Skip to Content

NFL star, film icon and Nirvana lawsuit: A week of pop culture shocks

Mark Sanchez faces felony charges, Dwayne Johnson’s latest film underwhelms and a landmark Nirvana case ends in dismissal
NFL star, film icon and Nirvana lawsuit: A week of pop culture shocks

Mark Sanchez Faces Felony Charge After Stabbing Incident

Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez is facing up to six years in prison after being charged with felony battery following a violent parking dispute in Indianapolis. Early Saturday morning, Oct. 4, Sanchez confronted 69-year-old truck driver Perry Tole outside a hotel after Tole backed into the loading dock. Police say Sanchez entered Tole’s truck without permission and assaulted him by “grabbing and throwing” him against a wall. Tole pepper-sprayed Sanchez, then stabbed him in the chest in self-defense when the spray failed. Sanchez was hospitalized in critical condition but later stabilized. He was arrested at the hospital and initially charged with three misdemeanors before prosecutors escalated the battery charge to a level-5 felony, which carries a one-to-six year sentence. Tole has since filed a civil lawsuit against Sanchez and Fox Corporation, claiming serious injuries and emotional distress.

Dwayne Johnson’s “The Smashing Machine” Marks Career-Low Box Office Debut 

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s new film “The Smashing Machine” had the lowest opening weekend of his career, earning just $5.9 million domestically. On Oct. 7, Johnson wrote on Instagram that it was an ‘honor’ to work on the film and expressed gratitude to director Benny Safdie. The biopic follows MMA fighter Mark Kerr, focusing less on action and more on his struggles with addiction. Many attribute the flop to A24’s weak marketing, which targeted younger audiences rather than Johnson’s usual fanbase or older viewers. The film also faced stiff competition from Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl,” which dominated social media during the same weekend. 

Spencer Elden Loses Second Legal Bid Against Nirvana’s “Nevermind” Cover

On Oct. 1, Spencer Elden’s lawsuit against Nirvana was dismissed for the second time. Earlier this year, Elden sued the surviving band members and Courtney Love, widow of Kurt Cobain, claiming the 1991 “Nevermind” album cover constituted child sexual exploitation. He argued that he was “forever tied to the commercial sexual exploitation he experienced as a minor.” U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin previously dismissed the case in 2022, citing the 10-year time limit to file civil cases. After an appeal allowed Elden to refile, Judge Olguin again ruled against him, stating the image is not sexually explicit and compared it to a family photo of a child bathing.

Donate to The Mirror
$1735
$5000
Contributed
Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of Van Nuys Senior High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

About the contributor
Elvis Fernandez, Staff Writer
Donate to The Mirror
$1735
$5000
Contributed
Our Goal