Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist ‘Ean’ Evans dead at 48

Columbus, Miss. — Bassist Donald “Ean” Evans of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd has died after a battle with cancer.

Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant said Evans died Wednesday at his home in eastern Mississippi. He was 48.

In a statement posted on lynyrdskynyrd.com the band said, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of longtime Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Ean Evans. Ean put up a valiant battle with an aggressive form of cancer and he will be sorely missed by family, friends and fans.”

Evans was born in Atlanta, but moved to Columbus after marrying his wife, Eva. He joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2001 and had been touring regularly with the band until being diagnosed with cancer in 2008, when he cut back on performances with the band.

Survivors include his wife and two daughters.

‘Wizard of Oz’ Munchkin dies at 89

St. Louis — Mickey Carroll, one of the last surviving Munchkins from the 1939 beloved film “The Wizard of Oz,” died Thursday. He was 89.

His caretaker, Linda Dodge, said Carroll died in his sleep at her home in suburban Crestwood. He had heart problems and received a pacemaker in February. Until January, he had lived in his own home in suburban Bel-Nor.

Carroll was one of more than 100 adults and children who were recruited to play the movie natives of what author L. Frank Baum called Munchkin Country in his 1900 book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

Carroll was born Michael Finocchiaro on July 8, 1919, in St. Louis. The son of immigrants, he grew up in an Italian neighborhood on the city’s north side with a twin sister and four older siblings.

In November 2007, Carroll and six other surviving Munchkins received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Sutherland charged in head-butt claim

New York — Kiefer Sutherland was charged with misdemeanor assault Thursday for allegedly head-butting a fashion designer at a Manhattan nightclub.

The star of Fox television’s “24” reported to a lower Manhattan police station in a Lincoln Town Car alongside his lawyers, but he did not speak to reporters.

Sutherland, 42, was interviewed by investigators, given a ticket, ordered to appear in court June 22 and released on his own recognizance. The minor charge is akin to a speeding ticket.

But the case could create another major legal hassle for Sutherland, who served 48 days in jail on a drunken-driving charge in California last year.

The designer, Jack McCollough of the high-end Proenza Schouler fashion house, claims Sutherland attacked him after an argument, leaving him with a cut on his face. The incident happened about 2 a.m. Tuesday.

No decision has been made on whether the charge will affect Sutherland’s probation for a drunken-driving conviction in Los Angeles, said Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the Los Angeles City Attorney.

Chris Brown’s lawyer wants LAPD records

Los Angeles — Chris Brown’s attorney has requested police files regarding the alleged beating of Rihanna — including an investigation into a leaked photo of her bruised face — seeking evidence of misconduct he says could be grounds for dismissal.

Mark Geragos wrote in a motion filed Wednesday that he wants the personnel and investigative records to see whether he can discredit police witnesses during a June preliminary hearing. He also wants the paperwork from an investigation into a photo of a battered Rihanna that was leaked to celebrity gossip Web site TMZ.

If those files contain evidence of police misconduct, Geragos wrote, they could help him build an argument to dismiss charges against the R&B singer. Brown, 20, remains free on bail after his Feb. 8 arrest with his then-girlfriend.

Geragos wrote that he believes a Los Angeles Police Department officer sold TMZ the photo, which he said has damaged the singer’s case. He added that it was seen by “hundreds of thousands of viewers” and remains on TMZ.

“The purpose of the leak was necessarily for profit and to vilify Mr. Brown and poison the potential jury pool,” Geragos wrote.

Judge denies Polanski’s bid to toss sex case

Los Angeles — A judge on Thursday dismissed Roman Polanski’s bid to throw out a decades-old sex case because the fugitive director failed to appear in court to press his request.

In a seconds-long hearing with no lawyers present, Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza said he was finalizing an earlier decision for the record. He had placed the order on hold to give Polanski time to return to the United States from France.

His lawyer, Chad Hummel, notified the judge earlier this week that Polanski would not appear because he believed his presence was irrelevant to the dismissal motion.

The judge took the bench briefly and said that because “Mr. Polanski doesn’t intend to submit himself to the jurisdiction of the court,” his motion for dismissal would be denied.

Polanski, 75, pleaded guilty in 1977 to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl and then fled to France. He recently sought dismissal on grounds of misconduct by the now-deceased judge who had arranged a plea bargain and then reneged on it. Polanski risked arrest on a fugitive warrant if he returned to Los Angeles.