Paris Hilton receives death threats

Photos from L to R: #1. Paris Hilton in bikini in Hawaii. #2.  Paris Hilton & her sister Nicky Hilton on the beach of Hawaii on Dec. 23, 2005

Paris Hilton feared for her life after allegedly receiving death threats last year, a Los Angeles court heard last Tuesday. The threats was linked to her ex-boyfriend: softcore porn producer Joe Francis. Francis gave evidence in Los Angeles Superior Court during a preliminary hearing against suspect Darnell Riley, who stands accused of burglary, robbery, carjacking, kidnapping and attempted-extortion. Francis claims he found Riley trespassing in his Bel Air, California home on January 22, 2004, and was forced to perform demeaning sex acts on himself, which were videotaped, at gunpoint. Riley also allegedly demanded $1,000 and Francis' Rolex watch, before saying: "I need $100,000 cash, or you're going to die." The case spent most of last year unsolved until Hilton gave police vital information that led to the arrest of Riley, claiming she'd heard Riley's name mentioned in relation to Francis' attack on the Hollywood party scene. Francis testified yesterday that his ex-girlfriend Hilton had spoken to him about Riley at a party in late 2004: "Paris pulled me aside at a party and said, 'I'm being extorted by Darnell Riley for $20,000 a month and he's threatened to kill me if I don't pay."

MONICA CROWLEY AT THE SORBONNE. REALLY!?

Photo: American Author and anchor, Monica Crowley.

A new interest  in the study of the life of President Richard Nixon is taking place, today, in France, and particularly among the new generation of universities students in Paris. For years, the former American president has been admired and recognized by the elite in Europe, as one of the greatest American presidents of all time. While former President Richard Nixon is still viewed as "Tricky Nick", the Europeans in general, and French in particular, consider Nixon as one of the greatest American politicians and one of the world's brightest political minds. To many folks in the United States, the former American president is a reminder of political corruption. But here, in Europe, Richard Nixon is an icon, a symbol of political integrity despite the Watergate scandal that ruined his career and life. One of the reasons for such a global admiration is perhaps Monica Crowley's book on Richard Nixon.  Crowley's book had a major impact on the intellectual elite in France. Politico-academic grapevine in Paris is whispering that Crowley's book might be considered as one of the main instructional and teaching material (s) at the school of political sciences of the University of Paris-La Sorbonne.  Officials at the university would not either confirm or deny those rumours. Crowley was not available for comment. And as usual, it is almost impossible to reach her at her New York radio station program. The guys at the radio station switchboard are everything but cooperative. We could not get to Crowley to elaborate on the subject. The only option left was to talk to Maximillien de Lafayette, an authority on Monica Crowley. Lafayette wrote more than 15 articles on Crowley and called her "The Grande Diva of the American Media." In one of his syndicated columns, de Lafayette wrote: "Monica Crowley is simply the prettiest, brightest and most educated American political analysts in the business." But de Lafayette had nothing to say about Crowley-La Sorbonne affair. "She is perfect at so many levels, her (Crowley) books are authoritative, informative blended in utmost integrity and historical truth. Why not, Dr. Crowley's books will enrich the library of La Sorbonne.", said de Lafayette, today, in London.