketplace and trends in digital book pricing, we believe that this is the most appropriate publishing sequence for this particular 1088 page work of fiction,’ said spokesman Adam Rothberg of Scribner’s parent company, Simon & Schuster.

Thanks to an online price war among Target.com, Amazon and Walmart.com, the hardcover for Under the Dome, Going Rogue and other popular November releases can be pre-ordered for US$9 (S$12.50) or less, a strong source of concern among publishers and independent booksellers, who cannot afford to charge so little.

Under the Dome will have the same list price as the hardcover, US$35. Amazon.com and other online retailers have been offering best-selling e-editions for US$9.99, which publishers worry is unrealistically low. — AP

Straits Times

LOS ANGELES – ANIMATION pioneer and Toy Story creator John Lasseter is getting a career honour from the Producers Guild of America.

Lasseter is receiving the David O Selznick Achievement Award at the guild’s awards show Jan 24.

He’s the first producer of animated films to receive the award.

Past recipients include Clint Eastwood, Jerry Bruckheimer, Stanley Kramer and Billy Wilder.

The Producers Guild says Lasseter’s work with Pixar Animation and parent company Disney has raised the bar for animated and live-action filmmakers alike.

Lasseter directed 1995’s Toy Story, the first feature-length computer-animated movie, and Toy Story 2, along with A Bug’s Life and Cars. He oversees animation at both Pixar and Disney. — AP

Straits Times

LOS ANGELES – A FORMER actor in Superman-themed US television series ‘Smallville’ was arrested in Los Angeles on drugs charges, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Sam Jones, 26, who played the young Clark Kent’s best friend for three seasons, was arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration agents Wednesday for conspiracy to sell more than 10,000 pills of oxycodone or oxycontin.

The drug, a powerful opioid painkiller, is often described as ‘hillbilly heroin’. The US Attorney’s office said Jones was involved in a series of deals involving the drug in 2008.

According to documents filed in US District Court in Los Angeles Jones was the ‘Hollywood connection’ in a plot to purchase and distribute the substance.

Jones has been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and if convicted faces up to 20 years in federal prison, the US Attorney’s Office said.

Airing for the first time in 2001, ‘Smallville’ follows the fortunes of hero Clark Kent before he develops his alternate superhero identity as Superman. The show is now in its ninth season. — AFP

Straits Times

MOSCOW – VLADIMIR Komarov always cherished his signed photo of French actress Brigitte Bardot, but has cashed it in to pay for an operation, the popular Russian daily Tvoi Den reported on Wednesday.

The 50-year-old miner from the Ural region wrote a love letter to the blonde star of And God Created Woman when he was a boy, receiving an autographed picture from Bardot in return.

Suffering from a lung disease, Komarov put his prized possession up for sale to pay for the surgery, getting 61,000 rubles (around S$2,800) in return.

‘Without this operation I will die. I would never have wanted to sell this photograph, but I have no other option,’ explained the miner, who is pictured in the Russian newspaper holding the famous photo in his hand. — AFP

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