A$AP Rocky Pleads Not Guilty in Felony Firearms Case
A$AP Rocky has pled not guilty to felony firearms charges.
A$AP showed up at the Downtown L.A. criminal courthouse Wednesday all suited up for his arraignment. Arraignments are quick, and this was no exception. A$AP entered his plea to both charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm.
A$AP walked confidently to the podium with his lawyer, Sara Caplan of O.J. Simpson fame.
His bond was set at $550k and the preliminary hearing was set for November.
As we reported, A$AP is accused of firing shots at A$AP Relli during a dispute in Hollywood back in November. Relli claims bullet fragments struck him, causing an injury to his hand. He is suing Rocky over the incident.
You'll recall ... he was arrested at LAX back in April after landing in a private jet with Rihanna.
FYI ... there's a protective order prohibiting Rocky from having any contact with Relli. Rocky's lawyer asked that the protective order be mutual, but the judge ruled it should only go one way.
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A$AP ROCKY Alleged Victim A$AP Relli ... Thrilled Cops and D.A. Believed Him in Shooting Case
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A$AP Rocky is in hot water after being charged with assault for a shooting in Hollywood ... and the alleged victim couldn't be happier.
Jamal Tooson, the attorney for A$AP Relli, tells TMZ ... his client feels vindicated the justice system worked for him, despite the stature of Rocky.
Tooson says Relli's life was shattered by the experience ... Relli says even though he wasn't hit by a bullet, he came within inches of death, and the experience has had a profound psychological impact on him.
A$AP Relli Receiving Death Threats After A$AP Rocky Allegedly Shot Him
The lawyer goes on to say Rocky is so powerful in Hollywood and specifically in the music industry, Relli, who is a music producer, felt he would not be believed and drummed out of the business. He believed if he pressed the case, people would just dismiss it as a money grab.
Relli says his faith in the justice system has been restored, because both the police and the D.A. believed him enough to file 2 serious felony charges against Rocky.
Relli sued Rocky in civil court last week, claiming Rocky fired multiple shots at him with a semiautomatic firearm, resulting in injuries to his hand after being struck by bullet fragments that required medical attention. Relli's attorneys told us since the shooting he's been the victim of online harassment, including death threats.
Tooson says A$AP Rocky being charged with two counts of assault should provide peace of mind not just to A$AP Relli, but to the residents of Los Angeles County who have recently experienced terrifying situations involving gun violence.
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Mama June I'm Taking My Ex-Friend to Court ... Watch Me Kick His Ass on Live TV!!!
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Mama June can't seem to stay away from all the reality TV drama ... she's going on a live, courtroom show ... suing a former friend she claims screwed her over.
Production sources tell TMZ ... Mama June will be a plaintiff on A&E's "Court Night Live." She's suing ex-friend Adam Barta, a fellow content creator.
Mama June and Adam worked on a YouTube show together where they yakked about pop culture and created other social media content. She claims what started as friendly advice turned into daily consults and that he promised to pay her for her help but stiffed her, so she's suing on the A&E show for $5k.
Adam says he had a close relationship with June and they each did things for the other without any obligation of repayment. He says he helped June in her time of need and was there for her ... so they're even.
Judge Greg Mathis presides over "Court Night Live" with Vinnie Politan doing the hosting and retired Judge Vonda Evans providing analysis.
The case will be heard live on A&E Wednesday at 9 PM.
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Angelina Jolie Behind FBI Lawsuit Against Brad Pitt ... Pitt Sources Call BS
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Angelina Jolie may be trying to run Brad Pitt's name through the mud all over again, because the information she's trying to obtain through the FBI and a FOIA request is allegedly info to which she was already privy ... sources close to Brad tell TMZ.
Puck published a story Tuesday, claiming to have seen the details of Angie's FOIA lawsuit against the FBI. In its report, Puck says it's viewed the suit -- which has since been sealed -- which claims Brad put hands on Angelina and poured beer on her while in flight.
The lawsuit was filed anonymously back in April, but there were signs the person who filed was Angelina. We've now confirmed she was indeed the one who filed the lawsuit.
Our Brad sources say AJ's had the info for years, and believe she's only filed the FOIA lawsuit to get the press talking about the allegations against Brad again.
The lawsuit reportedly claims Brad grabbed Angelina by the shoulders and shook her violently while yelling, "You're f***ing up this family." Of course, this was the same flight where Brad allegedly put his hands on the couple's oldest son, Maddox, in 2016. Angelina has claimed Brad struck Maddox, something he has denied.
We've obtained documents from the FBI investigation which clearly state that FBI agents met with reps from the U.S. Attorney's Office and state, "It was agreed by all parties that criminal charges in this case would not be pursued due to several factors."
Our Brad sources say he was cleared because there was not a shred of evidence to support the claims made by Angelina.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles had no comment.
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'Missing' Australian Actress No Foul Play, But She's Behind Bars!!!
The Australian actress whose family claimed she went missing after going on a date with someone she met online has been found ... turns out, cops say she's been in jail the whole time!!!
Here's the deal ... Laura McCulloch, an actress and singer in Los Angeles, scared the crap out of her family back in Australia when she seemingly fell off the grid after going on a first date.
Laura's family cried to Australian news outlets over the weekend, saying she was last seen Friday at a restaurant in Santa Monica, then failed to show up to her day job and yoga class. The family says they became concerned when they couldn't reach her by phone and reported her as missing to the LAPD.
But, here's what really happened.
Santa Monica Police tell TMZ ... Laura was arrested Friday night in Santa Monica after police got a call to the popular 3rd Street Promenade for a reported battery.
Cops say when they got to the scene, they were told Laura threw a drink at a fellow diner and their kid.
It doesn't sound like Laura is getting a second date with her mystery man ... police say when they approached her, she showed obvious signs of intoxication and charged at the officers while shouting expletives.
Cops say they tried to calm her down, but Laura continued being aggressive ... and when police went to detain her, officers say she became physically combative, kicking at officers and biting a cop on the shoulder.
Laura was booked into Santa Monica Jail early Saturday morning for public intoxication and resisting arrest, and we're told she spent the weekend behind bars and did not contact anyone she knows.
We're told the actress went before a judge Tuesday and is still in custody.
This might be the only time a family will be pleased to learn their loved one is in jail.
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Anne Heche Crash Scene Video From Inside Home ... Looks Like a War Zone
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New video from the scene of Anne Heche's fiery car crash shows a house in shambles ... it looks like a bomb went off inside the home where Anne's car barreled through.
TMZ obtained this footage from the Los Angeles home Anne smashed into with her Mini Cooper, and you see firefighters examining the charred remnants, trying to piece together what happened.
After looking at the video, it's incredible the woman living in the home, Lynne Mishele, was not killed when Anne came plowing through.
We're told Lynne had just walked into another room to do some chores when the house was suddenly the scene of a scary crash ... and the area Lynne was in, fortunately, did not collapse or immediately catch fire, unlike other parts of her home.
While Lynne survived, we're told she's having a hard time dealing with the fallout ... suffering from physical and mental injuries.
Lynne has attorney Shawn Holley on her side to help with next steps, like handling insurance claims and helping pick up the pieces of her life.
Holley tells TMZ ... "I am only here to help Lynne go through the process of dealing with insurance companies so that she can start rebuilding her life. This was never about lawsuits or making money. She has lost everything and is so appreciative of all the love and support she has received."
We broke the story ... Anne was behind the wheel in a horrific car crash August 5 when she drove into a home, igniting a blaze. Anne was very badly burned in the accident and lost consciousness shortly after, never came out. She was declared brain dead Friday and taken off life support Sunday evening.
Lynne says she's devastated by Anne's death and her heart goes out to the actress' family, summing up the entire situation as tragic.
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Alec Baldwin Attorney Disputes FBI Findings ... He Speaks to Chris Cuomo
7:49 AM PT -- Alec Baldwin is speaking for himself amid new mixed findings about his potential culpability in the fatal 'Rust' shooting -- and while it seems he did so before any of it came out ... it's interesting, nonetheless.
AB recently did an interview with none other than Chris Cuomo -- who's got his own little network now -- and the sit-down aired Tuesday. In the video, Chris asks Alec about all the fallout and how he deals with it ... and Alec says definitively, he's not the victim here.
He emphasizes Halyna is the victim, and he'll likely recover from this saga ... sooner or later. But with that said, he does again defend himself -- saying he knows what happened, as do the people who were on set that day. Alec suggests all the speculation and armchair analysis from the media and others is meaningless ... and he's certain his name will be cleared.
Again, this interview seems to have been done before the FBI issued its report ... which says he must've pulled the trigger. In his chat with Cuomo, Alec says that did not happen -- so he's sticking to his story here, and seems content letting the chips fall where they may.
The FBI is wrong about Alec Baldwin pulling the trigger on the set of 'Rust' -- so says the actor's attorney, who thinks the Bureau's report is flawed.
Luke Nikas, AB's lawyer, gave his take to Fox News Monday -- this as Halyna Hutchins' death was officially deemed an accident the same day -- saying the feds are incorrect to conclude Alec pulled the trigger ... because the testing they did doesn't show that.
Nikas says, "The FBI report is being misconstrued." He adds, "The gun fired in testing only one time -- without having to pull the trigger -- when the hammer was pulled back and the gun broke in two different places. The FBI was unable to fire the gun in any prior test, even when pulling the trigger, because it was in such poor condition."
Essentially, Nikas seems to be suggesting either the report's findings are misrepresented -- seeing how they've only been reviewed/reported on by ABC -- or the FBI simply misstated what they actually did in the lab to get to the bottom of this. Either way, he claims it's bunk.
Alec Baldwin Must Have Pulled Trigger in 'Rust' Shooting, FBI Concludes
You'll recall ... the FBI, per ABC, said there was no way the gun Alec used went off without him pulling the trigger, as they tried firing it by just manipulating the hammer -- which is what Alec said he did. They insisted ... when the gun's working properly, that's impossible.
While it was unclear from ABC's report (and the language cited from the report) whether the FBI had actually tested the old revolver in question, Nikas appears to be implying they did.
Here's another thing ... Nikas says the FBI's report on the gun doesn't even matter, big picture, because the Santa Fe Medical Investigator's Office came back with its own pivotal finding over Halyna's death ... and they've officially deemed it an accident.
Nikas says, "The critical report is the one from the medical examiner, who concluded that this was a tragic accident. This is the third time the New Mexico authorities have found that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of the allegedly unsafe conditions on the set, that he was told by the person in charge of safety on the set that the gun was ‘cold,’ and believed the gun was safe."
All of these findings -- the FBI's and the medical investigator's -- have been sent off to New Mexico officials for further consideration. The D.A. has yet to make a decision on criminal charges.
Alec, of course, has already been dragged into court civilly ... but denied any responsibility.
Originally Published -- 6:31 AM PT
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Eric & Eliza Roberts Scary Intruder Escapes Into the Darkness
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Eric and Eliza Roberts had a frightening encounter with an intruder who apparently set his sights on her as she walked up her driveway in the dead of night.
Eliza tells us ... her daughter drove her to San Fernando Valley home Friday night at around 9 PM. Eliza got out of the car at the curb, said goodbye to her daughter and entered the code on her security gate. It opened and she walked up the long driveway to the home.
Just as Eliza walked inside, Eric walked outside and came face-to-face with the intruder, who was just feet from the front door.
The man looked at Eric and said, "I know you" ... presumably the guy recognized Eric from his work in film. Eric was taken aback and asked the guy why he was there. The man didn't give a clear answer and Eric was alarmed, telling the guy to beat it.
The man went back down the driveway in the dark, and Eric went inside. He and Eliza then realized the guy might still be lurking in the bushes so they called the cops.
Police arrived a short time later but there was no sign of the intruder.
Eliza is one lucky woman, because all signs point to an intruder who was up to no good.
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Kim Zolciak Daughter Denied Drinking During DUI Bust... Admitted to Smoking THC
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Kim Zolciak's daughter, Ariana, denied drinking and driving after crashing into another vehicle ... but cops say she did admit to vaping the night before.
According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, the 20-year-old reality star denied drinking any alcohol during her DUI bust over the weekend. Officers informed Zolciak they could smell alcohol on her breath and she allegedly stated the smell could be coming from her clothing.
Cops say Ariana admitted she "smoked a THC vape pen the night before but did not drink." During the back and forth, she maintained she had not been drinking -- but cops say she had a "noticeable sway" during field sobriety tests.
Kim Zolciak's 20-Year-Old Daughter Ariana Arrested for DUI in Georgia
TMZ broke the story -- Ariana was arrested in Forsyth County, GA, Saturday, and booked on 3 charges ... misdemeanor DUI, misdemeanor improper/erratic lane change, and misdemeanor underage alcohol possession/purchase of alcohol.
The whole thing happened after she allegedly hit another vehicle.
Ariana's attorney, Justin Spizman tells us, "Despite Ariana’s constant invocation that she was upset and anxious from the minor accident, the officer incorrectly concluded she was impaired by alcohol. That was not the case. She wholly denies these allegations and intends to fight these charges because she is not guilty of them.”
She was released on bond shortly after the incident.
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Michelle Branch Files for Divorce On Heels of Cheating Allegations, Arrest
Michelle Branch has filed for divorce from Patrick Carney, a move that comes just days after cheating allegations and the singer's domestic assault arrest.
Branch filed divorce docs in Tennessee Friday, obtained by TMZ, she states irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
Michelle and Carney, who is the drummer of The Black Keys, have two young kids together. She's asking for child support and for custody ... but to allow for Patrick to have time with the kids. Branch is also requesting Patrick pay legal fees.
The estranged couple is also required to complete a parenting court, which the judge orders in all cases out of that specific court.
TMZ broke the story, Michelle and Patrick split last week just hours after she tweeted out accusing him of cheating. At the time, Michelle told us, "To say that I am totally devastated doesn’t even come close to describing how I feel for myself and for my family. The rug has been completely pulled from underneath me and now I must figure out how to move forward. With such small children, I ask for privacy and kindness.”
However, we learned shortly after the tweet, cops were called to Patrick and Michelle's home -- where the singer admitted to striking her husband one or two times in the face -- she was arrested for domestic assault. She was released from custody shortly after the arrest because she's breastfeeding their infant daughter.
Michelle and Patrick were married for just over 3 years.
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R. Kelly Asks Judge To Ban Jurors Who've Seen 'Surviving R. Kelly' Doc From Trial
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R. Kelly wants anyone who has seen the 'Surviving R. Kelly' docuseries to be banned as a potential juror in his trial ... saying there's no way they can give him a fair shot.
R. Kelly and his team filed a motion Monday to disqualify jurors who have seen any portion of the docuseries, as his 2nd federal trial begins in Chicago.
According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... "any potential juror who has watched any portion of this docuseries must be disqualified for cause on whether they can be fair, too great a risk exists that such a juror would base their verdict on matters not introduced into evidence in the courtroom".
Kelly's facing charges of child porn and obstruction of justice ... and his alleged victim from his infamous 2008 case is expected to testify.
R. Kelly's Alleged Victim from 2008 Set to Testify in New Trial
The docs state, "Any potential juror who has seen any portion of Surviving R. Kelly is prejudiced where there's no scenario which an individual exposed to the contents of Surviving R. Kelly can be impartial."
In other words ... his camp says there's absolutely no way anyone who has seen any parts of the doc can be fair, and they shouldn't be allowed to be jurors in the case.
His team claims there are episodes that talk specifically about his 2008 prosecution, in which he was acquitted ... and they say the docuseries also includes allegations that the government has said won’t be featured in this trial.
Jury selection is expected to begin Monday.
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Amber Heard Hires New Legal Team for Appeal ... Scraps Elaine Bredehoft
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Amber Heard is out with the old, in with the new when it comes to her legal representation -- scrapping a key attorney on her team ... and bringing in the big guns.
The actress, who is currently appealing the Johnny Depp verdict, announced Monday that she's hired the law firm Ballard Spahr as she ventures into an appellate court ... which she apparently thought warranted a fresh set of eyes to review the case as well as evidence.
The lead attorneys from the firm that are coming on ... David L. Axelrod (not the Obama/CNN guy) and Jay Ward Brown -- both of whom successfully defended the NYT against a defamation suit recently brought by Sarah Palin ... a First Amendment case, their specialty.
Amber is keeping Ben Rottenborn onboard with the addition of Axelrod and Brown -- but she is losing one lawyer ... Ms. Elaine Bredehoft, who was lead counsel in the trial. Her departure from the team isn't really explained beyond simply saying she's stepping down.
EB says it's the perfect time to "pass the baton" and that she's done her due diligence in making sure the new team is up to speed. Frankly, Elaine took a bit of a thrashing, metaphorically, during her representation -- that seems to be the consensus anyway.
As for the new boys ... DLA and JWB say, "We welcome the opportunity to represent Ms. Heard in this appeal as it is a case with important First Amendment implications for every America." They add they're confident the appellate court will interpret the law in their favor and clear AH's name.
A rep for Amber says, "When it comes to protecting the fundamental right of Freedom of Speech, we look at the jury’s decision -- to paraphrase a famous quote -- not 'as the beginning of the end, but merely the end of the beginning.' A different court warrants different representation, particularly as so much new evidence is now coming to light."
Meanwhile, Johnny's getting a move-on with life ... the dude's now directing a movie with his old pal, Al Pacino, as a partner.
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Chicago Hit & Run Car Plows Crowd of People Bodies Fly in the Air, Left for Dead
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A deeply disturbing hit-and-run was captured on dashcam in Chicago -- a crime that sent several bodies flying in the air ... and left the victims laid out helplessly on the pavement.
Check out this video that surfaced online Sunday ... depicting what appears to be a relatively small crowd of people arguing/fighting in the street in the very early morning -- when, all of a sudden, a silver sedan comes zooming through the road and literally mows them down.
WARNING: THIS VIDEO IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC, SO WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Warning: Graphic video.
— CWBChicago (@CWBChicago) August 14, 2022 @CWBChicago
3 dead, 1 injured after a driver appears to intentionally strike a group of men in the street near 71st and Jeffery in #Chicago around 5 a.m. Sunday. Offender remains at large. pic.twitter.com/wa2ZNFW1FB
When the vehicle makes contact with the group ... you can see a few of the people get flung up into the air and land on the ground. One male, wearing blue, was also struck -- but was spared the full impact of the car, and seemed to be moving on his own afterward.
Chicago PD tells TMZ ... this happened on the 7000 block of S. Jeffery Blvd near Jackson Park on the city's South Side. Four men were actually struck -- including the guy in blue -- and three of them were pronounced DOA when transported to the University of Chicago.
The other surviving member was taken to Stroger Hospital, but his condition is unknown. No one is in custody, and cops are looking for the vehicle/driver. There doesn't seem to be much of a description beyond the possible color. No further info is available at this time.
We tried zooming in to make out its plates, but it's going much too fast to decipher anything meaningful. Police are currently investigating.
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OF MODEL COURTNEY TAILOR Give Her Life Sentence For Murder!!! Slain BF's Family Says
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OnlyFans model Courtney Tailor should spend the rest of her days behind bars for killing her boyfriend Christian Obumseli ... at least that's how his family feels.
The Obumseli family attorney, Larry Handfield, tells TMZ ... Christian's family is happy Courtney was recently charged with second-degree murder, because a conviction could result in a life sentence.
We're told the Obumseli family's faith in the justice system was restored when Courtney was arrested this week and charged in Christian's death.
Remember ... Courtney told cops she fatally stabbed Christian with a knife back in April, but she insisted it was self-defense. It ended up taking about 4 months for her to be criminally charged. All along, Christian's family believed she killed him in cold blood.
OnlyFans Model Courtney Tailor Charged with Murdering Boyfriend
When the family found out Courtney was finally taken into custody, we're told they were relieved and super emotional ... dissolving into tears.
The day after her arrest, footage surfaced that appeared to show Courtney attacking Christian in an elevator just a few months before the fatal incident.
The family's attorney says he always assured the Obumselis they would get justice, and now they want it served in the form of a life sentence for Courtney.
Courtney's attorney, Frank Prieto, tells TMZ ... "Although the State Attorney, by law, must consider the wishes of the next of kin a criminal case, those wishes often have to give way to more reasonable minds."
Prieto adds ... "While we understand the family is grieving the loss of Mr. Obumseli, and they want justice, justice in this matter will be the acquittal of Courtney on all charges."
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R. Kelly Alleged Victim from '08 Set to Finally Testify in New Trial
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R. Kelly was once prosecuted for allegedly abusing a minor -- an infamous case from 2008 in which she never testified ... but that's all about to change now as he heads to trial anew.
The disgraced singer, who's already been convicted of sex crimes in New York and faces 30 years behind bars, has another day in court ahead of him. Come Monday, his federal trial in Chicago -- for which he's facing similar charges and sentencing -- is going to begin.
On top of the 4 accusers in this Chicago case -- all of whom will testify -- the woman who Kelly was accused of urinating on on tape at just age 14, among other heinous crimes, is set to take the stand as well ... to speak on the '08 case and her experience with him in general.
Per new court filings, cited by AP, prosecutors say the unidentified alleged victim from back then -- now in her 30s -- will address claims that R. Kelly rigged the 2008 case in an attempt to obstruct justice ... including allegedly paying off/threatening this woman at the time.
Many will recall ... Kelly was acquitted and went free, largely because the alleged victim refused to cooperate and testify. Now, it appears she'll explain why that happened, from her perspective, for the first time ever. Her identity has remained hidden all these years.
There's more ... these new filings say prosecutors plan to play that same VHS tape from '08 in court again as this current trial fires up. In addition to that, there are reportedly going to be at least 3 other videos presented as evidence in court. Unclear if they all pertain to 2008.
Prosecutors claim that R. Kelly had sex with/recorded the 2008 alleged victim hundreds of times between 1998 and 2000, a period when she was as young as 13 years old. They also acknowledge that some of these sex tapes had been stolen and peddled on the street.
R. Kelly has pleaded not guilty, insisting all along that his accusers are lying.
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Vanessa Bryant Trial Cops Kept 'Ghoul Books' ... Deputy Doesn't Regret Taking Photos of Kobe, Gianna
L.A. cops have a dark culture when it comes to grizzly death scenes, keeping "ghoul books" with photos of famous people who met violent deaths.
As we reported, Vanessa Bryant is suing the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. among others after learning 8 deputies took personal cellphone photos of the remains of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, and then passed them around to co-workers, family, friends and even strangers.
Deputy Doug Johnson testified he did not regret taking photos of the remains, claiming he was ordered to do so by a higher-up, even though that higher-up had said he gave no such order.
Johnson said he took 25 photos, although another officer claimed it was more like 100.
The deputy admitted he took shots of Kobe's remains, although he says he didn't know at the time it was the famed basketball star. He also took pics of a body in a ravine near the crash site ... a body of a black child with long hair ... presumably Gianna.
Johnson stuck to his story, saying he would not have done anything differently.
Vanessa, who is suing for, among other things, emotional distress, broke down at times during the testimony.
Johnson testified there was an internal affairs investigation after the crash and notes he was not disciplined.