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New York's top prosecutor is taking the Daniel Prude case out of the local jurisdiction's hands and putting the decision of whether to bring charges squarely with the people.

Attorney General Letitia James says she'll be convening a grand jury soon to review the case and see if any crime had been committed by the Rochester police officers ... who put a spit sack over Prude's head earlier this year, which ultimately lead to his death.

As we reported ... Prude's brother called 911 for help after Daniel was acting erratically. He was intercepted in the snowy streets, completely naked. While complying with officers' demands at first, Prude eventually tried standing up ... and was pinned to the ground.

With a knee to his back and a hood over his head, Prude eventually lost consciousness. He was placed on life support and died 7 days later. His death was ruled a homicide by complications of asphyxia while being restrained, plus other contributing factors.

Empaneling a grand jury essentially takes the power to charge anyone out of a prosecutor's purview and puts it with grand jurors, who'll take a look and be presented an argument one way or another by the lead investigative office -- in this case, the New York Attorney General.

Safe to say, if the AG is making this move ... it's because she wants impartial people to judge what happened and then determine if charges should be filed. So far, seven of the cops have been suspended with pay, but no charges have been filed.

Rochester's mayor, Lovely Warren, decried Prude's death this past week ... claiming ignorance over the true nature of his detainment. Not everyone is satisfied with that explanation, especially since Prude died 6 months ago.

Rihanna appeared bruised and battered as she made a quick pit stop in L.A. -- turns out she's the latest victim of the electric scooter.

RiRi rolled up to Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica Friday night, where she was trying to lay low in her Escalade while some staffers brought out food and drinks to her curbside. At one point, she removed her sunglasses ... and paps captured her looking the worse for wear -- a black eye and some swelling in her face.

Several media outlets posted the photos and suggested she'd been in some sort of physical altercation ... remembering the Chris Brown beating back in 2009. Not the case -- her rep tells us Rihanna was on an e-scooter a few days ago and ate it after the scooter flipped over, smacking her in the face and forehead.

We're told it looks worse than it is and she's healing.

It's not a wonderful day in Mister Rogers' neighborhood, at least not when Donald Trump's in it ... so says his widow, who's got some choice of words for the President.

Joanne Rogers ripped Trump a new one after he decided to host his latest rally in Fred's hometown of Latrobe, PA -- which reportedly broke COVID-19 protocols by hosting more people than the legal limit set at 250 ... instead, the crowd was 7,000 strong.

She tells the Daily Beast she thinks Trump's a "horrible person," adding that she'd probably go into mourning if he's re-elected come November. Joanne says Trump's such a liar she can't trust anything he says, even the smallest thing.

Then comes a scathing line ... "This man is pathologically ill. Mentally ill." BTW, Joanne is a big Biden fan -- saying he's not too old at age 77 (she's 92), adding any gaffes Biden makes while speaking in public are probably a result of a stuttering issue he had when he was younger, rather than any mental ineptitude, as the Trump campaign has often suggested.

The internet is abuzz at the fact that there's actually a high school team called the "Cotton Pickers" -- something a local reporter made public, and which he now regrets.

KIII 3 Sports' Chris Thomasson tweeted a video Friday of the Robstown High School football team taking the field for their season opener against the London High School Pirates near Corpus Christi, TX ... but he also dropped Robstown's team name, the Cotton Pickers.

The guy's tweet got picked up and spread like wildfire, with many people aghast and outraged there could actually be a team with such racist connotations -- especially in Texas, no less. Their mascot isn't very subtle either -- it depicts a cotton plant, straight up. And yes, there are Black players on the football and other sports team ... so, what gives?

That same reporter followed up and said he didn't mean to stir the pot by dropping the full name -- he says he never says the full thing on air and usually just refers to the team as the "Pickers." He also provided context ... saying "Cotton Pickers" is something the school board there recently voted to stick to after consulting the community, which is apparently predominantly Latino. Many of those folks do, in fact, pick cotton and don't view it as a slur.

There are some local reports of residents there even being proud of the name -- as they view it as honest work steeped in local tradition and heritage ... from their POVs anyway.

That said, Thomasson acknowledges it's probably time to change the name, adding he's advocated for that for years. Fact is, the history of cotton picking in this country usually conjures up just one thing for most -- AKA, slavery -- and that alone should be reason enough to pivot.

A university professor who posed as a Black woman for years had her own family completely in the dark about her double life ... and now, they're utterly ashamed.

Jessica Krug -- who says she publicly identified as North African, African-American and of Caribbean descent through most of her adult life -- outed herself Thursday in a Medium post, saying she'd been living a lie ... since she isn't Black at all, just a white Jewish woman.

Krug apologized for what she described as being a "culture leech," saying she'd finally seen the error in her ways ... and that her appropriation was, in fact, anti-Black and colonial.

While it's somewhat commendable she didn't go the route of Rachel Dolezal -- who, more or less, stuck to her guns on identifying as Black -- the damage was already done. George Washington University, where she taught African and Latin American Studies, announced she won't be teaching this semester ... this after her own department tore her a new one.

Not only that, but Krug's own family came out this week and said they were utterly oblivious to the fact she'd been lying about her race. Granted, it sounds like she's estranged.

Her sister-in-law -- who spoke to CNN -- says her husband (Krug's blood brother) hadn't spoken to Jessica in 20 years ... but went on to confirm that she is certainly not Black, going on to call her "white as snow white" and establishing her Kansas City upbringing.

Dr. Dre's estranged wife claims in legal docs Dre was violent with her in the past, and she also ticked off why she needs nearly $2 mil a month in temporary spousal support while their divorce winds its way through the legal system, and the expenses she lists are eye-popping.

TMZ broke the story ... Nicole Young wants $1,936,399 to cover her expenses.  Here's the breakdown

-- Laundry and cleaning $10,000 a month

-- Clothes $135,000 a month

-- Education (tuition and living expenses) $60,000 a month

-- Entertainment $900,000 a month

-- Charitable contributions $125,000 a month

-- Mortgage. $100,000 a month

-- Telephone, cell phone, e-mail $20,000 a month

In all, she says she actually has a monthly nut of $2,530,000

As we reported, sources connected to Dre say he's covering all her expenses, including the Malibu house where Nicole is staying, chefs, security, etc.

But, in her docs, Nicole says Dre has been controlling with the pursestrings, denying her the right to use, among other things, her AmEx black card.

In her docs, Nicole goes into detail about the prenup she signed, using the "gun-to-the-head" metaphor just before their wedding. She also says Dre ripped it up several years into the marriage, although he denies it. At stake -- as much as a billion dollars.

Nicole says things really fell apart April 1st, claiming Dre was intoxicated at their West L.A. home when he started yelling at her, "F*** you. F*** you. Get the f*** out. Get the f*** out. Go to Malibu."

She claims at one point he ordered ... "Do not spend one more cent ... period. You can't be mean and disrespectful and spend my hard-earned money. F*** that!!! Yes that's a threat ... I'm putting the beach house up for sale next week ..."

Nicole also claims Dre is furious at her that her lawyers are trying to dig into his personal finances, threatening "war" if she persists.

She also claims she became alarmed when he had his brother-in-law come to the Malibu home to pick up his Glock. She says she feared Dre and wouldn't turn it over because she says Dre had a "history of violence and coercive control, both before and during the marriage." She does not elaborate, but does mention texts messages from Dre after they separated. In one, he said, "Why are you ignoring me? Why are you ignoring me ... should I come see you?" She says the text was "frightening" and instilled fear in her.

As we reported, Nicole is also asking for $5 million to cover her attorney's fees.  She filed for divorce 2 months ago.

This pooch went from not lovin' it to REALLY lovin' it ... and all it took was a little Heinz-sight.

Let's face it ... McDonald's has some of the best french fries out there in fast food land, but plain 'ol fries aren't cutting it for this German Shepard mix. The K-9 turns its nose on the naked fry.

But then ... the owner ups the game with the condiment of choice -- ketchup. The dog attacks the partially red target ... gobbling it up with no reservations.

We got to wondering ... is this a good advertisement for Mickey D's? Humans dig fries even without ketchup, but we're guessing the majority of dog owners prefer their fries with the red stuff.

Kim Kardashian could become the next Martha Stewart ... because it looks like she's getting ready to tackle the world of home goods!!!

Kim's legal team filed new docs to lock up the rights to "KKW Home."

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Kim is eyeing the sale of "KKW Home" products in retail outlets known for bath and shower products, plus home and bedroom furnishings and accessories.

And, from the looks of things, Kim's planning to slap her moniker on pretty much every home good product you could possibly buy ... bath mats and rugs, towels, shower curtains and liners, linens, drapes, afghans, throws, comforters, blankets, scented oils, room fragrances, candles, body and loofah sponges, bathroom caddies, soap dishes and dispensers, toilet paper holders, organizing and storage containers, trays, baskets, bowls and even wastebaskets.

Basically, everything under the sun when it comes to filling out a living space.

It's no surprise ... Kim's recently been looking to expand her business empire during the pandemic ... as we first told you, she's also looking to grow her beauty biz into skincare.

The cast of "The Princess Bride" is reuniting, and they're on a mission ... to defeat Donald Trump in the cheese state.

There will be a live stream table read on Sept. 13 and the cast is intact for "A Virtual Princess Bride Reunion" ... Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn and Carol Kane. Rob Reiner, who directed the flick, will be the guide and there will be “special guests.”

After the table read, Patton Oswalt will moderate a virtual Q&A with the cast.

The endgame is money, with the message, “Anything you donate will be used to ensure that Trump loses Wisconsin, and thereby the White House."

If you don't think people's nerves have been frayed during the pandemic, check out this scene from Dunkin' Donuts.

An enraged customer swung the front door open as she charged in the donut shop, demanding answers from an employee she claims threw a bag at her friend in the drive-thru.

As she screams at the employee, he implores her to stop speaking to him like that. He gets emotional as he walks away, and then the customer sets her sights on another employee, demanding that the employee in question gets fired.

The woman claims when she and her friend went through the drive-thru, the employee got their order wrong, so they drove back to get it done right. The woman says the employee threw the bag at her friend's head.

The manager at DD asked the 2 women to return the next day. He told them the employee was having a bad day and, coincidentally, it was his last day on the job. The manager said the employee was not fired ... Friday was going to be his last day even before the incident.

Johnny Manziel LOVES the fact The Rock just bought the XFL -- but don't expect to see the QB sign a contract anytime soon.

"I'm retired, dude," Manziel told TMZ Sports outside of Saddle Ranch in L.A. on Friday.

Manziel's only 27 years old -- and brought solid TV ratings to the CFL during his 2018/2019 comeback ... begging the question, would The Rock's XFL make a run at Johnny to try and boost interest?

"Listen, anything The Rock touches is gonna be gold as always," Manziel says ... "But, I think football is a little bit behind me."

"I'm just trying do to other things in life that make me happy. That's it."

To prove his point, Manziel fired up a cigarette -- and told us straight up, "There's more to life than just ball."

The former Heisman Trophy winner and 2015 1st-round NFL Draft pick is not completely closing the door on a comeback ... saying he still trains and works out -- but it's highly unlikely.

"You never say never, I'm still an athletic guy ... but at the end of the day, let's see where the rest of life takes me and we’ll go from there."

"Football for me is not at the forefront of my mind. It's just chillin’ and being one of the bros."

Manziel also talked about his beef with sports business reporter Darren Rovell ... and explained why it's a long-running issue "that'll get settled up one day."

Oh, and as for why Manziel is out in L.A. during a global pandemic without a mask?

"COVID doesn’t wanna see me at the end of the day," Manziel joked ... "dude, I do worse things on the weekend."

Kodak Black is praying for more than just his release from prison ... because he says he can't get access to a rabbi to practice his Jewish faith behind bars.

Kodak's attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ he's ramping up to file a lawsuit if his client doesn't get what he says he's been requesting for months ... a consultation with his own personal rabbi -- or any rabbi, really, at this point.

Of course, the other headline here is ... Kodak Black's Jewish??? We're with ya, and Cohen explained the rapper identifies with the faith -- even though he has yet to convert. He claims the feds have gone radio silent on his efforts to connect with his go-to rabbi.

If nothing changes, Cohen says they'll be suing for a violation of Kodak's First Amendment right to practice his religion.

He admits the chaplain at Kodak's facility in KY recently emailed to say face-to-face spiritual meetups were being temporarily axed due to COVID. However, Cohen says the chaplain also told him phone calls with the rabbi shouldn't be an issue.

Oh, and if you're wondering why Kodak's so adamant about getting access to any rabbi and a Torah, we're told he thinks it will help his mental state. Kodak believes God has a plan for him, and wants to talk it out with a pro.

Donald Trump has said a lot of shocking things, but comparing Jacob Blake's shooting to a golfer who misses a putt is jaw-dropping. And, Trump's AG thinks there may be a few bad apples on the police forces of America, but there's no systemic racism. So we gotta ask ...

Charles Oakley is straight-up confused about why the Brooklyn Nets hired Steve Nash as their new head coach ... when there are so many other qualified coaches with actual coaching experience!

The NY Knicks legend didn't beat around the bush when we asked him about the Nash hiring ... telling us straight up, "We need more Black coaches in the NBA."

Oakleys says like everyone else in the NBA world, he had no idea Nash was even interested in a coaching gig ... "but that's how the world is."

"People hire their friends, people that they believe in. Somebody must believe in Steve Nash, a great player."

But, Oakley says there are plenty of Black coaches -- like Mark Jackson, Pete Myers and Jason Kidd -- who have been waiting for jobs ... and got beat out because "this guy comes out of the blue."

"That goes to show you we're still behind the 8 ball," Oak says ... "That's what we're trying to fight for, equal opportunity."

"Hopefully, We can get more Black coaches in the NBA because it's a Black league. We should have more Black coaches. More Black owners and GMs."

In case you're wondering, in the 2018-19 season, roughly 82% of NBA players were people of color, according to an ESPN report.

Steven Spielberg's daughter no longer has to worry about her domestic violence case ... because TMZ's learned it's been tossed.

A spokesperson with the Office of the Attorney General in Nashville tells TMZ ... Mikaela Spielberg successfully completed court-ordered counseling classes after her February arrest. We're told Mikaela had already been attending counseling since October 2019, but the focus of her weekly classes changed following her arrest. We're told the final report was very good ... resulting in the judge dismissing her domestic violence case.

As we reported ... Mikaela was arrested following an argument with her BF after returning home from a bar. She allegedly erupted and hurled objects at him after he said something "rude" to her.

Cops observed a visible injury on the BF -- dry blood on his hand and a swollen wrist -- and determined Mikaela was the aggressor.