RIP

Alec Baldwin wants to be let off the hook in the "Rust" manslaughter case, because he claims prosecutors stacked the deck against him with the Grand Jury that indicted him.

The actor and his attorney Alex Spiro filed new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, where he seeks to have his criminal case completely tossed ... arguing the grand jury process was completely rigged by the Santa Fe County D.A.'s office -- alleging they trotted out 7 witnesses who were incredibly biased.

Specifically, Alec says 3 of the witnesses were on the D.A.'s "payroll," 2 of them were from the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office, one was already suing him in a separate civil case -- and yet another publicly blamed Baldwin for Halyna Hutchins' death days afterward ... even though Alec says this person wasn't working on the production at the time.

Another eye-popping allegation in the docs involves the FBI testing of the pistol used in the scene. Alec claims the D.A. failed to present all the evidence from that testing ... which he alleges showed the revolver did, in fact, fire without the trigger being pulled when all 6 rounds were loaded, just as they were on the day of the tragedy.

Remember, up until now ... we'd heard the opposite -- that the FBI testing proved without a doubt the gun could only fire if the trigger was pulled. This is crucial, because Alec has always maintained he did not pull the trigger.

For all these reasons, Alec's asking a judge to drop the involuntary manslaughter charge. As we reported, he already pled not guilty in this second go-around ... this after the D.A. dismissed their charges the first time.

Regina King finalmente se está abriendo sobre el suicidio de su hijo Ian, diciendo entre lágrimas que respeta su decisión y también compartiendo su propia experiencia con el dolor.

La actriz y directora se sentó a conversar con "Good Morning America", donde profundizó sobre la trágica muerte de Ian en 2022, y tocó el difícil viaje que ha vivido desde entonces.

Regina King piensa que el dolor es como el amor que no encuentra un lugar hacia donde ir, y que está tratando de celebrar a su hijo por todo lo que es. Ella incluso utiliza el tiempo presente para referirse a él, pues dice que Ian está siempre con ella. King añade que realmente no ha tenido tiempo de meditar sobre la decisión de Ian, la que dice que entiende, porque es claro para ella que él ya no quería estar aquí.

Regina dice que lo que más le gustaba de sí misma era ser la mamá de Ian, y que al final, simplemente tiene que respetar el proceso a pesar de que también se pregunta sobre lo que posiblemente podría haber hecho mejor como madre.

Como informamos, Ian Alexander Jr., el único hijo de King y su ex marido Ian Alexander Sr., se quitó la vida en enero de 2022 en su cumpleaños número 26.

En ese momento, Regina dijo: "Nuestra familia está devastada en lo más profundo por la pérdida de Ian. Él es una luz tan brillante que se preocupaba profundamente por la felicidad de los demás. Nuestra familia pide consideración y respeto durante este momento privado. Gracias".

Ian era un invitado habitual de Regina en la alfombra roja e incluso la llamó "Super mamá" en la alfombra roja de los Globos de Oro en 2019 y publicó un sentido homenaje para ella cuando cumplió 50 años en 2021.

Parece que Regina está dando el siguiente gran paso en su viaje, aunque claramente Ian nunca está lejos de su mente.

Regina King is finally opening up about her son Ian's suicide ... saying through tears she respects his choice to take his own life and touching on her own experience with grief.

The actress/director sat down for an interview on "Good Morning America" where she delved into Ian's tragic 2022 death ... and touched on her difficult journey in the aftermath.

RK says she thinks of grief as love without anywhere to go, and she's trying to celebrate her son for everything he is -- she even uses the present tense because she says Ian is always with her. King adds she hasn't really had time to simply sit with Ian's decision ... which she says she understands -- because it's clear to her he didn't want to be here anymore.

Regina says her favorite part of herself was being Ian's mom, and ultimately she simply has to respect the journey despite also asking herself questions about what she possibly could've done better as a parent.

As we reported ... Ian Alexander Jr. -- the only son of King and her ex-husband Ian Alexander Sr. -- took his life back in January 2022 on his 26th birthday.

At the time, Regina said, "Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian. He is such a bright light who cared so deeply about the happiness of others. Our family asks for respectful consideration during this private time. Thank you."

Ian was a regular guest of Regina on the red carpet, even calling King a "Super Mom" on the 2019 Golden Globes red carpet and posting a heartfelt tribute to her on her 50th birthday in 2021.

It seems Regina is taking the next big step in her journey ... although Ian is clearly never far from her mind.

Garrison Brown's legacy as a cat dad will never be forgotten, as "Sister Wives" fans give buckets of money to the cause near and dear to the late TLC personality ... TMZ has learned.

Liz Olson of High Country Humane tells TMZ ... people from all over the world have donated to the animal shelter in the week since Garrison died by suicide. The cat org received donations totaling more than $13K ... and counting!

She confirms she's the one who alerted Garrison's mother, Janelle Brown, to the outpouring of support ... and then, Janelle shared her emotional reaction this week to that uplifting news.

Garrison and High Country Humane knew each other well -- Liz tells us he adopted 3 of his cats -- including new addition Ms. Buttons -- from the shelter in the last 2 years.

In response to the generosity displayed by Garrison's followers, HCH has launched an initiative in his name that will help cats get adopted throughout the month of March.

Specifically, the money will cover adoption fees for any of the cats rescued during this effort.

The tributes don't stop there ... Liz tells us the org also plans to rename its cat adoption room in his honor. There will be a plaque unveiling and everything at their 5-year anniversary celebration this month.

Ark Cat Sanctuary is also getting monetary support after Garrison's passing. Cat Roberts, yes that's really her name, tells TMZ ... the org's  received more than $500 in donations from people all over the globe, including some in Australia and Scotland.

Cat believes the support from Garrison's fans will help them stay open this year ... after receiving $30K less in grant money for 2024. She says the biggest help has been people purchasing items like wet food and kitten milk replacement from the sanctuary's Amazon wish list.

It's a small silver lining on an otherwise tragic story.

Robyn Bernard -famosa por su trabajo en "Hospital General"- ha muerto... TMZ ha indagado.

El forense del condado de Riverside le dice a TMZ que identificaron el cuerpo de la actriz usando sus huellas dactilares después de que los agentes respondieron a una llamada de investigación de muerte ayer en la ciudad de San Jacinto, California. Nos dicen que el cuerpo de Robyn fue encontrado las primeras horas de la mañana del 12 de marzo.

El forense del condado de Riverside dice que aún no se ha determinado la causa de muerte. Una autopsia está programada para el miércoles, pero la toxicología tomará varias semanas.

Robyn nació en Gladewater, Texas, y con el tiempo se labró una carrera como actriz con pequeños papeles en series de televisión de los 80 como "Diva", "The Facts Of Life", "Simon & Simon" y "Tour of Duty".

Su gran oportunidad llegó en 1984 en la telenovela "General Hospital", interpretando el papel de Terry Brock durante 145 episodios hasta 1990.

Su último papel como actriz acreditada llegó en 2002, cuando interpretó a una psicóloga en la película "Voces del instituto".

Desde que abandonó el mundo de la interpretación, Robyn mantuvo una vida relativamente privada y alejada de los focos.

Tenía 64 años.

Robyn Bernard -- famous for her work on "General Hospital" -- is dead ... TMZ has learned.

Riverside County Coroner tells TMZ they identified the actress' body using her fingerprints after deputies responded to a death investigation call yesterday in the town of San Jacinto, CA. We're told Robyn's body was found in the early morning hours of March 12.

The Riverside County Coroner says no cause of death has been determined yet. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed on Wednesday, but toxicology will take several weeks.

Robyn was born in Gladewater, Texas, and eventually carved out an acting career for herself with small parts in '80s TV shows like "Diva," "The Facts Of Life," "Simon & Simon," and "Tour of Duty."

Her big break came in 1984 on the soap opera "General Hospital" ... playing the role of Terry Brock for 145 episodes until 1990.

Her final credited acting role came in 2002, when she played a psychologist in the movie, "Voices From the High School."

Since exiting the acting scene, Robyn kept a relatively private life, out of the spotlight.

She was 64.

Keith Morrison dice que su hijastro Matthew Perry pensó que estaba superando su adicción antes de su repentina muerte, pero en realidad, no era así.

En su primera entrevista desde el fallecimiento de Matthew en octubre, el corresponsal de "Dateline", que está casado con la madre de Matt -Suzanne- reveló recientemente en el pódcast de Hoda Kotb que el querido actor sentía que estaba superando su adicción e incluso se le veía feliz.

Keith reconoció que Matt tuvo una lucha particularmente dura con el alcohol y las drogas, algo que todos sabíamos. Describió la batalla de Matthew contra la adicción como "virulenta", señalando que la enfermedad lo persiguió sin descanso durante años.

Con esto en mente, Keith dice que no estaba totalmente sorprendido por el final prematuro de Matt. Aún así, añadió: "Él no llegó a tener su tercer acto, y eso no es justo". Es una conversación muy triste.

Como informamos, la autopsia de Mathew señaló que había estado limpio durante 19 meses, pero su muerte fue un accidente causado por los efectos agudos de la ketamina.

Perry se había sometido a una terapia de infusión de ketamina para tratar su depresión y la ansiedad, y su último tratamiento fue una semana antes de su muerte, la cual TMZ cubrió en su momento.

Matthew fue encontrado sin respuesta en su jacuzzi... el ahogamiento y la enfermedad de la arteria coronaria se destacaron más tarde como factores adicionales en su causa oficial de muerte.

Keith admitió que todavía está luchando con el dolor por la muerte de Matthew, pero confesó que su esposa (la madre de Matt) está pasándolo aún peor, incluso tantos meses después.  Según Keith, Matthew y Suzanne estaban más unidos que nunca justo antes del fallecimiento del actor.

Janelle Brown dice que está conmovida por la emoción después de que los fans honraran a su difunto hijo Garrison, donando dinero a refugios de animales en su nombre, y todo como una forma de destacar su pasión por sus gatos.

La estrella de "Sister Wives" compartió fotos de Garrison y sus gatos en Instagram el martes, diciendo que le saltaron las lágrimas cuando supo que High Country Humane y Ark Cat Sanctuary en Flagstaff, la ciudad natal de Garrison, habían recibido varias donaciones a raíz de su fallecimiento.

Janelle, que tuvo a Garrison y a otros cinco niños con su ex marido Kody Brown, dejó claro que esta era la manera perfecta de honrar a Garrison, quien amaba ser un "papá gato".

Y añadió: "Los gatos que adoptó de ambas agencias eran muy importantes para él".

Recuerden, Garrison había rescatado a un gato de nueve años al que llamó Ms. Buttons justo antes de su muerte a principios de este mes. En ese momento, Garrison compartió que el gato estaba "en la línea para la eutanasia" antes de que él interviniera.

Fuimos los primeros en contarles que Garrison falleció de un aparente suicidio la semana pasada. Como señalamos, la policía dice que su hermano Gabriel fue quien descubrió a Garrison sin vida en su casa.

Más tarde, Janelle confirmó la desgarradora noticia a través de un comunicado a nombre de ella y su ex marido Kody que decía: "Su pérdida dejará un agujero tan grande en nuestras vidas que nos quita el aliento".

Otros homenajes de la familia Brown, que documentó su alguna vez polígamo estilo de vida durante 18 temporadas, también llovieron sobre Garrison.

Solo tenía 25 años.

Que en paz descanse.

Keith Morrison says his stepson Matthew Perry thought he was overcoming his addiction before his sudden death ... but in reality, says he knew he really wasn't.

In his first interview since Matthew's passing in October, the "Dateline" correspondent -- who's married to Matt's mother, Suzanne -- recently revealed on Hoda Kotb's podcast that the beloved actor felt he was beating his addiction and in a good place ... happy, even.

Keith also acknowledged that Matt had a particularly tough struggle with alcohol and drugs -- something we all knew. He described Matthew's addiction battle as "virulent" ... noting the disease went after him relentlessly over the years.

With this in mind, Keith says he wasn't totally surprised by Matt's untimely ending. Still, he added ... "He didn't get to have his third act, and that's not fair." It's a somber conversation.

As we reported ... Mathew's autopsy noted he'd been clean for 19 months ... but his death was ruled an accident having been caused by the acute effects of ketamine.

MP had been using ketamine infusion therapy to treat his depression and anxiety -- and his last treatment came a week before his death, which TMZ broke at the time.

Matthew was found unresponsive in his jacuzzi ... drowning and coronary artery disease were later highlighted as additional factors on his official cause of death.

Keith admitted that he's still struggling with grief over Matthew's death ... but confessed his wife/Matt's mom is having a harder time with it all, even all these months later.  According to Keith, Matthew and Suzanne were closer than ever just before the actor's passing.

Janelle Brown says she's overwhelmed by emotion after fans honored her late son, Garrison, by donating to animal shelters in his name ... all as a way to highlight his pet cats.

The "Sister Wives" star shared photos of Garrison and his cats on Instagram Tuesday ... saying she was brought to tears after learning High Country Humane and Ark Cat Sanctuary in Garrison's hometown of Flagstaff received several donations in the wake of his passing.

Janelle -- who shared Garrison, as well as five other kids, with her ex-husband Kody Brown -- made it clear that this was the perfect way to honor Garrison ... who she said loved being a cat dad."

She adds, "The cats he adopted from both agencies were so important to him."

Remember, Garrison had rescued a nine-year-old cat -- which he named Ms. Buttons -- just before his death earlier this month. At the time, Garrison shared that the cat was "on the line for euthanasia" before he intervened.

We broke the story ... Garrison passed away in an apparent suicide last week. As we noted, cops say his brother Gabriel was the one who discovered Garrison deceased in his home.

Janelle later confirmed the heartbreaking news ... issuing a statement on behalf of herself and her ex-husband, Kody. She wrote ... "His loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away."

Other tributes from the Brown family -- who documented their once polygamist life for 18 seasons -- soon poured in for Garrison as well.

He was only 25.

RIP

Some ovations defy explanation -- like this crowd on the beach in Venice, Florida watching the gruesome removal of a beached sperm whale, yet erupting in cheers ... all captured on video.

Check out the new footage we obtained showing the massive whale's body being mutilated by an excavator -- definitely not for the faint of heart or stomach -- but a group of beachgoers found reason to hoot, holler and celebrate the process.

The removal was coordinated earlier this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- also known as NOAA -- along with a local marine lab.

The beached whale was first spotted Sunday evening, and reportedly still alive before dying the next morning, when officials quickly attempted to move the decaying corpse.

This video gives you a closer look at the initial attempt to move the massive mammal, as several onlookers record the scene.

Not surprisingly, some locals were disturbed by the crowd's reaction, and a rep for PETA tells TMZ ... "With the planet’s oceans being trawled barren, the death of any aquatic animal is a high-stakes tragedy, and PETA urges everyone upset at the sight of this beached whale to throw all sealife a lifeline by going vegan."

However, as graphic as the removal is, PETA has no issue with NOAA's process ... telling us it's "standard operating procedure."

The city of Venice was forced to issue a no-swim advisory at the beach due to the carcass -- which might be one reason for the cheers.

Researchers cut into the whale's corpse on Monday, causing blood to leak into the water. Translation: the bloody scene could've attracted sharks to shore, endangering swimmers.

BTW, this whale tale isn't nearly as gruesome as a similar situation that went down back in 1970 ... when a Pacific gray whale washed ashore in Florence, OR. That carcass was blown to smithereens with dynamite, and the end result was beyond explosive.

Algunas ovaciones no tienen explicación, como la de esta multitud en la playa de Venice -Florida- que observa la espantosa extracción de un cachalote varado y, sin embargo, se ponen felices y lo graban en video.

Échale un vistazo a las nuevas imágenes que hemos obtenido en las que se ve cómo una excavadora mutila el enorme cuerpo de la ballena -algo no apto para cardíacos ni estómagos débiles- mientras un grupo de bañistas encontró motivos para gritar y celebrar el proceso.

La retirada fue coordinada a principios de esta semana por la Administración Nacional Oceánica y Atmosférica (NOAA) y un laboratorio marino local.

La ballena varada fue avistada por primera vez el domingo por la noche, y al parecer seguía viva antes de morir a la mañana siguiente, cuando las autoridades intentaron rápidamente trasladar el cadáver en descomposición.

En este video se puede ver de cerca el intento inicial de trasladar al enorme mamífero, mientras varios curiosos graban la escena.

No es sorprendente que algunos lugareños se molestaron por la reacción de la multitud, y un representante de PETA le dice a TMZ: "Con los océanos del planeta siendo arrastrados, la muerte de cualquier animal acuático es una tragedia, y PETA insta a todo el mundo molesto por lo ocurrido a esta ballena varada a hacerse vegano".

Sin embargo, tan gráfica como es la eliminación, PETA no tiene ningún problema con el proceso de la NOAA, diciéndonos que es el "procedimiento estándar".

La ciudad de Venice se vio obligada a emitir un aviso de no nadar en la playa debido al cadáver, lo que podría ser una de las razones de los vítores.

Los investigadores cortaron en el cadáver de la ballena el lunes, causando una gran fuga de sangre en el agua... la sangrienta escena podría haber atraído a los tiburones a la orilla, poniendo en peligro a los nadadores.

Anthony Walker, miembro de "The Gap Band" -mejor conocido como Baby Gap- ha muerto... TMZ ha indagado.

El Dr. Eric Walker, hermano menor de Anthony, le dice a TMZ que el cantante y músico falleció en un hospital de Ohio el pasado lunes, después de experimentar complicaciones en su cirugía de cuello.

No está claro exactamente cuál es el procedimiento médico por el que tuvo que pasar, o lo que salió mal, pero nos dicen que Anthony murió como resultado. Su hermano nos dice que la vida del artista se celebrará en su ciudad natal de Chicago a finales de esta semana.

La familia de Anthony nos dice que le agradecen a los fans por su amor y apoyo durante este trágico momento.

Anthony se unió a la famosa banda de R&B y funk en 1979, contribuyendo al grupo como bailarín, coreógrafo y compositor. A pesar de su incorporación tardía al grupo -que se formó en 1967-, Anthony siguió actuando con "The Gap Band" durante los 23 años siguientes como miembro principal.

La banda apareció en "Dick Clark's American Bandstand", "Don Cornelius' Soul Train" y "Solid Gold". Anthony incluso hizo un poco de moonwalking para el propio Dick en su día, y él le mostró cómo hacer el movimiento fresco que Michael Jackson había popularizado en el momento.

En 1985, Anthony tuvo una gran victoria musical gracias a una colaboración con Charlie Wilson -el cantante de "The Gap Band"- y su compañero de banda Billy Young, ya que produjeron juntos el álbum "Billy & Baby Gap". No solo fue el primer álbum publicado como parte de una colaboración entre miembros de una banda, sino que su sencillo "Rock the Nation" alcanzó el nº 3 en las listas de éxitos.

Durante su dilatada carrera, Anthony también colaboró con leyendas de la música como Rick James y George Clinton. Incluso podrás escuchar las habilidades de percusión de Anthony en el single de Snoop Dogg "Snoop's Upside Ya Head".

Anthony no solo tuvo éxito con Gap Band, también formó un grupo de break-dance, conocido como "Tidal Wave", en los años 70. En una ocasión llegaron a vencer en una competición a los famosos New York City Breakers, además de ganar otros premios durante su carrera.

No hay duda de que el baile desempeñó un papel muy importante en la carrera de Anthony. Dio clases en el estudio de baile de John Travolta a principios de los 80 e incluso llegó a trabajar como coreógrafo para Disney.

Antes de su fallecimiento, Anthony dedicaba su tiempo a actuar con "GapX", un grupo formado por otros antiguos miembros de "The Gap Band". Tenía 60 años.

Gap Band member Anthony Walker -- famously known as "Baby Gap" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Dr. Eric Walker, Anthony’s younger brother, tells TMZ ... the singer and musician passed away at an Ohio hospital last Monday -- this after he experienced complications from a neck surgery he was undergoing.

Unclear what exactly the procedure was meant to correct, or what went wrong -- but we're told Anthony died as a result. His sibling tells us the artist's life will be celebrated in his hometown of Chicago later this week.

Anthony's family tells us they thank his fans for their love and support during this tragic time.

Anthony joined the famed R&B/Funk band in 1979 ... contributing to the group as a dancer, choreographer and songwriter. Despite his late addition to the group -- which formed in 1967 -- Anthony went on to perform with GAP Band for the next 23 years as a core member.

The Gap Band notably appeared on "Dick Clark's American Bandstand," "Don Cornelius' Soul Train" and "Solid Gold." Anthony even did some moonwalking for Dick himself back in the day ... and he showed him how to do the cool move that Michael Jackson has popularized at the time.

In 1985, Anthony had a major music win thanks to a collaboration with Charlie Wilson -- the GAP Band's lead singer -- and bandmate Billy Young ... as they produced together the album "Billy & Baby Gap." Not only was it the first album released as part of a band member collab, but their single "Rock the Nation" hit No. 3 on the charts.

During his lengthy career, Anthony also collaborated with music legends Rick James and George Clinton. You'll even hear Anthony's percussion skills on Snoop Dogg's single "Snoop's Upside Ya Head."

Anthony didn't just make a splash with GAP Band ... he famously formed a break-dancing group, known as "Tidal Wave," in the '70s. They once even beat out the famed New York City Breakers in competition  ... in addition to nabbing several other awards during their run.

There's no doubt dance played a huge role in Anthony's career ... he taught at John Travolta's dance studio in the early '80s and even went on to work as a choreographer for Disney.

Prior to his passing, Anthony was spending his time performing with GapX ... a group formed by other former members of the Gap Band. He was 60.

Los abogados del denunciante del Boeing dicen que no parecía suicida antes del incidente, y es por eso que piensan que su muerte es increíblemente sospechosa y están pidiendo respuestas de inmediato.

Robert Turkewitz y Brian Knowles -que estuvieron con John Barnett en una demanda por represalias contra Boeing- le dicen a TMZ que Barnett estaba en medio de las deposiciones de su caso civil, un proceso que aseguran estaba a punto de terminar.

Nos dicen que Barnett estaba de buen humor y listo para seguir adelante. Y añaden: "No vimos ningún indicio de que fuera a quitarse la vida. Nadie puede creerlo".

Y añaden: "Todos estamos desolados. Necesitamos más información sobre lo que le ocurrió a John. La policía de Charleston tiene que investigar esto a fondo y con precisión y contarle al público lo que averigüen. No se puede dejar ningún detalle sin investigar".

Los abogados explican que Barnett había presentado la demanda, porque sentía que Boeing tomó represalias contra él después de tratar de hacer sonar la alarma, debido a que él creía que estaban haciendo la vista gorda a las cuestiones de seguridad, y alegó en su demanda que habían fomentado un ambiente de trabajo hostil.

Como hemos dicho, el caso de Barnett parecía estar terminando, y Barnett se quitó la vida repentinamente en medio de todo el drama. Su equipo legal asegura que hay gato encerrado. Knowles incluso fue citado, llamando "presunta" a la herida autoinfligida que se le atribuye a su cliente.

Como hemos informado, Barnett estuvo hablando sobre los problemas que el Boeing había experimentado últimamente, incluso llegando a nuestro propio programa, "TMZ Live".

Explicó por qué sentía que conseguir la luz verde para volver a surcar los cielos tan pronto luego del incidente de Alaska Airlines era dudosa, alegando que esto le recordaba su propia experiencia con Boeing como gerente de calidad. Período durante el cual alegó que vio muchos problemas.

2:03 PM PT -- John Barnett's family released a statement on their loved one's passing, and they reiterated his cause of shining a light on safety concerns that he was raising while at Boeing -- noting he was deeply affected by the lawsuit he was embroiled in, which they say was going to trial in June. His family says they believe his experience at Boeing contributed to his death.

The Boeing whistleblower's attorneys say he didn't appear suicidal before he died -- which is why they think his death is incredibly suspicious ... and are calling for answers immediately.

Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles -- who were repping John Barnett in a retaliation lawsuit against Boeing, which was well underway -- tell TMZ ... Barnett was in the middle of depositions last week in his civil case, a process they say was nearing an end soon.

We're told Barnett was in good spirits and very much so looking forward to putting this whole saga behind him, ready to move on. They add, "We didn't see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it."

They add, "We are all devastated. We need more information about what happened to John. The Charleston police need to investigate this fully and accurately and tell the public what they find out. No detail can be left unturned."

The attorneys explain that Barnett had filed suit because he felt Boeing had retaliated against him after he tried sounding the alarm on what he believed was them turning a blind eye to safety issues ... and alleged in his lawsuit they'd fostered a hostile work environment.

Like we said ... Barnett's case seemed to be wrapping up -- and amid reports Barnett took his own life in the middle of all this, it's safe to say his legal team is incredulous. Knowles was even quoted as calling the self-inflicted wound being attributed to his client "alleged."

As we reported ... Barnett had been going around and speaking very publicly about the issues Boeing had been experiencing lately -- even coming onto our own show, "TMZ Live."

He explained why he felt them getting the green light to hit the skies again so soon after the Alaska Airlines incident was dubious -- claiming this was in line with his own experience with Boeing as a quality manager ... a period during which he alleged he saw many lapses.

In the aftermath of our chat with Barnett, Boeing planes have continued to experience problems -- including something dramatic just this week ... with a flight from Australia to New Zealand beginning to drop out of the sky after apparent massive equipment failure.