J.K. Simmons L.A. Area Home Hit by Burglar ... LAPD On the Case
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J.K. Simmons knows a thing or two when it comes to homeowners insurance ... which should come in handy after someone broke into his pad.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the Hollywood tough guy and Farmers Insurance spokesman was the victim of a burglary after cops got a call from his San Fernando Valley home at around 8 PM Thursday night.
Our sources say one of J.K.'s workers showed up at the house and found a glass door smashed. Thing is ... we're told the house was not ransacked and it doesn't appear as though anything was missing. At least at first glance.
Cops say J.K. and his wife were not home at the time of the break-in ... they were out of town, so they'll have to assess what may or may not be missing when they return.
At this moment, it's unclear if an alarm went off at the house and scared the intruder away. But, it seems J.K.'s home came away unscathed ... aside from the broken glass door.
We're told the LAPD is investigating the burglary/attempted burglary. J.K., of course, is known for his role in the 'Spider-Man' films and TV roles such as "Law & Order" and HBO's "Oz." But, to most young folks ... he's the guy who pimps Farmers Insurance.
Let's hope he's covered.
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Gospel Singer Kelly Price Missing in Georgia After Revealing COVID Battle
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Gospel singer Kelly Price has gone missing in Georgia, TMZ has learned -- and it happened shortly after she was released from the hospital after battling COVID.
According to officials in Cobb County ... Kelly has been listed as a missing person following a welfare check conducted at her home last Saturday.
We're told the authorities found no evidence of foul play and spoke with Kelly's boyfriend at the residence, BUT ... she's now listed as missing with the National Crime Information Center.
As for what led to this ... Kelly posted a video July 29 revealing she had COVID and was struggling with symptoms. According to Kelly's family ... she was admitted to the hospital about a week later and ended up in the ICU because her condition worsened.
Her family tells TMZ ... they were in touch with Kelly while she was in the hospital in early August, and her children visited her several times. However, 3 weeks after she was admitted ... we're told her kids got a call that she'd been discharged, which was surprising because she was apparently still not fully healthy.
The family says Kelly has not been heard from since, and they told cops her boyfriend is allegedly keeping friends and family members from visiting her home.
We're told this concerned many people close to Kelly, and led to someone alerting the authorities to do a welfare check last week.
Now, she's officially considered missing, and we're told there's an active investigation to find her.
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Brian Laundrie Escaped to Canada??? 'Flustered' Look-Alike Sighting at Hotel
Brian Laundrie is brazenly attempting to check into Canadian hotels while on the run ... at least that's what one TikToker's suggesting, based on a sighting earlier this week.
According to the woman ... Gabby Petito's fiance -- or at least someone who looks like him -- was at a hotel in Toronto last Monday. She says she saw the guy "getting flustered" as he left the hotel and got into a car with another man.
The woman -- who is TikTok user @cwlynnn and also apparently a flight attendant -- claims she informed the hotel staff it may have been Laundrie, and was told whoever it was ... he didn't have the right hotel and didn't know where he was going.
She also posted a blurry photo of the man ... with a facemask around his chin. It's unclear if the woman reported the sighting to the authorities along with the hotel staff.
As we reported ... there was another potential Laundrie sighting earlier this week in Baker, FL -- about 500 miles from his home -- on a man's trail camera in the wilderness. Police later confirmed it was NOT Brian ... and the search is still on.
Laundrie is officially a wanted man after the feds issued an arrest warrant Wednesday and charged him with one count of use of unauthorized access devices. Specifically, prosecutors claim Laundrie used a Capital One Bank debit card belonging to Gabby, but made it clear that the warrant is "related to Mr. Laundrie’s activities following the death of Gabrielle Petito."
Brian has not been seen for over a week. His family reported he went for a hike with his backpack and never returned ... this was a few days before Gabby's body was found at a Wyoming state park and the coroner ruled her death a homicide.
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Lakers Fan Sues LAPD Cop ... You Shot Me In the Head W/ A Rubber Bullet
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An L.A. Lakers fan is suing an LAPD cop ... claiming the officer shot him in the head with a rubber bullet while he was peacefully celebrating the Lakers championship last year, and now he wants the officer to pay up.
The fan, Kimberly Marroquin, filed the civil lawsuit Thursday in California … claiming she was peacefully and legally celebrating the 'ship against the Miami Heat on October 11, 2020 ... around 9:15 PM.
"Without warning or provocation", the suit reads, the officer "shot [Marroquin] in the head with a less lethal rubber projectile round."
Marroquin was "unarmed and never posed a threat," according to the lawsuit.
She’s going after an unnamed officer, the Captain she claims was responsible for overseeing the area where she was celebrating, and the City of Los Angeles.
As a result of the alleged excessive force, the plaintiff claims she "suffered severe pain and suffering, mental anguish, humiliation, and emotional distress, and incurred economic losses" from mounting medical bills.
The lawsuit also accuses the LAPD of failing to properly train their officers ... as well as refusing to punish cops who screw up.
Marroquin is asking for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, medical costs, and attorneys' fees. The exact amount she's seeking is unclear.
We've reached out to the LAPD, who told us they don't comment on pending litigation.
We also reached out to the city. They told us they will review the complaint, and would have no further comment at the time.
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Brian Laundrie Federal Arrest Warrant Issued In Gabby Petito Case
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3:58 PM PT -- The feds are tipping their hand ... the warrant for Laundrie's arrest is about way more than illegal credit card use. TMZ obtained a motion filed by prosecutors requesting Brian be held without bail before his trial, because he's a danger to the community.
Allegedly swiping someone's credit card hardly seems like a public safety issue, so the motion strongly suggests the feds suspect he's involved in something way more nefarious. The docs also state what's obvious at this point -- that Laundrie is a serious flight risk.
Brian Laundrie is now a wanted man by the feds ... an arrest warrant has been issued -- but NOT for Gabby Petito's death.
A Federal Grand Jury indicted Laundrie for the crime of Use of Unauthorized Access Devices. Specifically, prosecutors claim Laundrie used a Capital One Bank debit card. The document does not say it's Gabby's card, but that doesn't seem like much of a leap.
The indictment gives a timeline for the alleged unauthorized use of the card ... it was used from August 30 to Sept. 1 to purchase items totaling at least $1,000.
What's significant ... he returned to his parents' Florida home Sept. 1. And, the FBI first asked the public for assistance with Gabby's case around Aug. 28. She would later be reported missing on Sept. 11.
It's interesting ... the feds aren't linking the homicide to Laundrie, at least not yet. That's probably because there are still loose ends ... namely, there has to be probable cause to get a warrant for her death, and it's unclear if there's physical or other evidence at the crime scene linking Laundrie to the homicide. But, the indictment allows the feds to take Laundrie into custody ... that is, if they can find him.
The preliminary autopsy report has not been released, but it's expected any day. The manner of death will be critical in the investigation.
Originally Published -- 3:11 PM PT
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'Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain' Film Aims to Open Eyes to Injustice Of 2011 Police-Involved Death
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"The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain" star Frankie Faison says he hopes the new Morgan Freeman-produced film brings justice to the family and sheds light on what really happened.
Frankie joined "TMZ Live" on Thursday and explained the film's purpose is to highlight the horrific 2011 police shooting of Kenneth -- a U.S. Marine, whose family is still fighting for a sliver of justice in the case ... after the cops involved were acquitted.
Frankie, who plays the title character, says bringing accountability and opening eyes to those who don't know the complete story is the goal here ... and perhaps a lesson on how to avoid such a tragic thing from happening again.
If you don't know ... Kenneth, a 68-year-old Black Marine veteran who suffered from bipolar disorder, accidentally set off his medical device alarm necklace in his White Plains, NY home in the early hours of November 19, 2011.
Cops ultimately rushed to his home, but a confrontation ensued ... culminating with cops tasing Kenneth before fatally shooting him. At the time, cops initially said Kenneth came at them with a butcher knife ... but an autopsy report later concluded Kenneth's arms were at his side when he was shot.
Soon after, a grand jury decided the cops wouldn't face criminal charges ... and in 2016, the family lost a $21 million wrongful death lawsuit.
Frankie, best known for his role as the deputy commissioner in "The Wire," also told us how Morgan Freeman feels about the critically acclaimed film and what he hopes it accomplishes.
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Brian Laundrie Parents Stay Silent ... As Search For Gabby's Fiance Continues
Brian Laundrie's been missing for nearly 6 days now, and his parents are still not talking as the search for him continues as a person of interest in Gabby Petito's death.
Laundrie's mother and father were leaving their home in North Port, FL Thursday morning when they were asked if they have any info on his whereabouts ... and they had nothing useful to say.
This has been par for the course ever since their son showed up at their doorstep September 1 without Gabby, his fiancee, even though they were on a long trip across the country.
Brian's family has not been forthcoming with many details, other than letting authorities know he went missing last Friday after he was named a "person of interest" in Gabby's case. They said he took his backpack and went for a hike, but never came back.
As we reported ... Gabby's body was found 2 days later at a state park in Wyoming, a spot she and Brian are believed to have visited in the days after they had a domestic dispute in Utah.
The coroner ruled Gabby's manner of death homicide, and while the obvious suspect is Brian ... he's not officially been named one by police, at least not until they find out where he's at.
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Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino Calls Cops on Brother ... Over Unannounced Visit, Gift Drop-off
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Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino had some family drama boil over this week that almost landed someone in handcuffs ... none other than his own sibling.
The "Jersey Shore" star's rep tells TMZ ... Mike had called police on Tuesday evening after his brother, Maximo, showed up to his New Jersey home with a ton of gift bags he was apparently trying to drop off for MS and his newborn son/Maximo's nephew, Romeo.
We're told Maximo excessively rang multiple doorbells, peered inside through the glass, lingered a bit and then turned to leave -- but not before leaving all the presents hanging on the doorknob.
The rep says Mike was watching this from inside -- and instantly called cops, who we're told showed up in less than a minute. They ran into Maximo on his way out and told him he wasn't allowed there unless Mike specifically invited him ... and then let him leave.
We know what you're thinking -- WTF??? Well, Mike and Max have had problems for some time now, and it's become a bit of a legal situation ... according to the rep.
We're told Mike's previously filed harassment claims against Maximo -- most recently in July -- because he feels his brother's been behaving erratically, and he wants a heads up before Maximo comes to the house.
Due to their rocky history, we're told Mike's main priority these days is protecting his wife and kid, and even though they're family ... he thinks what Maximo did crossed a line. That's why he reported it to cops, but he didn't want Max arrested.
As for Maximo's side -- he says he was just dropping off Puma BMW tracksuits for Mike and Romeo. Maximo also says he's saddened by Mike calling the 5-0 on him -- because he'd never do that -- and denies there's any ongoing issues between them ... despite what Mike says. 🤷🏽♂️
With that said, Maximo says he'll never go to Mike's house again without getting the all-clear.
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NBA's Jaxson Hayes Police Union Blasts District Attorney ... You Put A Target On Cops' Backs
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A huge LAPD police union is going scorched earth on the Los Angeles District Attorney after he decided NOT to charge Jaxson Hayes with a felony, following the arrest of the New Orleans Pelicans star in July.
"George Gascon's latest criminal's first airball puts a target on the back of every police officer in Los Angeles," the Los Angeles Police Protective League tells TMZ Sports.
The LAPPL -- which reps over 9,000 cops in L.A. -- continued, "Gascon's refusal to prosecute Jaxson Hayes for violently attacking and injuring an officer during his n-word laced tirade is nothing more than a declaration that it's open season to attack cops and it's shameful."
The union is livid that Gascon's office decided against charging Hayes with any felonies ... despite the fact he seemingly pushed an officer on video.
FYI, Gascon is a polarizing figure. His critics have accused him of being soft on crime ... and failing to protect law enforcement officers.
Still, Hayes isn't totally out of the water criminally ... it's still possible the city attorney could levy a misdemeanor charge(s) against Jaxson.
We broke the story, 21-year-old Hayes -- the 8th overall pick in the 2018 draft -- was arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer after Jaxson got physical with a cop who was investigating a domestic violence call after Hayes' GF allegedly said she was scared her hooper BF was going to physically harm her.
Police released body camera footage ... and it seems Hayes pushed an officer, injuring him in the process, according to LAPD.
What happened next has caused some controversy.
Cops eventually got Hayes to the floor, but the struggle continued. An officer deployed his taser at least once. At one point during the arrest, Hayes said he couldn't breathe.
As a result, LAPD launched an investigation to determine if excessive force was used. That investigation is still ongoing.
As for the LAPPL, they weren't done ... they also went in on the NBA for failing to discipline Hayes, or condemn his actions.
"As for the NBA, their silence is deafening when it comes to one of their players assaulting an officer and thwarting a domestic violence investigation. Apparently, their policy on preventing domestic violence was created more for SportsCenter than it is to actually hold its players accountable. Real classy."
We reached out to the DA's office ... but they declined comment.
We also reached out to the NBA. So far, no word back.
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Gabby Petito's Fiance Brian Laundrie Possibly Spotted ... FL Cops Investigating Cam Footage
1:20 PM PT -- The Oskaloosa Co. Sheriff just released a statement saying they searched the area where the image was taken extensively and didn't find anything, or anyone, of interest. Cops searched using a drone, and checked nearby farmlands.
In a statement, cops said, "There are no known possible past or current connections between Laundrie and anyone in this area at this time to follow up on."
The hunt for Gabby Petito's fiance, Brian Laundrie -- who's believed to be the last person to see her alive -- may have broken wide open ... because someone thinks they spotted him about 500 miles from his Florida home.
Sam Bass says a man fitting Brian's description was seen on his trail camera set up in the wilderness in Baker, FL early Monday morning ... and he's alerted the authorities.
Bass' deer camera footage shows a man with a backpack trekking through the woods, and he certainly resembles Laundrie ... who was reported missing by his family after being named a person of interest in the disappearance of Gabby.
Folks were quick to point out Baker is about 450-500 miles away from Laundrie's home in North Port -- which would be quite a journey on foot over 4 days -- but the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed it's actively looking into the footage ... but there's no confirmation it's Brian yet.
People have also pointed out that the man's backpack is similar to Laundrie's, and his parents told authorities he left with it on a hike Friday and never came back.
As we've reported ... the story of Gabby and Brian -- who were on a cross-country trip this summer and documenting it on social media -- garnered national attention when he returned to his Florida home without her on Sept. 1.
Gabby was reported missing 10 days later by her family, who claim Brian was not cooperative at all in trying to locate her, and the feds believe they found her body at a national park Sunday in Wyoming ... a place she was believed to have visited with her fiance.
There was also a domestic dispute between the couple in mid-August in Utah, but the authorities released them with no charges or arrests. A 911 caller from that incident said they had observed Brian physically attacking Gabby ... she went missing sometime after that.
On Monday, FBI agents tore up Brian's parent's home in Florida, searching for evidence and leaving with several boxes.
A makeshift memorial has already been set up at the site where the remains believed to be hers were found, though the autopsy confirming it's her has not been disclosed yet.
Originally Published -- 10:31 AM PT
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U.S.-Mexico Border Agents Use Horse Reins as Whips ... Ward Off Haitian Migrants
Border Patrol agents attempting to push back Haitian migrants trying to cross into the U.S. used what appear to be horse reins as whips to keep them at bay ... and now, the White House says it's looking into the tactic.
The images surfaced this week amid a chaotic situation at various parts of the U.S.-Mexico border, especially in Texas ... where scores of people have been wading across the Rio Grande to the U.S. side -- including thousands of Haitians, many of whom have set up camp under a bridge in the town of Del Rio, which has grown exponentially in recent days.
As a way to deter people ... some border agents on horseback were photographed and taped swinging around what seems to be either reins or lariats attached to the saddle equipment on their steeds. The photos and video here don't appear to show the agents actually make contact with any of the Haitians trying to cross, but still ... it looks bad.
The sheer optics of this -- white border agents apparently trying or threatening to whip predominantly Black Haitian migrants -- has caught the Biden administration's attention.
Here’s the video pic.twitter.com/itFwZfYN45
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) September 20, 2021 @SawyerHackett
POTUS's Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, was asked about it repeatedly during Monday's press conference ... and said the staff had seen the footage, but needed more information to make an assessment on what was actually happening before weighing in further.
Still, Psaki did acknowledge that based on what they'd seen thus far ... it didn't seem like anything that'd be appropriate in any scenario, but made a point to say they were trying to gather the full context and more details -- despite reporters pushing back and getting testy.
One journo flat out asked if this is okay under Biden's watch and if it would continue -- but Psaki held the line ... namely, that they were looking into it.
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Gabby Petito 911 Call from Utah Stop ... Alleges BF Brian Slapped Her
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Gabby Petito's boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, allegedly slapped and hit her in the run-up to them being pulled over and questioned by a cop in Utah, shortly before she vanished ... this according to a 911 caller, who claimed to have witnessed violence.
FOX obtained the 911 call in question, which was placed on August 12 near Moab, Utah -- not too far from where Gabby and Brian were eventually pulled over later that day by a city cop, whose body camera captured a distraught Gabby ... and Brian unseemly denying anything had happened between them.
Check out the audio ... you hear a man tell the operator he's calling to report a domestic dispute he says he saw in town, going on to paint a picture of the white van Gabby and Brian had been traveling in, while also providing a license plate number ... and descriptions of both of them.
When the operator asks point blank what he saw them doing ... the guy doesn't hesitate -- he says he saw the man slapping and hitting the female, then both of them running up and down the sidewalk ... and finally jumping into the van and driving off.
Not long after this, Gabby and Brian were, in fact, stopped by a Moab officer and questioned. While neither Gabby nor Brian admitted to any physical confrontation -- it was clear the former was having a hard time and going through some sort of a breakdown, as she started to cry in front of the cop. Brian, for his part, said they'd just been arguing ... nothing more.
Interestingly enough, FOX reports that an official police account of this entire incident claimed "no one reported that the male struck the female" -- which appears to be contradicted here.
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As we reported ... the feds announced Sunday that they believe they found the remains of Gabby's body in a national park in Wyoming, one of the last places she's said to have been with Brian -- who came back to Florida solo, and who has since gone missing himself.
Police have called him a person of interest, but have stopped short of saying he's a suspect -- however, they are searching his parents' home, where he lived, which is being deemed a crime scene.
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Larry Ellison Home Construction Worker Dies On Job ... Hit By Car Crossing Road
Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison's sprawling Malibu compound is now tied to a grisly death -- one of the construction workers on the site is dead after a Pacific Coast Highway accident.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... one of the people working on Ellison's $220 million lot was hit by a car Friday around 6 AM while he was walking across PCH, and died from his injuries.
The fatal crash snarled traffic during the morning rush hour. Cops say the driver involved in the fatal accident remained on the scene and cooperated with officers.
Ellison -- the co-founder of Oracle -- owns a ton of properties along the coastline in Malibu ... mostly on one stretch of the ritzy section known as Carbon Beach.
He snatched up a total of 7 high-priced lots, which includes a home he bought from film producer Joel Silver. Ellison's currently building a new home on the property.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Violent Fight At Game ... Woman Cited For Disorderly Conduct
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The woman who appeared to start the violent altercation at the Steelers vs. Lions preseason game in August has been hit with a criminal citation, TMZ Sports has learned.
A spokesperson for the Pittsburgh Police Dept. tells us after launching an investigation into the Aug. 21 melee ... cops cited the woman for disorderly conduct.
Per the spokesperson, the woman will likely now have to pay a fine as a result of the ticket.
The spokesperson added that no other citations or charges have been handed out as a result of the fight ... though a probe is still ongoing.
As we previously reported, the fight happened at some point during the Steelers' win over Detroit at Heinz Field ... and, as you can see in the footage shot by a bystander, it was chaotic.
The clip shows the woman getting in the face of a man seated one row in front of her ... before she eventually slapped him.
The physical touch set the guy off -- 'cause you can see in the video, he then swung on both her and the man sitting next to her.
It's unclear what started the whole thing ... but, fortunately, other fans were able to separate the combatants before things got even worse.
Fighting has been a real issue at NFL games this season ... 'cause just a few days ago several Rams and Bears fans got into a huge fracas in SoFi Stadium -- though it's not clear if law enforcement was involved in that case.
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Wendy Williams Hospitalized for Psychiatric Evaluation ... Show Premiere Delayed
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Wendy Williams was taken to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation one day before it was announced that the new season of her show would be delayed due to COVID issues ... TMZ has learned.
Sources close to Wendy tell us the talk show host was voluntarily admitted to an NYC hospital Tuesday for a psych evaluation. Our sources say Wendy has struggled with mental health issues for some time, so this was not a big shock.
On top of that, Wendy does have COVID, but she's asymptomatic, and doctors continue to monitor her physical health as well.
It's uncertain when she'll be released, but we're told her mental health continues to improve each day. And, our sources say, her COVID is still in check with no real symptoms.
Wendy's 13th season was set to premiere Sept. 20, but that's been pushed to Oct. 4.
However, last week producers revealed she was dealing with "ongoing health issues" and would not be able to make it to promotional activities as she was being evaluated.
We've reached out to Williams' team ... so far, no word back.
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T.I. & TINY No Charges For Alleged Sexual Assault
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T.I. and Tiny won't be charged for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 2005 in Los Angeles ... we've learned prosecutors declined to move forward with the case.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors decided not to charge the couple because the case falls outside the statute of limitations.
As we reported ... the accuser filed a police report earlier this year, alleging T.I. and Tiny drugged and assaulted her sometime in early 2005 after the trio met at a club.
In the docs, prosecutors say the 10-year statute of limitations has expired.
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It's a similar outcome to other allegations against T.I. and Tiny in Las Vegas ... where another woman claimed she was drugged and sexually assaulted in 2010 after meeting Tiny at the airport and being invited to hang with the couple.
As we first told you ... the Las Vegas case also fell outside the statute of limitations, so there were ultimately no charges.