9:10 AM PT -- Jussie Smollett's attorney, Nenye Uche, tells TMZ ... Jussie is "very pleasantly surprised," even "ecstatic." Uche emphasizes the court decision was unanimous.
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He points out in the age of social media, courts need to push back and defend the rule of law and due process -- watch the video, he has some suggestions about how to address that.
A deal's a deal, and that means Jussie Smollett's conviction in the hate crime hoax case is now reversed, and he cannot be tried again ... according to the Illinois Supreme Court.
Illinois' high court ruled Thursday that Jussie's deal with Cook County prosecutors -- when they originally dropped the case against him -- had to be honored. State's Attorney Kim Foxx struck a plea deal with the actor, requiring him to forfeit his $10,000 bond, and do 15 hours of volunteer community service.
TMZ.com
The court's ruling says because Jussie held up his end of the deal -- he actually did 18 hours of service -- he should not have been subject to a second prosecution. That's when he was convicted of felony disorderly conduct and sent to jail, briefly, until he appealed the decision.
10:44 AM PT -- Jose Ibarra, an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley.
The judge in the case just issued the sentence ... Ibarra was found guilty on 10 charges, including malice murder, kidnapping and aggravated assault. Both the defense and the prosecution had opted for a bench trial, with a judge deciding Ibarra's fate, forgoing a jury trial.
The prosecution did not seek the death penalty in the case.
Jose Ibarra -- the man standing trial for nursing student Laken Riley's murder -- has been found guilty.
The verdict was announced minutes ago ... with a Georgia judge deciding Ibarra is guilty after the prosecution and defense agreed to a bench trial instead of a trial by jury.
Video and audio evidence played a key role in this trial ... with video of Ibarra unable to tell cops how he ended up with fresh scratches and marks on his arms just hours after Laken's death played in court earlier this week.
The 47-year-old actor, best known for "Dawson's Creek," was recently diagnosed with the disease -- telling People he's receiving treatment to resolve it.
Van Der Beek says -- despite the scary diagnosis -- there's reason to be optimistic. He doesn't clarify exactly what he means here, but he adds he's feeling good.
1:27 PM PT -- Michael Jeffries, the ex-CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, has been released on bond following his indictment Tuesday ... TMZ has learned.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of NY tells TMZ ... the controversial businessman has been released on a $10 million bond. Meanwhile, his boyfriend, Matthew Smith, who was also included in the indictment, was released on a $500K bond.
As for James Jacobson, who allegedly lured in men to participate in "sex events," was detained.
Jeffries and Jacobson are set to be arraigned Friday afternoon at a federal courthouse in Long Island.
The Ex-CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is mirroring the lifestyle Diddy allegedly lived ... at least according to the feds who've now secured an indictment against Michael Jeffries for very similar crimes.
A grand jury hit Jeffries -- who was Abercrombie's CEO from 1992 to 2014 -- with 15 counts of interstate prostitution and one count of sex trafficking. The indictment includes Jeffries' BF Matthew Smith and James Jacobson, who allegedly recruited men for "Sex Events" ... and made them have sex with him in "tryouts."
According to prosecutors for the Eastern District of NY, Jeffries and co. fully exploited his Abercrombie power, running "a business that was dedicated to fulfilling their sexual desires and ensuring that their international sex trafficking and prostitution business was kept secret."
4:28 PM PT -- The Beverly Hills Police Department, the investigating agency for the Menendez brothers case, tells TMZ ... cops presented facts and evidence to the L.A. County D.A.'s Office back in the day when prosecutors filed criminal charges, and BHDP has NOT been contacted by the D.A. regarding these new developments.
2:52 PM PT -- The L.A. County D.A. just said they are reviewing the claims of Erik and LyleMenendez that they were molested by the father they killed, and he will decide if they should get a new trial or if the D.A. should go for a new sentence -- presumably manslaughter -- that could set them free.
George Gascón said his office is aware of the new claims by a former member of the band Menudo -- who says Jose Menendez molested him. That's highly relevant, because it goes to whether the judge in the second trial erred by not allowing evidence in that Jose allegedly molested his sons.
MLB legend Pete Rosedied from heart disease ... officials announced Tuesday.
According to the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner in Nevada ... the official cause of death for Rose was determined as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Rose had also been battling diabetes mellitus, officials added.
Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo -- one of the greatest defensive basketball players ever -- has died after a battle with brain cancer. He was 58 years old.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement announcing Mutombo's passing ... saying, "Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA."
"Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others."
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is now facing federal criminal charges, after a grand jury indictment ... TMZ has confirmed.
Adams, now the first NYC mayor to ever be charged while in office, is planning to surrender next week, according to the NY Post. The charges, which are currently sealed, are in connection with a federal probe, and the indictment is expected to be unsealed Thursday morning.
Adams told the NY Post, "I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target -- and a target I became. If I am charged, I am innocent, and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit."
Harvey Weinstein was just arraigned in the retrial of his New York sexual assault case ... and, federal prosecutors have finally revealed the new charge against him.
Weinstein was slapped with one count of criminal sexual act after his indictment was unsealed Wednesday in Manhattan Criminal Court. According to court documents, Weinstein allegedly forcibly performed oral sex on another person between April 29, 2006 and May 6, 2006.
The former movie producer pleaded not guilty, but otherwise sat quietly in a wheelchair at the defense table in the courtroom. Before his arraignment, Weinstein was photographed being wheeled out of Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan and given a police escort to the courthouse.
Donald Trump wasn't that far from being fired upon ... with officials saying he was about 300-500 yards away from the suspect when Secret Service engaged the would-be shooter.
The Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw just spoke publicly about the shots fired near Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach around 2 PM ET this afternoon.
Bradshaw says a Secret Service agent spotted an AK-47-style rifle barrel sticking through the fence, ready for the former president to arrive at one hole, and the suspect had a GoPro to film the whole thing.
1:51 PM PT -- The FBI has just released a statement to multiple news outlets, saying they are "investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump."
1:27 PM PT -- Donald Trump has just put out his own statement in a fundraising email ... telling people he's fine -- but, there are always people in this world who want to stop you, implying that he was fired upon.
1:26 PM PT -- A photo of the alleged SUV is circulating online ... showing the smashed up vehicle on the side of the road surrounded by police vehicles.
1:20 PM PT -- Sheriff William D. Snyder of Martin County has just confirmed his officers have apprehended the driver of the vehicle, and he is in custody. He says the investigation will now be handled by the FBI and Secret Service.
CNN
1:14 PM PT -- TMZ has confirmed U.S. Secret Service agents opened fire after seeing a person with a firearm near Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, while the Republican presidential candidate was golfing Sunday. No injuries were reported. The person fled in an SUV and was later apprehended in a nearby county by local law enforcement, the officials said.
1:02 PM PT -- CNN is reporting one person has been detained after the shooting.
12:50 PM PT -- Fox News' Sean Hannity has just given a recap of events ... saying he's spoken with Donald Trump and Steve Witkoff -- one of the people golfing with Trump this morning.
Hannity says the two of them were on the fifth hole when shots rang out. He says Secret Service returned fire to where they heard the shots. He says Trump and Witkoff told him Secret Service found an AK-47 at the scene and a suspect was identified and chased by local law enforcement -- unclear if they arrested the suspect.
SH says it's still unclear if the shooter was firing on Trump or if the shooter simply fired his weapon near where Trump happened to be golfing.
12:44 PM PT -- Kamala Harris just tweeted about the shooting ... saying she's glad the former president is safe and adding gun violence has no place in the U.S.A.
I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.
12:37 PM PT -- Joe Bidenand Kamala Harris have been informed of the shooting, according to the Daily Mail which cites a White House statement.
Donald Trump's safe after his campaign says gunshots were fired near him ... marking this the second shooting scare of the summer for the Republican candidate.
The former POTUS' campaign team put out a statement just minutes ago ... assuring people 45 is safe after gunshots popped off "in his vicinity."
His communications director, Steven Cheung, adds the campaign has no further details at this time.
1:31 PM PT -- Harvey Weinstein is "not doing great," his rep Juda Engelmayer tells TMZ.
We're told the fallen film legend is having "major heart surgery" today after he first began experiencing chest pains at Rikers Island prison.
However, Weinstein still plans to appear in court on Thursday ... but will only attend if he's well enough to do so.
Harvey Weinstein is undergoing emergency surgery mere days before he is due in court in NYC ... TMZ has learned.
The controversial film producer was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in New York from Rikers Island prison Monday for emergency heart surgery after experiencing pains in his chest, his lawyer confirmed to TMZ.
Weinstein was held at Rikers ahead of his court appearance, where prosecutors are hoping to secure a new indictment against Weinstein after his prior rape conviction in NYC was overturned in April.
The father of the suspect charged with murdering four people at a Georgia high school has been arrested himself, after authorities learned he gave his son the AR-15 used in the mass shooting as a Christmas gift.
Alleged shooter Colt Gray's father, Colin Gray, was arrested Thursday in connection with Wednesday's shooting at Apalachee High School, in which Colt is accused of gunning down two students and two teachers.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says the father is facing 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter, 2 counts of second-degree murder and 8 counts of cruelty to children.
Jasveen Sangha, who federal prosecutors allege is a drug dealer known as the "Ketamine Queen," has NO association with Matthew Perry, despite being charged in connection with his death ... at least according to her attorney.
Mark Geragos' firm is representing Sangha and he went on the "Today" show Wednesday morning and tried to distance Sangha from the late "Friends" actor, who died from a ketamine overdose.
When asked how Sangha linked up with Matthew in the first place, Geragos vehemently denied they were ever connected, saying point blank ... "She isn't connected to Matthew Perry at all."
Isaac Freeman III, aka Fatman Scoop, has died after the iconic musician collapsed onstage Friday night.
Scoop's tour manager broke the sad news when he said of the Grammy-winner, "I am honestly lost for words… You took me all over the world and had me performing alongside you on some of the biggest and greatest stages on this planet, the things you taught me have truely made me the man I am today. Thank you so much, I love you x."
Reminisce Festival, where Fatman Scoop was set to perform Sept. 7 also posted to Instagram saying, "It is with the deepest sorrow that we at Reminisce have received the devastating news of the tragic passing of the legendary Isaac Freeman III, known to us all as Fatman Scoop. This loss has left us all heartbroken."
Not long after, his family also released a statement, which said in part ... "He was the laughter in ours lives, a constant source of support, unwavering strength and courage."
Wendy Williams is returning to public life ... resurfacing for the first time in more than a year.
The former talk show host popped up in public last week in her home state of New Jersey, shopping at a holistic wellness store in Newark with her son, Kevin Hunter Jr.
It's the first time we've seen Wendy in public since her dementia diagnosis ... she's smiling in a photo with the shop owner, holding shopping bags and a bunch of different colored roses.
