Fairly Legal

Murder Inc. Records mogul Irv Gotti is being accused of sexual assault by a woman who claims she dated him for two years ... this according to a new lawsuit.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, the Murder Inc. Records CEO met the woman -- who is suing as a Jane Doe -- through a mutual friend at a poker tournament in the summer of 2020 and took her on a tropical vacation to Saint Martin.

Upon arrival, the woman claims Gotti threatened to send her home if she didn't have sex with him. She says she complied "Due to his power and influence in the music world."

Senator Bob Menendez has been found guilty on all counts in his federal corruption trial.

The jury issued their verdict on Tuesday in a Manhattan courthouse, with the New Jersey Democrat being convicted on 16 counts -- including bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, as well as acting as a foreign agent.

Menendez was indicted in September for his alleged role in a bribery scheme ... accused of using his influence as a U.S. Senator to advance the interests of the Egyptian military. Menendez and his wife, Nadine, allegedly received several bribes ... including gold bars, thousands of dollars in cash, and a Mercedes-Benz convertible, among other gifts.

The judge in Young Thug's spiraling YSL RICO case won't be sitting through the seemingly endless courtroom proceedings anymore ... he's just been booted from the case!!!

On Monday, Georgia Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause granted several motions filed by Young Thug and several of his co-defendants to remove Judge Ural Glanville after months of friction.

Although Judge Krause said there was "no doubt" Judge Glanville could preside fairly over the trial, the court nevertheless ordered the clerk's office to reassign the trial to another judge to preserve "the public's confidence in the judicial system."

Sandra "Pepa" Denton was left grounded in Vegas this AM after a Southwest Airlines crew deemed her a safety risk on their flight!

The Salt-N-Pepa rap legend tells TMZ Hip Hop she was on a flight from Las Vegas to Nashville for a meeting -- a flight she takes frequently because it's the only direct one.

Due to a previous knee injury from a 2018 car crash, she paid for 2 seats and used the services of a greeter for wheelchair assistance.

Shannen Doherty was in the middle of an ugly divorce with her husband before she died -- but it looks like it was a chapter they were able to close together, on the same page.

New legal docs, obtained by TMZ, show that the late actress and her estranged spouse, Kurt Iswarienko, reached an agreement on a number of issues in their divorce case ... which was very much so active before Shannen passed away this weekend.

In the paperwork, it notes both parties had come to terms on property and other issues ... and that the case would not proceed as uncontested. As part of their settlement, they also served docs with final disclosures that usually cover finances and such.

Donald Trump dodged another bullet Monday, when a judge dismissed his criminal classified documents case, ruling the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was a violation of the Constitution.

Judge Aileen Cannon determined any special prosecutor must be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. In this case, the Special Council was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, and that's not kosher under the Constitution.

Biden had tried to avoid making the appointment to avoid the appearance of political retribution, but now it seems that backfired.

Armie Hammer went into detail over sexual misconduct allegations that have now dogged him for years ... telling Bill Maher he was cleared by authorities in 2 countries.

Hammer went on "Club Random" and went into detail how he was under a police microscope for 2 1/2 years, after a woman claimed he sent her graphic and violent texts about cannibalism, rape fantasies and his desire to drink her blood. The texts do not show who initiated the conversations, nor do they include the woman's part of the conversation.

He also tells Bill he went through a thorough psych evaluation and, as he says, passed with flying colors. The psych evaluation was connected with his divorce and custody proceedings.

Rich The Kid's new album couldn't make his old problems go away ... TMZ Hip Hop has video of the "Carnival" rapper being served with court papers outside his album release party!!!

Check out the clip ... Rich and his entourage were strolling into Grandmaster Recordings in Hollywood when someone catches him before he reaches the door, tossing him an envelope filled with legal docs.

We obtained the docs and they're from attorney Baruch C. Cohen, who reps Peter Marco, Rich's former jeweler who sued him for $234k back in 2020 over an alleged unpaid tab.

Alec Baldwin's finally ready to talk about the his manslaughter trial ... posting a grateful tribute to his friends and fans who stuck by his sides.

The actor posted a photo to Instagram moments ago ... a profile shot from the trial -- and, given the emotion etched on his face, seems like it was taken just as the realization his legal troubles were at an end dawned on him.

Baldwin writes, "There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now. To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family."

Alec Baldwin celebrated his courtroom victory Friday with a small gathering of his biggest supporters – including wife Hilaria -- at a hotel bar in New Mexico before winding down with some Mexican food.

TMZ obtained video and photos of the actor partying with his attorneys -- Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas – as well as Hilaria and his film team creating a documentary about the "Rust" tragedy.

We're told right after Alec's involuntary manslaughter case was dismissed Friday afternoon, Baldwin and his crew left the courthouse and went straight to the El Dorado Hotel, where they hung out at the bar.

5:55 PM PT -- Special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson, who resigned during Friday's hearing, tells TMZ ... "As prosecutors we have obligations to disclose all the evidence. When I learned this morning of the existence of the evidence that had not been disclosed, I believed that the right decision was to dismiss the case. When my voice was not heard, I asked to withdraw from the case. We not only owe a duty to the people, but to the defendants accused of crimes as well. The prosecution must always be above reproach."

4:50 PM PT -- Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey gave a statement to reporters saying, “I believe that the importance of the evidence was misconstrued by the defense attorneys."

She continued, “But I have to respect the court’s decision.”

It's a stunning turn ... Alec Baldwin's manslaughter trial has come to an abrupt end as the judge dismissed the "Rust" case after finding law enforcement had concealed evidence that prevented the actor from preparing his defense.

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta is rolling back restrictions on Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts ... making the reversal only days after Trump ripped Mark online.

Meta announced Friday it was lifting all limits on Trump's official FB and IG pages as Trump gets closer to formally becoming the GOP nominee for president at next week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

In a statement, Meta explains ... "In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis."

The feds probing Matthew Perry's death are "confident" they have the goods to take down the people who helped him obtain the ketamine that contributed to his death ... TMZ has learned.

DEA agents launched their Perry death investigation after the L.A. County Medical Examiner determined the "Friends" star died from drowning in his hot tub after taking ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects.

Our sources tell us ... the feds are aiming to charge the suspects with drug distribution resulting in death or great bodily injury, which carries a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison.

Alec Baldwin's never going to forget his manslaughter trial, because there's a filmmaker capturing his every move as part of a documentary about the "Rust" tragedy.

Ever since Alec touched down in Santa Fe, NM for his criminal trial in the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the "Rust" movie set, he's been shadowed by a woman with a video camera.

While Alec's got an upcoming reality show about his family airing next year on TLC, our sources say the woman behind the camera is NOT part of that project.

While Eminem's fans are celebrating the release of his 12th album, the family of slain "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is probably furious over him referencing her death.

The ninth track on "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)" is called "Fuel," and he closes the song with a verse that name drops Halyna, as well as Alec Baldwin, who is currently on trial for fatally shooting Halyna in 2021 on the set of "Rust."

Em leads up to the blistering line by bringing up guns -- "Clutchin' the nine millimeter, tuckin' the heat. Got the toaster like an English muffin. No, I mean, "Toast to" like you drink to somethin' But it's in a holster, I proceed to bust it."

Nikki Glaser came out swinging at the ESPY Awards ... cracking a ton of jokes at several athletes' expense -- and Scottie Scheffler's legal troubles were not off-limits.

The comedian brought out the big guns at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles while presenting the award for Best Male Athlete to "peak athletes who push their bodies to the limit and also a golfer."

She then apologizes to the golfer in question -- Scottie Scheffler -- saying she knows it's difficult to putt, chip and drive ... over a cop's leg.