Faith Evans Domestic Violence Case Dropped

Faith Evans is off the hook in her felony domestic violence case ... TMZ has learned she won't be prosecuted for allegedly attacking Stevie J.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office tells TMZ ... they are declining to prosecute the singer because the alleged victim, her husband, declined to testify against her.

We broke the story ... Faith was arrested last month after she allegedly got into a heated argument with Stevie at their L.A.-area home, which at some point turned violent.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Stevie was the one who called cops to their home the night of the fight. We're told he just wanted her out of the house, and never wanted her arrested or prosecuted in the first place.

Our sources also tell us cops had no choice but to arrest Faith for domestic violence because Stevie had visible scratches on his face when officers arrived at the scene.

070819_faith_evans_stevie_j_kal_v2 July 2019
NO TROUBLE IN PARADISE
TMZ.com

You'll remember ... it was just last year when rumors started that their marriage was in trouble. As we first reported ... there was palpable tension after our camera guy got the couple leaving the Essence Festival in New Orleans.

However, things seem to be OK -- even after this arrest -- the couple is still together and Stevie recently told The Shade Room he's not going anywhere.

Bottom line ... case closed.

NYPD Cop Who Shoved Lady ... Arrested on Assault Charges & More

053020_nyc_woman_pushed_kal_v3 NEW YORK CITY
GETTING OUT OF HAND

The NYPD police officer who shoved a female protester to the ground -- on camera -- has now been arrested and charged with assault ... among other crimes.

Officer Vincent D'Andraia surrendered to authorities at the Downtown Brooklyn precinct Tuesday morning. He was booked for assault, criminal mischief, harassment, and menacing. He appeared for his arraignment by a video feed, due to coronavirus concerns. He was released on his own recognizance.

D'Andraia has been ID'd by city officials as the officer seen in a video pushing a woman to the ground in late May near the Barclays Center ... where she was participating in a George Floyd protest. She says she suffered a concussion and a seizure.

The cop was suspended without pay shortly thereafter, and his supervisor was reportedly transferred to another precinct. The case is already being reviewed by Internal Affairs.

Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez says of the case, "I fully support the long-held American tradition of non-violent protest. As District Attorney I cannot tolerate the use of excessive force against anyone exercising this Constitutionally guaranteed right."

He adds, "This is especially true of those who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law. I am deeply troubled by this unnecessary assault. We will now seek to hold this defendant accountable."

George Floyd Murder Case Charged Ex-Cop Seeking Donations From PUBLIC for His Defense Fund!!!

One of the accused ex-cops in George Floyd's murder case needs financial assistance, and believe it or not, he's hoping the public will lend a hand as he tries to mount his legal defense ... which is that he claims he tried to do the right thing.

The family of Thomas Lane is soliciting donations via a website they've set up. His bail's been set at a million bucks ... and if convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of up to 40 years in prison.

Lane, along with the 2 other ex-officers beside Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting 2nd-degree murder, and aiding and abetting 2nd-degree manslaughter.

Through their website -- which reads more like a resume -- Lane's family tries pleading his case, arguing Lane did everything he had the power and authority to do to save George's life on May 25. They point out Lane suggested rolling him on his side ... which they -- and prosecutors -- say Chauvin refused to do.

However, Lane was also involved in pinning George on the ground. The vast majority of America, and several law enforcement veterans, think he and his comrades should have removed Chauvin.

Anyway, the family says Lane called for the ambulance prior to George losing consciousness, and when it arrived Lane "did not hesitate to jump into the Ambulance where he started performing CPR to try and save George Floyd’s life."

They say chain of command is the only thing that stopped him from doing more. Lane's defense attorney offered that same explanation last week during arraignment.

Minneapolis Police 5/25/20
EXCESSIVE FORCE
Facebook/ Darnella Frazier

On top of that, they note he was brand new on the job ... just 4 days on the streets.

Still, we're going on 2 weeks of nationwide protests calling for the prosecution and conviction of all 4 ex-cops -- so, it would seem the family's facing an extremely uphill battle to garner public sympathy or financial support.

Toronto Protest Cops Arrest Man in Blackface ... At Anti-Racism Event!!!

Toronto PD probably saved this jackass' life ... he showed up in blackface for a protest against racism -- seriously -- and yes, protesters were furious about the spectacle.

The wild moment was captured on video Saturday during a demonstration in the city's Nathan Phillips Square. The white guy walked into the crowd completely decked out in black makeup on his face and hands.

We can't imagine it took long for people to turn on him, and even as police whisked him away ... pissed off protesters were still screaming at him.

People were reportedly barking threats at him and calling for the police the whole time he was trying to wade through the rally. Eventually, bicycle officers did step in and escort the guy away -- almost completely surrounding him to keep the angry crowd off of him.

Cops say the agitator was arrested for breaching the peace -- yeah, he did that and then some. Oh, the beatdown he might have caught.

Disgustingly ugly display that could've been much uglier ... for him.

L.A. Sheriff's Deputies Beat Up Detained Man in Compton ... Think No One is Watching

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ABUSE OF POWER
TMZ.com
UPDATE

2:54 PM PT -- L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva says he's aware of the video involving he deputies and his department is investigating. Villanueva is also encouraging the person who shot the video to contact the LASD.

A man was wrestled to the ground by cops, and then momentarily got the snot beat out of him ... before a vigilant eyewitness called them out and forced them to stop.

The outrageous scene was shot in Compton, CA, earlier this week, and it shows L.A. County Sheriff's deputies attempting to detain a guy from behind some type of wall, sorta hidden from plain view. Somebody is filming from afar, unbeknownst to the officers.

At first, it looks like the guy's resisting -- but eventually ... they get him on the ground, and he makes it clear that he's not fighting them anymore. Not enough for these deputies though, it seems, 'cause at least one more rushes over and they start to pound on him.

It's crazy too ... before the beating -- which involved fists and knees -- one of the deputies looks around, as if to see if anyone is watching them. A few seconds into the thrashing, somebody else aside from the cameraman calls out, asking why they're whooping on him.

That forces all the deputies to halt immediately, and that's where the video cuts out.

LASD tells us, yes, these are their guys ... and an investigation into the use of force by the deputies is underway. If misconduct is found, we're told a personnel complaint will be filed.

Originally Published -- 8:53 AM PT

Kodak Black Sues U.S. Marshal Who Allegedly Leaked Cuffed Pic

UPDATE

3:56 PM PT -- Kodak Black's attorney, Bradford Cohen, has followed through on his promise -- filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Marshal who Kodak claims told a Miami cop to snap a pic of him while in custody last year ... and then allegedly proceeded to leak it to the media.

UPDATE

The suit -- obtained by TMZ -- claims that U.S. Marshals Service Chief Mark O'Loughlin violated Kodak's right to privacy and partook in the unauthorized publication of Kodak's name and likeness by allegedly feeding the passed-off pic to a Miami-area reporter ... which found its way online. Kodak says he suffered embarrassment, humiliation, emotional distress and loss of income.

UPDATE

The docs also have a pretty strong opening graph to characterize Kodak's predicament. They quote an opinion given by a justice in a Supreme Court case, which touches on the rights of inmates ... while comparing them to wild creatures in cages.

UPDATE

Part of that judge's quote reads, "Inmates in jails, prisons or mental institutions retain certain fundamental rights of privacy; they are not like animals in a zoo to be filmed and photographed at will by the public or media reporters." Sounds like Kodak's legal team thinks that equally applies here.

Kodak Black was allegedly photographed, and it was sent to a U.S. Marshal -- without his permission -- the day he was arrested at Rolling Loud ... and now, his lawyer's ramping up for a lawsuit.

The Miami Dade Police Department took a report showing that Kodak's attorney, Bradford Cohen, recently filed a complaint with them alleging one of their men illegally snapped and disseminated a pic of KB while he was in custody back in 2019. According to the report, MDPD looked into it and discovered the pic was actually not disseminated by one of their own but perhaps by someone in the U.S. Marshals Service.

The docs -- obtained by TMZ -- outline the steps MDPD took to get to the bottom of Cohen's claims ... and during their back and forth, they discovered a Miami-Dade cop, who was with Kodak the day he was arrested, claimed he was called up and instructed by a high-ranking official -- a U.S. Marshal Chief, per the officer -- to snap a photo of Kodak while he was cuffed. The guy says he did so and sent it along to the USM who wanted it.

Cohen claims that same photo served no law enforcement purpose, but still found its way into the inbox of a local Miami reporter ... who then published it in a local paper. Cohen claims it was all done without Kodak's permission.

Now, the Miami-Dade sergeant, who took the photo and then passed it along to the Marshal, says it was needed for "law enforcement purposes," but Cohen says that's a bunch of BS ... arguing the pic was taken for personal use and/or gain.

Now, Cohen tells us he's taking legal action against the responsible parties.

A rep for USMS tells us they can't comment on the situation, but assure us any allegations of misconduct will be thoroughly investigated.

Originally Published -- 12:30 AM PT

'Floribama Shore' Kirk Medas Pulled Celeb Card During GA Bust ... Do You Know Who I Am?!??

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MOUTHIN' OFF
TMZ.com / SWNS

Here's "Floribama Shore" star Kirk Medas pulling the ol' "don't you know who I am?" card on cops during his arrest down in Georgia ... and it backfires in spectacular fashion.

Kirk was arrested for disorderly conduct this month in Woodstock, GA ... and he tried to tout his celebrity status as he was being hauled off in handcuffs.

Kirk yells, "I'm on a TV show by the way," as cops slap on a pair of cuffs and curious bystanders laugh as they try to figure out exactly what the hell he's famous for.

Kirk ain't lying ... dude was a regular on the "Jersey Shore" spin-off ... but it seems he doesn't really know his audience. The bystanders definitely didn't know him.

As for the arrest ... cops say they were responding to a call regarding a drunk and disorderly male, later identified as Kirk, who had been kicked outta Pure Taqueria.

Police say bar staff told Kirk he had to hit the road after he threw up, and that's when he allegedly became belligerent. Medas was cited for misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

In the video, you hear bystanders saying cops have their guns trained on Kirk ... but the cops say they just pulled out tasers.

Bad publicity is good publicity ... maybe you'll be recognized next time, Kirk.

Rapper Sheck Wes Arrested In NY Traffic Stop ... Cops Say They Found Gun, Weed

UPDATE

11:41 AM PT -- Sheck's attorney, Scott Leemon, tells TMZ, "This morning, Judge Moyne, in the Manhattan Criminal Court released Sheck Wes on his own recognizance, with no bail. His case was adjourned to August. During that period, we will conduct our own investigation into the charges."

Sheck Wes is facing 2 felony charges after getting busted in NYC ... where cops say he was toting a gun and drugs around town in his fancy whip.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Sheck was driving a 2019 Lamborghini SUV with 3 friends when he was pulled over early Wednesday morning in Harlem for excessive window tint.

Our sources say the car reeked of marijuana which prompted a search -- and officers found a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol in a bag, and a small amount of weed.

We're told prosecutors charged Sheck and another passenger with 2 felonies -- criminal possession of a loaded firearm and criminal possession of a weapon ... and Sheck and his co-defendant were arraigned and released without bail. They did not charge him for the pot.

Our sources say the "Mo Bamba" rapper was also cited for not having a driver's license.

Originally Published -- 10:29 AM PT

Aldon Smith On NFL Reinstatement ... 'I'm An Overall Better Person'

Aldon Smith On Comeback 5/21/20
RISING ABOVE MY STRUGGLES
TMZSports.com

Aldon Smith says he's not worried about rust in his NFL comeback -- telling TMZ Sports he feels young, healthy and "blessed by God."

The 30-year-old pass-rusher was reinstated by the NFL after 5 years out of pro football due to several off-the-field issues including arrests stemming from substance abuse.

But, Smith -- a former 1st All-Pro -- says he's now clean and sober and focused on football. In fact, he's been busting his ass in L.A. with Jay Glazer and recently signed a 1-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys.

Some people would be concerned about readjusting to the speed of the NFL after 5 years off ... but Aldon says he's not sweating it at all.

"God has blessed me with talent," Smith tells us ... " And, one of the talents is my natural gift to play ball, to be an athlete."

"So, I still feel young. I don’t have the mileage on my body. I still feel great when I go to the gym. I still feel young and fresh. So, if anything, I’m looking forward to what I’m going to be able to do out there."

When asked if he thinks he has another 19.5 sack season in him -- the same numbers he posted back in 2012 -- Smith was confident about that, too!

"I’m an overall better person [than I was back then]," Smith says.

"I got 20 sacks ... 19.5 ... I say 20 because it was 20. But, I was able to play at a high level with a lot of other things going on in my life.  With how life is for me now, I’m just looking forward to seeing what I can do."

"My goal is to pick up where I left off. That just means I always work hard. I always play hard. I want the same thing out of my teammates and I’m sure those guys in the locker room feel the same way, and with that mentality, the sky is the limit. I think as long as we do what we need to do and everybody plays to their potential anything’s possible."

Virginia Shoplifters Getaway w/ Hollowed-Out Melon Masks ... Cops Make an Arrest

UPDATE

5:38 PM PT -- TMZ spoke to the police chief in Louisa, Tom Leary, and he tells us the one suspect in custody thus far is 20-year-old Justin Rogers ... who was booked on three charges -- misdemeanor larceny of alcohol, misdemeanor possession of alcohol by an underage person and felony prohibition of wearing a mask/face covering in public. Yep, that's super illegal there.

A couple of real-life melon heads thought it'd be a great idea to walk into a store wearing these homemade masks to jack some s*** -- luckily, cops might've already cracked the case.

Check out these two bozos out of Louisa, Virginia -- not too far from Washington D.C. -- walking into a gas station convenience store called Sheetz about a week or so ago and making off with some goodies inside -- with watermelon bandit disguises in tow, no less.

The Louisa Police Department was asking for the public's help in identifying the two larceny suspects -- who were caught on surveillance video before hopping in their getaway vehicle. The department wrote ... "On May 6, 2020, at 2135 hours, two subjects arrived at the Sheetz in a LIFTED 2006 Black Toyota Tacoma wearing hollowed-out watermelon rinds with holes cut out for the eyes into the store where they proceeded to commit a larceny."

Looks like their local citizenry recognized the seedless perps, 'cause an arrest was recently made and the cops thanked their community for the assistance.

Unclear what these boys might've taken, but it doesn't sound like weapons were used in the alleged grab and snatch. We're guessing they left their bananas at home for this heist.

Originally Published -- 2:47 PM PT

Redskins WR Cody Latimer Arrested on Assault/Gun Charges ... Already Bailed Out

UPDATE

11:02 AM PT -- Cops say they got a call on possible shots fired from inside an apartment early Saturday, and when they arrived ... they found Latimer and two other people inside -- one of whom had minor injuries unrelated to a gunshot. All of them were detained, but only Latimer was ultimately arrested. No other info is available at the moment.

Washington Redskins star Cody Latimer was hauled off to jail this weekend after cops say he was involved in assaulting someone and illegally using a firearm.

The wide receiver was arrested early Saturday morning just after midnight in Englewood, Colorado, where cops were summoned to an apartment complex Cody was at. It's unclear what led up to the arrest or why police were called -- but Cody was taken into custody.

He was booked on several charges ... assault in the second degree, illegal discharge of a firearm, prohibited use of a weapon, reckless endangerment and menacing. He was processed at the Douglas County Detention Facility -- and has reportedly already bailed out on a $25,000 bond.

The Redskins have responded to Latimer's arrest, saying ... "We are aware of the situation and have informed the NFL League Office. We will continue to gather more information and have no further comment at this time."

Cody's had a run-in with the law before in Colorado -- he was arrested in 2016 during a domestic disturbance call he made on his GF ... back when he was a Bronco. Later, it was revealed Cody was only taken in on an outstanding warrant for a failure to appear in court from a traffic ticket.

Originally Published -- 10:35 AM PT

Dog Choked Cam Catches Man in Disgusting Act ... Attacking Ex-GF's Pet

Shane Mitchell
THE HORRIBLE FOOTAGE
Ring

A guy was caught on camera choking his ex-girlfriend's dog -- and now ... he's facing criminal charges for the sickeningly evil deed.

30-year-old Shane Mitchell allegedly took his ex's pup -- a Doberman named Rubyjean -- without permission, and when he showed up at the owner's front door with Rubyjean, the owner threatened him with a call to the cops. That set Mitchell off, and what happened next is disturbing.

While his ex remained behind her front door during the argument, her Ring doorbell cam recorded Mitchell angrily reaching down and yanking up the dog by its leash, suffocating it, and letting it dangle in front of the camera. The owner shrieks from inside, pleading for him to stop -- then, the video ends.

Cops in Slidell, Louisiana say Mitchell was eventually arrested and booked on animal cruelty charges after the clip made the rounds online, and even better news ... Rubyjean is okay.

She's back in her home and doesn't seem to have suffered any permanent damage as a result of the choking. The city's police chief issued a strong statement of the heinous act, saying ... "I was sick to my stomach watching that video." He added, "How someone can hurt a defenseless animal is beyond me."

The police say their investigation into the matter is still ongoing, and more charges could be brought against Mitchell.

Alberto Del Rio Arrested for Sexual Assault ... Allegedly Choked Woman, Burned Her Passport

TMZ Sports has obtained the police report from the Alberto Del Rio arrest ... and it's very disturbing.

The accuser told police Del Rio exploded on her on May 3 in San Antonio, Texas -- accusing her of cheating on him with other men.

The accuser -- who cops say only speaks Spanish -- says Del Rio smashed her cell phone, her laptop and attempted to burn her passport in an attack that started at around 10 p.m. on May 3 and lasted until around 2:30 p.m. on May 4.

The woman also claims Del Rio attacked her, causing multiple injuries and left her, "feeling woozy and dizzy from the hits to her head."

There's more ... the accuser also claims Del Rio choked her and at one point "shoved a sock into her mouth, to keep [her] quiet."

The woman says, "When the sock was in her mouth, she could not breathe."

During the incident, the woman claims Del Rio also sexually assaulted her with his penis and other body parts. The woman is adamant she did NOT consent to sexual activity with Del Rio.

The woman told police that she is afraid of Del Rio and had planned on leaving the city as soon as possible.

The responding officer says he saw "multiple bruises" on the accuser's face, arms, legs and neck.

Del Rio -- real name Jose Rodriguez Chucuan -- was arrested for domestic violence and aggravated sexual assault. According to his booking sheet, the 42-year-old is listed at 6'4", 240 pounds. The accuser is 5'5", 132 pounds.

Del Rio was a WWE superstar from 2009 until 2016, winning the WWE championship, the 2011 Royal Rumble, and more. He's also an MMA fighter, who recently lost to Tito Ortiz in December 2019.

Ahmaud Arbery Case Georgia AG Asks Uncle Sam for Help Requests DOJ Investigates

050520_georgia_murdeR_KAL FEBRUARY 2020
IN COLD BLOOD

Georgia's top prosecutor says something's fishy about the Ahmaud Arbery case -- beyond the killing itself -- and he's asking the feds to step in to figure out who knew what ... and when.

Attorney General Chris Carr formally requested the U.S. Department of Justice -- led by the lead U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia -- to conduct its own investigation of how Ahmaud's case was handled internally by lower-level officials early on.

In an open letter, Carr spells out major inconsistencies in what his office was told about the case in February, March and April -- long after Ahmaud was shot to death in cold blood by Travis McMichael, while accompanied by his father, Gregory, in late February.

He writes, "The request to the U.S. Department of Justice includes, but is not limited to, investigation of the communications and discussions by and between the Office of the District Attorney of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit and the Office of the District Attorney of the Waycross Judicial Circuit related to this case." Those departments' leaders, respectively, are Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill. Carr's got questions about Barnhill, especially.

Carr says correspondence between his office and Barnhill's office back in early April -- about a month or so after Carr's office formally assigned Barnhill and his team to investigate/prosecute the case -- appears to show Barnhill was not being forthright in how he was handling things up to the point he asked to be taken off, due to a conflict of interest.

Long story short, Barnhill told the AG that his own son -- who's a prosecutor in a neighboring district -- had handled a previous prosecution of Ahmaud, and that one of the defendants -- the elder McMichaels, per reports -- served as an investigator in that old case. Carr says Barnhill told him he learned of this development 3-4 weeks before his dated letter to the AG on April 7. Carr says Barnhill offered no reason why he didn't notify them sooner.

That's not the biggest issue, per Carr. He also says in that April 7 letter, Barnhill did not reveal that he had already been calling shots in the case, including the crucial decision to NOT make any arrests after he reviewed the evidence himself and decided against it.

Basically, Carr suggests there was a lot of stuff being done behind the scenes and seemingly in secret -- and he wants Uncle Sam to get to the bottom of it with a definitive timeline. Presumably, if the feds find something illegal was done during all this buck-passing ... charges could be brought against those same officials who were initially involved.

Ariana Grande & Mom Get Permanent Restraining Order

Ariana Grande will have a court-ordered force field around her for the next 5 years -- which will hopefully deter an obsessed fan who was arrested on her property 2 months ago.

A judge just signed off on a permanent restraining order for AG's mother, Joan -- which also extends to Ariana -- which will run through May 5, 2025. Under the order, Fidel Henriquez -- the man in question -- can't come within 100 yards of Joan's home, her vehicles ... and of course, her and Ariana. Basically, he's gotta stay the hell away.

The guy's also been instructed not to harass, threaten, intimidate or contact them in any other fashion -- which covers everything from written correspondence to phone calls as well as any form of electronic messages, including texts and social media DMs.

We broke the story ... Henriquez was hit with a TRO after he got busted for trespassing on their property back in March. They said they were scared for their lives and needed a judge to step in.

You'll recall ... Henriquez is alleged to have slipped onto the property by following a delivery truck through the gates, and once inside ... cops say he was rummaging through the garbage before knocking on Joan's front door, with a love note to Ari in hand.

He was arrested at the time for trespassing and battery -- this after he allegedly spit on the officers who responded.