Henry Ruggs Ordered To Appear In Court ... Over Missed Breath Test
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Henry Ruggs was just ordered to show up in court next Monday ... after a judge said the former Las Vegas Raiders star missed a required breath test.
The NFL player's attorneys were in court Wednesday over a separate matter in the DUI crash case ... when the judge presiding over the hearing said Ruggs did not properly submit a breath test earlier this month.
As part of the conditions of Ruggs' release ... the 22-year-old must submit to alcohol testing several times a day -- but the judge said he missed one of his required check-ins.
Ruggs' attorney, David Chesnoff, acknowledged the missed test ... but added that Ruggs had "self-tested" just minutes later.
"He's been dutiful," Chesnoff said. "Completely dutiful."
The judge didn't seem to care much though ... responding, "It doesn't matter. He still missed it so I would like to see your client."
The proceedings next Monday will be the first time Ruggs has been seen in public since he was in court on Nov. 3 -- the day after he crashed his Corvette into another car in Las Vegas, killing a woman and her dog.
At that hearing, in which Ruggs posted bond and was released from custody, the football player showed up in a wheelchair while wearing a neck brace.
As we previously reported, Ruggs has been hit with 5 charges -- including four felonies -- after authorities say he was drunk and speeding just before the fatal crash.
Ruggs is facing over 50 years behind bars if convicted on all counts.
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'QAnon Shaman' Gets 41 Months in Prison ... Over Capitol Riot
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The so-called "QAnon Shaman" will be in prison for a while for his part in the Capitol riot from Jan. 6 -- the guy just got sentenced, and he's looking at a few years behind bars.
Jacob Chansley was handed 41 months Wednesday during sentencing, which comes out to about 3 years and change. The guy's been in federal custody this entire time.
Prosecutors were gunning for a lengthy prison stint here, as they wanted to set an example for those charged with felonies over this matter -- and now that Chansley's fate has been determined, it could be a sign of what's to come for others whose cases are still pending.
As we previously reported, Chansley struck a plea deal with prosecutors, who laid out a window of 41 to 51 months they said they'd recommend. The judge sentenced him on the lighter end of that bench.
As we reported ... Chansley -- who was one of the hundreds of people who stormed the Capitol, dressed in a bizarre Viking-style outfit -- pled guilty to obstructing an official proceeding before Congress ... this after initially being arrested for knowingly entering/remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, among other counts.
Chansley has griped about his living conditions while in jail ... including an alleged crappy diet, which he claimed was affecting his health. Nevertheless, he was never released on bond ... despite his repeated pleas.
He's been cited as a prominent figure in the fringe QAnon movement, which is rife with conspiracy theories ... and which seems to pledge allegiance to Donald Trump.
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Kim Kardashian Reaching Out to Julius Jones Fam BTS as Execution Nears
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Kim Kardashian has been a godsend to Julius Jones' family as they wait to hear from the Governor on if he'll live or die -- and even as the day grows closer, she's still checking in ... so says the man's own sibling.
Julius' sister, Antoinette Jones, tells TMZ ... Kim has been in touch with the family in recent days to see how they're holding up -- but more importantly, to get a pulse on how JJ himself is handling the dire situation.
She's even posted Instagram updates of late, shedding light on where things stand with Julius' case ... and, again, calling on Oklahoma's Gov. Kevin Stitt to do the right thing.
While it may come off as mere lip-service for some ... Antoinette tells us Kim's lobbying and advocating on her brother's behalf has meant the world to their family behind the scenes -- insisting she's a "real one" and actually cares about what happens here.
Not just that ... but Antoinette says Kim knows her stuff too, legally speaking -- and she's impressed the Joneses by her breadth of knowledge on the facts of the case and beyond.
Most influential, though, is Kim's massive cultural influence ... which Antoinette tells us has been immeasurable in putting a spotlight on Julius' story -- and which she says she and the rest of the fam are beyond grateful for ... regardless of what happens on Thursday when Julius is scheduled to be executed.
Quick note about that ... the Parole Board has recommended Julius should not be executed but rather serve out a life sentence behind bars ... but the ball has been in Governor Stitt's court with no movement ... and now, it's almost at the point of no return.
Considering the Gov. can still grant clemency in the 11th hour ... Antoinette is asking anybody with a following and some pull to lean in and help them get the word out about what they call a travesty of justice.
As you may know by now ... Julius was charged and convicted for first-degree murder way back in 2002 -- with prosecutors pinning him to the shooting death of 45-year-old Paul Howell. Julius has always maintained his innocence ... and much has been made about weak evidence in the case linking him to the crime, not to mention racially charged undertones.
Kim's done her part ... now the Jones family is asking for anyone else who can to step up to do so as well.
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Tamar Braxton Home Burgled, Safe Stolen She Responds w/ Godly Message
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Tamar Braxton is the latest victim of brazen burglars -- but instead of vowing vengeance ... she's actually sending them prayers.
The singer broke the startling news early Wednesday morning, saying ... "A few hours ago, this broken, bum ass man (one that I know) broke into my home and stole my safe only."
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In her post, Tamar notes nothing else was taken -- including valuables like a Birkin bag or a computer or gaming systems -- and that the safe seemed to be the only item sought.
She also had a message for the perp ... "I want you to know first hand that I'm not angry. You did not break me. You did not violate me. What your broken ass don't realize that God gave me that home and every single thing in it during a pandemic, & also during the time when I was all of those things. God personally put the pieces of my life back together again."
She adds, "So pumpkin, you did not steal from me. Those things you took, he will give back to me a million times fold!!! You took from God!!!"
Tamar then got seriously Biblical, saying the crook isn't ready for the kind of vengeance God is about to drop on them. She closed with, "Father, have your way -- Amen."
Law enforcement sources confirm Tamar's Calabasas house was broken into Tuesday night around 7 or 8 PM, and that a safe was, indeed, taken. She wasn't home, but God was ... according to Tamar.
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Naomi Osaka Addresses Missing Chinese Athlete Disappeared After Accusing Politician Of Sex. Assault
Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic -- 2 of the greatest tennis players alive -- are speaking out on the disappearance of tennis player Peng Shuai ... who suddenly vanished after accusing a powerful Chinese politician of sexual assault.
"Hey everyone, not sure if you've been following the news but I was recently informed of a fellow tennis player that has gone missing shortly after revealing that she has been sexually abused," the 4x Grand Slam winner wrote on social media.
"Censorship is never ok at any cost, I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and ok. I'm in shock of the current situation and I'm sending love and light her way. #whereispengshuai"
The case is disturbing. Shuai -- formerly the #1 ranked doubles player in the world -- hasn't been seen in nearly 2 weeks after she claimed Zhang Gaoli, a powerful, retired politician sexually assaulted her around 3 years ago.
Gaoli was at one time the vice premier of the People's Republic of China ... making him essentially 2nd in command of all of China.
In Peng's post, the former Wimbledon and French Open winner accused Gaoli -- with who she admits to previously having a sexual relationship -- of inviting her to Beijing to play tennis with him and his wife. However, after the game, Shuai claims the situation took a frightening turn, alleging the 70-something-year-old politician pressured her into sex.
The disturbing post was removed shortly after it was posted by Peng. She has not been heard from since.
Stars from across the tennis world, including Billie Jean King and Chris Evert, have raised concerns over Peng's whereabouts.
Even Novak Djokovic, the world's #1 ranked tennis player spoke out, saying, "When I heard the story of Peng Shuai I was shocked. I hope she is well and that we can find her as soon as possible."
Peng is still missing ... and many people around the world are calling for answers.
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George Clooney Blasts 'Rust' Over Fatal Shooting ... Pins It On AD, Production
George Clooney is speaking his piece on the fatal shooting that claimed Halyna Hutchins' life -- and he's torching the entire "Rust" crew over the tragedy, especially the assistant director.
The legendary actor weighed in while he was on Marc Maron's 'WTF' podcast and he didn't hold back one bit ... lighting up AD Dave Halls, armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and the producers at large, who he says clearly skimped.
GC's biggest gripe is the gun that was handed to Alec should never have been handled by Halls ... but rather, Hannah herself or the head prop master.
George says there's been strict protocol for gun use on every set he's been on, and notes ... the protocol was grossly violated on "Rust," going on to say he's never even heard of the term "cold gun" -- while labeling the whole saga "insane" and "infuriating."
Now, while Mr. Clooney stops short of criticizing Alec Baldwin directly -- whom he says he doesn't know well -- he does make a stark comparison in how he's dealt with guns on set, and how AB apparently did.
George explains that anytime he's used a gun on camera, he's always checked it himself -- and does so extensively too ... saying he opens it, examines the chamber, shows it to whoever he's pointing it too and even fires six times at the ground as a final safeguard.
According to Santa Fe authorities, Alec didn't do any of that -- and ended up pointing the gun at Halyna and director Joel Souza during a blocking setup, and firing.
There's more George touches on -- including the producers of this film allegedly cutting crucial corners that allowed for an unsafe environment to fester, which is unfathomable to him considering the tragedy that killed Brandon Lee in the '90s.
His entire convo is worth a listen ... but the bottom line is, GC thinks this was amateur hour.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac Rolex Stolen In Burglary Hooper Interrupted Break-In
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Clippers center Ivica Zubac's Los Angeles area home was burglarized Friday night ... and the 7-foot tall big man interrupted the burglary, TMZ Sports has learned.
Unfortunately, the 2 assailants were able to escape ... according to our law enforcement sources.
The 24-year-old, 7-foot tall Croatian hoops player -- who's averaging nearly 10 points and 8 boards a game with LAC -- left his home around 8 PM Friday night ... before returning around midnight.
When he arrived back at the crib, Zubac -- the 32nd overall pick of the Lakers in 2016 -- noticed a ladder was placed against his home, leading to a second-floor balcony.
Ivica then witnessed two men bolt from the area, hopping a fence and booking it from the property.
The big man called the police ... and the cops responded and cleared the home, ensuring there were no more bad guys inside.
We're told Zubac's place -- which was locked and had a working alarm system -- was ransacked and at least one piece of expensive jewelry, a Rolex watch worth over $20K was gone.
Police are currently investigating.
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Yella Beezy Allegedly Raped Woman on 1st Date ... Per Law Enforcement
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12:12 PM PT -- Beezy's attorneys, John F. Gussio III and Daryl K. Washington, tell us the claims made by the woman are 100% false, and officers never even attempted to speak to the rapper before making the arrest.
They also clarify rumors the woman involved may have been his longtime girlfriend, saying, "... the sexual assault charge is in no way related to or connected to Yella Beezy's longtime girlfriend and the endangerment of a child is simply meritless, and is defamatory in nature."
Yella Beezy allegedly forced himself on a woman during a first date -- and even after she told him to stop, proceeded to rape her ... this according to what cops in Texas say the woman told officers.
TMZ has obtained the arrest warrant and probable cause affidavit from Yella's sexual assault case out of Collin County -- and the story's pretty straightforward. According to the docs, an unidentified woman came to the ER to report an alleged rape in April.
Per the docs, the woman says Yella contacted her on Instagram in late April ... asking if she was looking for a new friend. After some back and forth, she says he asked her out -- and they eventually made plans to grab a bite in Dallas, and for some bowling afterward.
The alleged victim told police everything was going smoothly ... that is, until she says he invited her back to his apartment while they waited for their bowling reservations at 10 PM -- a two-hour window after they'd wrapped dinner. She agreed, and they went back to his pad.
Once there, the woman claims they played cards and talked ... until she says Yella asked for a massage while he was shirtless, which she says she gave him. Once she finished, she says she sat down next to him -- and that's when she claims he pounced on her.
The woman claims Yella started forcibly kissing her and pulling up her dress. She claims, despite her saying "no" repeatedly, Yella inserted his penis into her vagina.
Eventually, the woman says she was able to break free and make a run for it. She claims Yella essentially tried to gaslight her into making her think she'd initiated the sex by kissing him. The next day, she went to the hospital ... which is when the authorities got involved.
As we reported ... Yella was booked on not just the sexual assault charge, but others too ... including felony abandoned endangered child and misdemeanor unlawful carrying a weapon.
Unclear how those charges came about -- but the affidavit obviously sheds light on the sexual assault charge.
We reached out to Yella Beezy's team ... so far, no word back.
Originally Published -- 12:30 AM PT
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'Tiger King' Jeff Lowe Teaming Up with Joe Again!!! ... Ahead of Netflix Sequel
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Joe Exotic is getting a helping hand from somebody he once considered a mortal enemy ... and that would be Jeff Lowe, who says he's back on Team JE.
Jeff and his wife, Lauren, came on 'TMZ Live' Monday ahead of the premiere of 'Tiger King 2' -- which comes out Wednesday on Netflix -- and they told us a lot has changed.
For starters, Jeff says the GW Exotic Animal Park they operated out of Oklahoma will, indeed, be moved to a new location -- but he claims he's in the process of getting all his animals back from the feds.
You'll recall the government raided the park, confiscated the animals and evicted the Lowes, based on allegations of mistreatment and not having the proper paperwork.
Jeff claims the whole federal investigation was based on BS peddled by none other than Carole Baskin -- and as a result, he insists the feds are about to drop all charges against him.
The next step ... firing off their own lawsuits! Jeff and Lauren told us they're going after Carole, PETA and others he considers responsible for prompting the federal raid. What's even crazier is that he's recruiting Joe's attorneys to help him.
Watch what he says about how they've apparently patched things up since last time -- even though Jeff technically helped land Joe in prison, he now says some of those same convos he had with investigators years ago, might help JE's case to get sprung from prison.
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'Teen Mom' Star Jenelle Evans Husband David Eason Arrested ... Open Container Driving, Cops Say
'Teen Mom' star David Eason's got new trouble with the law -- although this time it has nothing to do with his wife, Jenelle Evans -- instead, cops say he broke the law twice while behind the wheel.
David got busted in Columbus County, NC, where he and Jenelle live, for driving on a revoked license. Even worse, cops say he was tooling around town with an open container of alcohol when they stopped him Friday night.
According to the NY Post, David posted a $750 bond, through a bondsman, in order to get released from jail.
Jenelle and David, who were once bitterly estranged, reconciled last year -- however, David apparently didn't make up with the state of North Carolina. According to Jenelle, he failed to pay an old seatbelt ticket ... and that's why his license has been revoked.
The court dates are stacking up for David ... he has 2 of 'em coming up in February for this new arrest, and also from summer 2020 -- for assault with a deadly weapon.
BTW, cops told us they didn't bother taking a new mug shot for his latest arrest, because David essentially looks the same.
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Chris Daughtry Step-Daughter's Death Not a Homicide Investigation ... According to D.A.
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Prosecutors in the investigation involving the death of Chris Daughtry's step-daughter, Hannah, say they are not classifying it as a homicide investigation -- at least not yet -- but as we reported, that's not what sources connected to the Daughtry family say what happened.
The 8th District Tennessee D.A. says, "This is a death investigation and any attempt to classify it as a homicide investigation at this time is premature and irresponsible."
As we reported, sources directly connected to the Daughtry family told TMZ ... detectives told the family Hannah's death was a homicide.
25-year-old Hannah was found dead Friday at her home.
The same day as her body was found, Hannah's boyfriend, Bobby Jolly, was arrested on an unrelated matter and is currently in custody. He has not been labeled either a suspect or a person of interest in Hannah's death.
Hannah and her brother Griffin, 23, are Deanna's children from a previous relationship. Chris, 41, and Deanna, 48, who met in 2000, also share twins Adalynn Rose and Noah James, 10.
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Chris placed 4th in the 5th season of "American Idol," and his band was touring around the country. The band had a scheduled performance Friday in Atlantic City. No word on when the tour will resume.
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Rapper Polo G 3 Charges Dropped in Cop Attack Case
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Rapper Polo G could soon be off the hook for allegedly beating the crap out of a Miami cop, because the bulk of the charges against him are now dropped.
Prosecutors tossed 2 felony charges against Polo -- battery of a police officer and threatening a public servant, according to online court records and a rep for the Miami-Dade State Attorney.
Polo's misdemeanor charge for criminal mischief was dropped too ... we're told prosecutors found insufficient evidence to move forward with their case on all 3 of those charges.
TMZ broke the story ... Polo G was arrested for allegedly attacking a cop during a traffic stop back in June.
The rapper's still facing 2 charges for resisting an officer, but they're misdemeanors -- and there's still a path for him to get those dropped too.
His attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ ... Polo will enroll in an anger management program, and once it's completed the remaining charges will be dropped and the case will be closed.
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SZA in SLC, Utah Stops Show Over Passed-Out Fan ... Talks Astroworld Fest As 10th Victim Dies
5:50 PM PT -- 9-year-old Ezra Blount has reportedly died ... this per ABC13.
His family is so grateful for all of your prayers. Surely, Ezra held on this long due to the surrounding spirit of his loved ones, and your powerful prayer. Please continue to lift his family in prayer. pic.twitter.com/Kz7PDXneKk
— Stefania Okolie (@StefaniaOnABC13) November 15, 2021 @StefaniaOnABC13
Reporter Stefania Okolie shared the news Sunday, writing ... "My heart 9 YO Ezra Blount who was trampled after falling from his fathers shoulders at AstroWorld has passed away at Texas Children’s Hospital after one week on life support." She added, "He fought hard but ultimately there was a different plan. Please raise his family in prayer #Abc13."
She went on to ask for thoughts and prayers to be sent to the family during this difficult time. The Astroworld Fest body count is now at 10.
SZA wasn't about to relive Astroworld Fest all over again -- which is why she brought her latest concert to a dead halt ... just to make sure a fan who'd passed out was okay.
The singer was performing in Salt Lake City Thursday at the Union Event Center -- when at some point during the show ... she pumped the brakes on everything after noticing someone had apparently fainted out in the audience, and may have needed help.
This video was captured by a TikTok user and posted the next day ... and it shows SZA addressing what happened just last weekend in Houston, where she performed earlier in the day ... before mass casualties started to go down during Travis Scott's headlining set.
SZA says people passing out in crowds is quite common -- but what is abnormal is people dying ... and she says that's gotta change going forward, starting right then and there.
She actually forces stagehands to bring out water to the person in distress, and anyone else who may need to rehydrate. In a second video ... SZA starts to get flustered when nobody working in the venue promptly attends to the person who'd fallen unconscious -- and the crowd is fully behind her in her indignation.
It's pretty astonishing to see ... and as SZA alludes to herself, it may start to become the norm at live shows going forward, regardless of the crowd size. She seems to be saying that the artist should take responsibility if they see something ... and ditto for concert-goers.
As we reported ... a total of 9 people have died since the concert last Friday -- with one more on life support right now ... 9-year-old Ezra Blount, who was trampled in the chaos.
Sounds like SZA is putting her foot down on fans walking the line of life and death on her watch ... and won't let people fall victim to that, not as long as she can help it.
Originally Published -- 12:58 PM PT
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Sean Kingston You Punched Me, Pulled Gun ... Video Director Files Police Report
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1:55 PM PT -- A rep for Kingston tells TMZ ... any allegations made against Sean in the past few days, including those from the videographer, whom the rep describes as "terminated," are false -- adding, "All claims will be disproven."
Sean Kingston allegedly punched and pulled a firearm on a music video director who had been staying in his home ... and we're told cops are now involved.
The music video director, who works under the handle GXDLIKE, tells TMZ ... he had been working and living at Sean's Los Angeles-area home for about 3 months when Sean allegedly assaulted him.
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The guy claims Sean summoned him from the downstairs area of the home around 2 AM on Nov. 5 and wanted him to film something for the singer, but he says his phone was dead. He claims he then went downstairs to grab his camera and returned upstairs, but couldn't remember the name of the app to transfer the files.
The music video director alleges Sean got frustrated and punched him in the face, then dragged him into the hallway and pulled out a firearm ... telling him to pack up and get out. Law enforcement sources confirm that GXDLIKE has filed a police report with the LAPD for the incident.
The director claims the alleged attack left him with cuts on his face, but no major injuries.
We reached out to Sean's camp ... so far no word back.
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Travis Scott Locked Away in His Home ... Giving Victims' Families Space to Grieve
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Travis Scott has locked himself away in his Houston home, still devastated by the events that took place one week ago ... according to his attorney.
Ed McPherson joined "TMZ Live" Friday to talk about Travis and what happened at Astroworld. While McPherson says there's still a lot of work to be done in terms of the investigation, he remains adamant Travis had no clue as to the dire circumstances -- 8 people dead -- continued to perform.
McPherson tells us Travis is devastated, especially because the tragedy happened in his hometown of Houston, and he has not left his home there since.
Travis was supposed to perform in Vegas this weekend -- a show he's since canceled -- and a petition is growing online to stop his headline event at Coachella next Spring.
Ed says performing is the last thing on Travis' mind right now. He wants to give the families of the victims time to grieve, and has set up an email account through his team for them to reach out to him when they're ready. He's promised to pay funeral costs for the 9 people who died as a result of the show.
TMZ broke the story, cops were seen casually watching and recording Travis' set 25 minutes after it was reportedly declared a mass casualty event. It's hard to imagine he knew the severity of what happened in the crowd if first responders were apparently oblivious as well.
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Travis Scott Lawyer Says Rapper Didn't Know Scope of Tragedy Till Next Day
Travis Scott and his team were oblivious to the mass casualties in the crowd at his show while he continued to perform, so says his attorney, who claims emergency workers never relayed the message ... and Travis didn't know the scope of what happened until the next day.
Ed McPherson was on 'GMA' Friday, saying there's still a lot to do in investigating exactly what went wrong last week, but he insists his client was in the dark.
McPherson says Travis was clueless about the calamity in the crowd because he had an earpiece blaring music, blinding lights and no one gave him a heads up. As we reported, Travis even left after the concert and hit up Dave & Busters for an afterparty ... unaware that people had died and hundreds were injured.
McPherson points out the now-viral video of Travis stopping the show to get a fan help who had passed out. He also says it was hard for Travis to determine that at one point there was an ambulance in the crowd ... saying it looked more like a golf cart with lights.
When pushed as to whether or not Travis was inciting his audience to get aggressive by telling them to "rage" -- a phrase he's used for years -- McPherson says that was simply Travis trying to get his crowd into the show and have a good time.
TMZ broke the story, Houston cops were seen taking photos and videos while Travis performed 25 mins after the event was considered a "mass casualty event." McPherson says this is further evidence Travis didn't have a clue what was happening. The lawyer points out, if the cops didn't know ... how could Travis?
On Thursday, 22-year-old Bharti Shahani succumbed to her injuries suffered during the show, she was allegedly trampled during a crowd crush, suffering multiple heart attacks and being declared brain dead.
Bharti is the 9th victim of the Astroworld Festival.