Danny Cooksey Ex-Wife Gets New Restraining Order ... Alleges Vicious New Year's Beatdown

Danny Cooksey's ex-wife claims he's gone off the rails again — but this time, she's alleging a beating that actually required a judge to step in.

Amber Cooksey filed for and was granted a temporary restraining order against her "Diff'rent Strokes" ex ... because she claims the guy thrashed her on NYE ... and in front of their young son, no less.

In court docs, obtained by TMZ, Amber says Danny came over to her house on the holiday to be with their boy ... but his presence quickly became unwelcome, Amber says, because he allegedly started boozing and turning aggressive.

Amber claims she repeatedly asked him to leave, to no avail. She claims he hurled insults at her and "grabbed [her] breasts and crotch violently." She says she was terrified and tried to escape but claims Danny grabbed her by the neck and choked her until she passed out and he then stomped on her.

Amber says cops came the next day. In the meantime, she says she fears for her safety and needs court-ordered protection. The court agreed, giving her the TRO until a hearing later next month.

Keep in mind ... this isn't the first time Amber has asked for help with Danny — she got a restraining order against him in 2019, when they were in the thick of their divorce.

We've reached out to Danny ... so far, no word back.

Abby Lee Miller Sues Your Door Pinned Me in Wheelchair!!! Goes After Hampton Inn for Millions

Abby Lee Miller endured a painful nightmare when a hotel door fell over on her, crushing her for nearly a dozen minutes ... according to the lawsuit she just filed.

The "Dance Moms" maven says she was staying at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Santa Monica back in August 2020 when she wheeled herself into the bathroom of her room. Remember, Abby's been in a wheelchair since 2018 due to her lymphoma battle.

In docs obtained by TMZ, Abby says she was leaving the bathroom when her back left wheel got caught under the sliding bathroom door -- and when she attempted to free herself, the more than 300-pound door came crashing down. She says she was pinned in her wheelchair and trapped in the doorway for 6 to 12 minutes.

According to the suit, Abby screamed for help until 2 hotel staffers came to lift the door off of her. She was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, and Abby says she's still going through physical therapy for the injuries she suffered to her head and shoulder.

The alleged falling door would've been more than enough trauma, but in the docs, Abby says she endured other hardships during an extended stay from March to October 2020. For instance, she claims the laundry room was not accessible to wheelchairs, her hallway was often blocked by housekeeping carts ... and she was unable to open doors to the pool or gym areas, presumably due to her disability.

Abby is suing the hotel's parent corporation for negligence, emotional distress, discrimination and false imprisonment ... and she's seeking compensation of at least $8.5 million.

We've reached out to Hampton Inn & Suites, but no word back yet.

Kylie Jenner Gets Permanent Restraining Order Against Obsessed Fan

Kylie Jenner got another layer of protection after a judge ordered an obsessed fan to stay clear of her for 5 years.

Kylie's been dogged by a guy who's been showing up at her Holmby Hills home over the last year. He was arrested in December after violating a temporary restraining order by going to her house and buzzing the gate.

Kylie's lawyer, Shawn Holley, filed legal docs to make the restraining order permanent, and the judge obliged ... so the fan is prohibited from going near Kylie or otherwise harassing her.

It's not the only obsessed fan Kylie's dealing with. Another guy showed up near Kylie's house, flowers in hand, to propose to her. He ended up on a neighbor's property by mistake and was arrested for misdemeanor trespass.

All of the Kardashians have had issues with obsessed fans and stalkers ... some have actually entered their homes. Really scary.

Prince Estate's Value Settled ... IRS & Administrator Agree, Worth $156M

Prince and everything in his orbit at the time of his death is worth a pretty penny -- at least according to Uncle Sam, who's finally settled on a price tag ... and it's in the 9 digits.

The IRS has come to terms with the administrator of Prince's estate, Comerica Bank & Trust, after years of fighting about what exactly the late artist's pot of assets should be valued at ... and the figure they all landed at stands at $156.4 million -- per the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

This number is one that Prince's heirs -- surviving siblings and/or their families -- have also agreed to, BTW ... and not just that, but the Minnesota Dept. of Revenue also signed off.

Of course, $156M is helluva lot more than what Comerica had initially estimated the estate to be worth ... just $82.3 million, which the IRS pushed back on with ferocity in court -- as they argued it oughta be priced north of $160 mil, a figure that would've made taxes due back to them upon distribution balloon into the tens of millions.

In the end ... it appears the IRS was more right than wrong on their numbers, at least on the face of things. And, indeed, the taxes the estate has to pay out will be significant.

With that said, Comerica reportedly filed docs last week acknowledging the settlement was "fair and reasonable," but also insisted they would've prevailed at a would-be trial if the family wanted to press the issue ... but it seems they wanted this to be over and done with.

As part of the agreement, the IRS has dropped its request for a $6.4 million accuracy penalty. Now, once taxes are paid, the rest of the dough can be divvied out among the remaining parties of interest ... thus putting an end to a long and winding saga.

Lori Loughlin & Mossimo Burglars Steal $1 Million in Jewelry

Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli are now crime victims ... because we've learned their house was hit by burglars who walked away with a million bucks in jewelry.

It went down January 3 ... we're told Lori and Moss were not home. The break-in and theft were discovered by a housekeeper.

Law Enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the thieves smashed a bedroom window at their L.A.- area home. They were dressed in all black and wore masks. Cops know this from surveillance cams. Once inside, they stole Lori's jewelry box which contained super-expensive bling.

Cops don't know if Lori and Mossimo were specifically targeted or if this was a random burglary.

Cops believe a South American burglary crew pulled off the heist ... apparently, they travel to America, hit locations and then quickly leave the country.

Lori's camp tells TMZ ... Lori's thankful no one was hurt. Interestingly ... Bob Saget's death helped put the burglary in perspective for her ... she says material stuff isn't the most important thing in life, it's family and love.

Since the incident, Lori has beefed up security ... they'll be there around the clock, at least for the time being.

Police are investigating.

Cardi B 'I Was Suicidal' After Tasha K's Blog Posts ... Testifies in Libel Trial

Cardi B says she wanted to take her own life after seeing the alleged lies posted by a blogger who's now on trial in federal court.

Cardi's lawsuit against the blogger, Tasha K, is now being tried in a federal courtroom in Georgia, and on Thursday morning, Cardi took the stand. She told the jury, "I wanted to commit suicide over the things" Tasha was saying about her.

Tasha made several video posts back in 2018 and 2019 about Cardi, claiming she had been a prostitute and had contracted multiple STIs ... among many other things, which prompted Cardi's lawsuit. As we reported, Tasha didn't take it well when she was served with the papers.

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In court, Cardi also testified ... "I felt defeated and depressed and I didn't want to sleep with my husband." This was all going down shortly after Offset and Cardi welcomed their first child, Kulture ... and Cardi told the court she felt like "I didn't deserve my kid."

Cardi's attorney asked her what she thought about Tasha after seeing the posts, and she said ... "I felt like only a demon could do that s**t." The rapper actually apologized to the judge for swearing after that statement.

She eventually broke down in tears after repeating the ordeal made her feel suicidal.

Cardi is still on the stand, and could be cross-examined by Tasha's attorney later Thursday.

Story developing ...

Kanye West Under Investigation for Criminal Battery ... Allegedly Punched Fan

UPDATE

11:00 AM PT -- We've just obtained photos of Kanye out Thursday morning, just hours after the alleged incident. Unclear who he's out riding around with.

UPDATE

Kanye West is a named suspect on an alleged battery early Thursday morning -- allegedly punching a fan -- TMZ has learned, and LAPD is investigating.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Ye got into some sort of argument that allegedly turned physical around 3 AM in DTLA. We're told the incident occurred near the Soho Warehouse. We do not know if Ye was at Soho before the incident, but given the time, it seems likely.

We're told Kanye allegedly pushed and then punched a male fan ... the case is being investigated as misdemeanor battery ... a crime that carries a maximum jail sentence of 6 months.

FOX 11 -- who first broke the story -- says Kanye knocked the fan to the ground.

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We've obtained video of an irate Kanye shot sometime between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. You hear Kanye yell, "Did y'all say that or not? Did y'all say that or not?" "Cuz that's what happened right f****** now."

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Earlier in the evening, Kanye was partying at Delilah in WeHo with girlfriend Julia Fox. He left and drove off alone ... Julia stayed at the club.

We've reached out to Kanye's team ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 9:09 AM PT

BRANDY NORWOOD SUED DESIGNER CLAIMS $45K RING IS MISSING ... Brandy Denies Involvement

UPDATE

12:59 PM PT -- 1/13 -- Brandy is denying all involvement, with a rep for the singer telling TMZ ... "Brandy never saw the ring and has no knowledge of it ever being in her presence. It was never a part of her look for the event."

UPDATE

9:01 AM PT -- A rep for Ashley Thomas tells TMZ they deny the allegations and that he "looks forward to presenting the facts in the appropriate forum."

Brandy Norwood is being dragged to court over a $45,000 ring she was supposed to wear at the American Music Awards ... a ring that's allegedly gone missing.

Brandy and her stylist, Ashley Sean Thomas, are being sued by Elle B. Mambetov, a fashion designer and Beverly Hills store owner.

In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Mambetov claims Brandy's stylist approached her last year about borrowing jewelry and clothes for the singer to wear at the November Awards show ... and the designer let them borrow some outfits and a Dreamboule Big Bang Diamond Ring.

Brandy and her stylist allegedly never returned the ring ... and the designer claims it's valued at around $45k. She says in her suit Brandy's stylist told her it was last seen on the piano at Brandy's Calabasas estate.

Brandy didn't wear the ring or the outfit to the AMAs ... but we're told it's not all that uncommon, because stylists usually put together many different options for celebs.

The ring is 18-karat rose gold, with a sapphire crystal dome and black volcanic stone.

The designer's going after Brandy and her stylist for the value of the ring plus other damages ... claiming she's suffered financial losses and emotional trauma.

We reached out to Brandy and her stylist ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 1/12 4:35 PM PT

'Rust' Armorer Sues Halyna Would Be Alive If I Was in That Church ... Live Ammo Not My Fault!!!

The head armorer on "Rust" says the fatal shooting would never have happened if she was in the church with Alec Baldwin and Halyna Hutchins ... according to a new lawsuit.

Hannah Gutierrez Reed just filed suit against Seth Kenney, the man whose company supplied the ammunition used on the set ... but she's also laying some blame on Alec and assistant director Dave Halls.

While Alec and Halls are not defendants, Hannah claims in the docs ... Baldwin did not respond to her request to schedule a cross draw training session for the movie's gun scenes. As we've reported, Alec was doing exactly that -- a scene where he draws the gun across his body -- when Halyna was killed.

According to the suit, filed by attorney Jason Bowles, Hannah claims she loaded the gun used in the church scene with what she believed were dummy rounds, and gave the gun to assistant director Halls, who told her he would be sitting with the gun during rehearsal.

Hannah claims she left the church, and within 15 minutes, Halls handed Baldwin the firearm. That's when Halls called out "cold gun" ... signifying it was not loaded with live rounds.

In the docs, Hannah claims it was not a scheduled rehearsal with Baldwin, and it was protocol for Halls to inform her if Baldwin was going to be filming or practicing the gun move. She says that didn't happen.

Instead, Hannah says Alec began practicing the cross draw from his shoulder holster to get the proper camera angles with Halyna ... and that's when the shooting happened.

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She claims Alec would have learned safe gun practices with the cross draw, but he never responded to her request to train him on that move.

Hannah also says she would never have let Alec point a gun at Halyna -- but she wasn't in the church to do so.

She's suing Kenney because she believes he had access to the set and knew the code to the prop safe where guns were stored.

In the suit she claims he and his company, PDQ Arm & Prop, were the production's primary supplier of ammunition -- so they alone should be liable for the live ammo that clearly found its way onto the set.

Nicki Minaj Harassment Lawsuit Dropped ... Lawyer Vows to Go After Accuser!!!

Nicki Minaj can breathe easier -- a lawsuit claiming the rapper harassed and threatened the woman who accused Nicki's husband of sexual assault has been dropped ... and Nicki's planning to go after the woman to recoup money lost in legal fees.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the lawsuit against Nicki was voluntarily dismissed Wednesday by Jennifer Hough. A source close to the case tells us there was not any sort of financial settlement reached to make it go away. Nicki's husband, Kenneth Petty, remains a defendant.

In a blistering response, Nicki's attorney, Judd Burstein, tells TMZ Jennifer and her lawyers thought they could shake Nicki down for some easy money, trying to financially settle it from the beginning.

We've seen an email Burstein sent to Hugh's lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, which reads, in part, "In my view, your conduct in pursuing this case against Nicki represents the worst of our legal system: bottom-feeding lawyers who pursue frivolous actions against a celebrity assuming that they will be paid off if they throw enough dirt."

Judd continues, "You forced my client to spend over $300,000 in fees to defend a case which even my labradoodle, Gracie, could see was frivolous on both the facts and the law."

Kenneth was convicted of trying to rape Jennifer in 1995, and she's since spoken publicly about the ordeal.

TMZ broke the story, Jennifer sued Nicki in August, claiming Nicki and her legal team had offered to pay Jennifer to change her story about what happened with Kenneth.

That lawsuit against Nicki is officially no more.

Young Dolph COPS SAY SUSPECTED KILLER CARJACKED GETAWAY CAR ... Week Before Murder

At least one of Young Dolph's murder suspects also used his gun to carjack the Mercedes-Benz used as a getaway car in the fatal shooting ... according to cops.

The suspected killer's alleged crime spree is all laid out in new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... and police say the carjacking went down in Memphis, a week before Dolph's murder.

In the docs, cops say a woman in a white Mercedes-Benz told them she was approached by 2 men armed with AR-style guns and they demanded her car. She also told cops one of the men hit her with the muzzle of a gun before she got out of the car and fled on foot.

And, get this ... cops say the woman told them one of the men ended up chasing her down because he couldn't start the car, forcing her back inside the ride at gunpoint and hitting her on the back of the head with his gun and demanding she starts the car.

Police say one of the men drove off in the white Benz, while the other followed in a dark-colored sedan ... and the Mercedes was used in a series of crimes, including Dolph's murder.

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Remember ... detectives tracked down the getaway car to a Memphis-area home shortly after Dolph was killed.

In the docs, police say they dusted the car for fingerprints and got a match for Cornelius Smith.

As we previously reported, the other suspect, Justin Johnson, also has a connection to the Benz ... because he shot a music video at the home where the car was found.

Smith and Johnson were taken into custody by law enforcement Tuesday, following a manhunt ... and both Johnson and Smith have been indicted for murder.

Travis Scott Sued in France ... Le Centaur is Mine, Monsieur!!!

UPDATE

8:48 AM PT -- Travis' attorney, Ed McPherson, tells TMZ ... "This is clearly a frivolous and baseless filing.  Anyone with access to the internet can tell you that Travis never released an album named “La Flame.”  The illustration in question was fan-made, and was uploaded to streaming services by those fans, something that any user has the option of doing."

UPDATE

He continues, "Streaming services quickly removed it after they realized that certain people were trying to pass this off as a legitimate album cover.  We look forward to responding to this case and obtaining a quick dismissal.”

Travis Scott's album cover from years ago is landing him in hot water in France ... where one artist is definitely not saying "c'est la vie" over what he claims is outright theft of his art.

A man named Mickaël Mehala -- who also goes by Black Childish -- is suing Travis in his home country, where he alleges the rapper jacked his original artwork for "Travis La Flame" ... an official compilation project which includes a lot of songs from his mixtape "Days Before Rodeo," among others.

The album cover is well known among TS stans ... and has even been featured on Travis' YouTube page and Tidal page at one point or another. That's a problem for Mehala, who claims he actually created this piece himself in 2015 and sent it to Trav via Instagram DM in 2016 -- the same year 'La Flame' dropped -- so he could see it and share it with fans.

Mehala says he never heard back from Travis, but lo and behold ... he saw his centaur art featured front and center when 'La Flame' rolled out, which was big news at the time.

In the French legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Mehala claims he formally registered a copyright for the art in February 2019. He also says he was blowing up Travis and his management team about the issue, and finally heard back from one of his attorneys in the summer of 2019.

He claims the lawyer told him Travis was unaware of using art belonging to anyone in particular. While the lawsuit notes the centaur shot's since been removed from multiple platforms carrying 'La Flame' ... Mehala apparently still wants his day in court.

He also wants d'argent, or as Travis would say ... money, and lots of it. Mehala's suing for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and sole control of his centaur going forward.

We've reached out to Travis' team, but no word back yet.

Originally Published -- 12:40 AM PT

BRITNEY SPEARS' EX Jason Alexander Allegedly Threatened to Break Woman's Neck

Britney Spears' ex, Jason Alexander's stalking victim claims she has a very good reason to fear him -- she told cops Alexander threatened to snap her neck.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, the woman, who's identified as Lisa, claims Jason issued the threat last January ... saying he would break both her neck and that of her male friend.

In the docs, she says Jason approached that same guy friend in July and again threatened to snap his neck if he didn't stop texting Lisa.

It didn't end there ... Lisa filed another report in October claiming Jason came on her Tennessee property after being told he was not welcome. He allegedly admitted to following her home, claiming he was just making sure she got home safely.

According to the docs, Jason returned to Lisa's property in November and argued with her. This time she called cops, but he bounced before they arrived.

TMZ broke the story ... Jason was arrested Dec. 30 and charged with violation of a protective order and aggravated stalking. He pled guilty to misdemeanor stalking last week and is now on probation.

The protective order was issued Dec. 10 and it barred Jason from contacting Lisa -- but the new docs say he emailed her on Christmas, and also brought presents for her and her kid to the Franklin Police Department ... so cops could give them to her on his behalf.

That creepy Christmas gesture violated the protective order, and that's why he got dinged.

Jason's most famous for dating Britney back in 2004, and abruptly getting married in Las Vegas. That union lasted all of 55 hours before it was annulled.

Jason's fallen on hard times -- aside from the stalking, he was hit with DUI and other charges related to drug possession last January ... and in August he was busted for trespassing at a Nashville airport.

Jay-Z & Team Roc Feds Won't Release Weed Offender ... Due to Leftover Chicken!!!

UPDATE

11:56 AM PT -- Alex Spiro is making one thing clear… He says this case is a matter of a broken system that doesn’t view Valon Vailes as a human being.

UPDATE

We caught up with hip-hop’s go-to trial lawyer on TMZ Live. Spiro says that even the initial sentencing of 20 years may have been different if Vailes was “whiter."

UPDATE
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TMZ.com
UPDATE

Spiro chalked it all up to a broken criminal justice system. He says he simply doesn't think the government views him as a human being worthy of independence.

UPDATE

So far, there's been no update on Vailes sentencing in this case.

Welp, now he's got 100 of 'em -- Jay-Z is fuming the feds refuse to release to a man who's served 14 years for weed, and says one of the government's reasons for holding him ... involves a leftover prison meal.

Jay's Team Roc is taking up the cause of a guy named Valon Vailes ... who's serving a 20-year prison sentence for intent to distribute more than a ton of marijuana. Vailes, who was convicted in 2007,  reached out to Jay-Z last year asking him to help him get a reduced sentence -- but in new court docs, Team Roc says the feds won't budge over some "ticky-tac" prison offenses.

Team Roc attorney Alex Spiro says Vailes more than meets the terms for compassionate release, but in docs he says federal prosecutors won't allow it because Vailes dared to ... wait for it ... sneak some leftover chicken from the prison mess hall to his cell.

Seriously. Cold-ass chicken ... that's what we're talking about?

If that wasn't petty enough, in the docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Spiro says Vailes is also getting dinged for merely using a piece of his prison uniform as "workout equipment."

Jay and Team Roc are incensed because they say Vailes, who's now 56, has been a model inmate in every way possible -- he's earned his GED -- and has a "mentally ill" brother at home who needs a caretaker. Vailes' mother had been taking care of the brother, but she died in 2020.

In his letter to Jay, Vailes discussed his frustration with watching corporations and individuals make billions off legalized marijuana, while he rots in prison over it.

Spiro wants a federal judge to reduce Vailes' sentence to time served, and release him ASAP.

'L&HH' Moniece Slaughter ALLEGED VICTIM GETS PROTECTION ... She Attacked Me At Cardi B Party!!!

UPDATE

5:55 AM PT -- 1/12 -- Slaughter's attorney, Joseph Adeife, tells us, "The allegations made against Ms. Slaughter are completely baseless and false. Temporary restraining orders are issued as a form of protection before the court can hear an individual’s case."

UPDATE

He continues, "Ms. Slaughter’s hearing is set for January 28, 2022. The judge will determine, based on the merits of the evidence presented, not allegations, whether to issue a long-term restraining order at that time. Therefore, none of the allegations made against Ms. Slaughter possess any merit or evidentiary proof."

Moniece Slaughter is being ordered to stay away from a person who claims the "Love & Hip Hop" star attacked them at a birthday bash for Cardi B.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the partygoer claims Moniece went on the offensive at the event, trying to punch them before throwing a drink at them and striking others with the beverage.

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In the docs, the person also says Moniece has been using her fame to harass them ... smearing their name with false allegations.

The partygoer beelined it to court last week, and a judge signed off on a restraining order against Moniece.

Tons of celebs were at the party ... including Offset.

The protective order requires Moniece to stay at least 100 yards away from her alleged victim ... and MS is barred from contacting or harassing them, although the judge stopped short of barring all social media comments.

We reached out to Moniece's camp ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published 1/10 5:53 PM PT

Lana Del Rey Gets Restraining Order Against Alleged Stalker ... She Crashed My Pad 3 Different Times!!!

Lana Del Rey has an alleged stalker on her hands -- one whom she claims has come to her home on THREE different occasions over the last month ... and now a judge had ordered some protection.

The singer filed for and was granted a temporary restraining order this past week in L.A. County, where she claims a woman by the name of Janeen Lee Stratton -- who apparently also goes by the nickname "America" -- has been harassing her in very scary fashion.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Lana and her legal team say this lady has been blowing up LDR's professional associates, including managers, with demands to meet her in person -- because she believes she's Lana's muse ... and not just that, but she thinks Lana communicates with her via song and/or dreams.

Eventually, Lana's management responded via text message ... telling Ms. Stratton to get lost, noting Lana did NOT know her, nor did she want to meet.

That led to a freaky retort from Stratton, at least according to Lana and co. -- the woman allegedly replied, "I want to make a scene. Because guess what?! I don't go away easy."

Per the legal paperwork, not only did Stratton not go away ... she allegedly landed on Lana's front doorstep here in L.A. last month, somehow tracking down her private residence and jumping the fence to get in, where she was eventually met by Lana's security.

Lana and her attorneys allege the guards found Stratton who they say admitted to having a couple of pocket knives on her, this while she apparently told them she'd driven for hundreds of miles for a chance to meet the star. Of course, she was given the boot, but that didn't keep her away for long ... so says LDR.

Lana claims she returned to the property, not once ... but TWICE more just earlier this month, right around New Year's, and was kicked out each time. Now, Lana says she fears for her safety ... and needs a court-ordered forcefield to keep this person at arm's length.

That apparently was a compelling enough tale for the judge … who granted Lana's request for a TRO, which states Stratton has to steer clear of LDR ... both in person and in all forms of communication.

A hearing for a permanent restraining order is scheduled for later this month.