Actor Smollett indicted on 16 felony counts; 'The Simpsons' features voice of Michael Jackson and more

Television actor Jussie Smollett, arrested last month on a single charge of perpetrating a hate-crime hoax, has been newly indicted on 16 felony counts of falsely reporting to police that he was assaulted by two strangers shouting racist and homophobic slurs. The indictment, returned by a Cook County grand jury on Thursday and made public on Friday, greatly expands on the legal jeopardy faced by Smollett, whose story of being attacked in Chicago by supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump has drawn suspicion since it first surfaced in late January. Singer R. Kelly's girlfriends say parents are lying for money

Two women who say they are in a relationship with R. Kelly defended the R&B singer, despite criminal allegations he sexually assaulted teenage girls, and in a tearful interview broadcast on Thursday accused their own parents of trying to extort money from the performer. The parents of the two women, Azriel Clary and Joycelyn Savage say their daughters, 21 and 23 respectively, have been brainwashed by Kelly, 52. 'Simpsons' producer pulls episode featuring Michael Jackson

An old episode of "The Simpsons" featuring the voice of Michael Jackson is being pulled from all future broadcasts, the show's producer told a newspaper, following a documentary about alleged child abuse by the late pop star. "It feels clearly the only choice to make," James L. Brooks was quoted as telling the Wall Street Journal.

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