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Nipsey Hussle's pal Cowboy is satisfied with the sentence that came down on the rapper's murderer, but still believes the wound left by Nip's death is one that will never heal.

We got Cowboy outside the DTLA courthouse where the judge gave Eric Holder 60 years to life. He told us it's a big win for those closest to the superstar rapper, but he also filled us in on why it's a bittersweet moment.

While the sentencing brings an end to the tragic saga of Nipsey's murder ... Cowboy says he'll still have Nipsey's family's back -- just as he did through the trial -- because they all made an impact on his life.

As we reported, Holder was handed his lengthy sentence Wednesday after a jury found him guilty last year of 1st-degree murder. He gunned down Nipsey back in 2019.

We also got activist Najee Ali after Holder's sentencing, and he echoes Cowboy's feelings ... saying any amount of time behind bars could never bring back Nip, but he too calls 60 years fitting for the crime.

Actor Ray Buffer is officially going up against prosecutors for his comic book theft debacle ... which includes surveillance video of him allegedly swiping merch.

A rep for the San Diego City Attorney tells TMZ ... Ray's been charged with one count of misdemeanor petty theft over the October 2022 incident. We're told the actor pled not guilty at his arraignment in January, and a further court hearing is scheduled next week.

As we reported, Southern California Comics claims Ray took $600 worth of comic books, and handed cops security cam footage of the whole caper.

Another comic shop -- this one in L.A. County -- said it had similar footage from their store of Ray attempting to swipe comics. That owner was seen on camera booting him out of the store over it.

The owner of Southern California Comics tells TMZ … he was told by the City Attorney's office that Ray's lawyer is attempting to cut a deal to handle the matter by paying restitution to the shop and entering a diversion program -- but the shop owner doesn't think such a slap on the wrist is enough.

Ray has more than 100 acting credits to his name, appearing in TV shows like "ER" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and most recently "Into the Wild Frontier".

We reached out to Ray for comment ... so far no word back.

Khloe Kardashian allegedly canned one of her former household assistants after he suffered a knee injury, and now he's suing ... but Khloe's attorney is calling BS.

Khloe just got hit with a lawsuit from her former-hired help, Matthew Manhard, who says working for her was a total nightmare.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Manhard claims he worked for Khloe from January 2019 until November 2022, when he says she fired him as he was trying to return to work from a knee injury that put him on the shelf.

Khloe's legal rep tells a different story, saying, "It’s unfortunate to learn that a former employee would choose to go this route. Matthew was properly classified and compensated for his role."

Khloe's former assistant claims she kept him so busy with tasks, he often couldn't take his legally required breaks ... and he says she also skirted paying him overtime even though he often worked 12-hour days.

What's more, Manhard claims he injured his knee in May and told Khloe he couldn't work ... but he says when he tried to come back to the job a few months later in November, he was fired.

As for Manhard's leave, Khloe's legal spokesperson tells us, "Toward the end of his employment, he was on a leave of absence for an extended period of time and the role eventually needed to be replaced. We will not tolerate false accusations and will prove that this is a frivolous lawsuit."

Someone allegedly tried to pull a Doctor Evil with the iconic Hollywood sign -- both in terms of his ridiculously wacky demands ... as well as his overall smarts. 😅

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a man called Hollywood PD Sunday threatening to blow the famous L.A. landmark to smithereens with pipe bombs -- that is, unless he was paid a WHOPPING $10,000 (insert Mike Myers pinky move here).

Big claims for big stakes, we suppose.

Here's the problem ... we're told the dude didn't even dial the right department. In attempting to reach L.A., our sources say he actually dialed cops in Hollywood, FL.

Unclear if he realized he had the wrong number, but in any case ... we're told the Florida HPD hit up their L.A. counterparts to let 'em know what was going on, nutty as the whole thing seemed.

We're told LAPD checked it out, and found no credible threat at all. Our sources tell us there've been no arrests, but the case is under investigation.

For context, the Hollywood sign is under 24/7 video surveillance, so it's always watched closely -- and there are additional safety measures in place if anyone tries to tamper with it. Of course, some have been successful getting to it in recent years ... but it's no easy target.

Just another day in the City of Angels ... not to be confused with Florida's so-called "Diamond of the Gold Coast."

Madison Beer is a hot topic with LAPD ... not because she's breaking laws, but because a caller from Germany is repeatedly -- and falsely -- informing cops Madison's contemplating suicide.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... LAPD's received more than 15 calls since the beginning of this year about Madison, with the most recent one coming this past Sunday. We're told each time it's been a male caller who claims she was going to harm or kill herself.

Sources say cops have spoken to Madison, who told them she's just fine and has no clue who's responsible for the mystery swatting calls. We're told the police will keep that in mind going forward.

We're also told cops determined the call was coming all the way from somewhere in Germany but haven't figured out much else yet. The case is still under investigation.

We've reached out to Madison for comment ... so far, no word back.

Swatting's been a growing problem for police around the country. For those unware, it's a form of prank call -- often done to live streamers online -- with the goal being to get a big police response to raid the victim's home.

The Santa Fe County D.A. has gotta be a little embarrassed today ... dropping a key charge against Alec Baldwin that now means even if convicted he might not spend any time behind bars.

The D.A. dropped the gun enhancement charge in the case ... this after Baldwin's lawyer filed a motion excoriating prosecutors for going after the actor using a law that didn't apply.

As we reported, Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Halyna Hutchins. The D.A. initially tacked on the gun enhancement charge -- i.e., using a gun to commit the crime. Problem is, at the time of the shooting, New Mexico law provided a gun enhancement charge could only apply if the gun was "brandished" -- meaning the gun was displayed with intent to intimidate or injure a person. That's clearly not the case with Baldwin.

For some reason, the D.A. felt Baldwin could be charged with a recent amendment to the gun enhancement law, that doesn't require brandishing. Thing is ... that law was not enacted until 7 months after the shooting.

The D.A. belatedly saw it Baldwin's way and dropped the gun enhancement.

Here's why it matters ... if the gun enhancement charge stuck and Baldwin was convicted, he'd face a minimum of 5 years in prison. Now that it's been 86'd, if Baldwin is convicted of involuntary manslaughter, he'd face up to 18 months behind bars, but the judge could give him less ... or even probation.

Kim Kardashian's latest alleged stalker just can't seem to stay away from her -- and because of that ... it landed him in handcuffs.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Jomoine Zigler was arrested Friday after allegedly making his way into Kim's gated community and getting pretty close to her actual house. We're told he didn't end up making it onto the property itself, but was right outside of it.

That was enough for Kim's camp to call in the cavalry ... the L.A. Sheriff's Dept. showed up and took him to jail -- where he was booked for misdemeanor violation of a protective order.

You'll recall ... Kim got a temporary restraining order against this guy in late January -- this after claiming he'd visited her home multiple times in person ... while also allegedly sending her gifts and other bizarre items. She also said he'd referred to her as his wife online.

The judge signed off on the TRO, and a hearing was scheduled for this month to discuss the possibility of a permanent one being granted. Sounds like the weirdo just couldn't wait.

"The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah is getting processed for intake at the federal prison where she just arrived to serve her sentence for a telemarketing scandal.

Jen surrendered to begin her 6.5 years behind bars ... arriving at FPC Bryan in Bryan, Texas. Her lawyers had previously requested that she report to FPC Bryan, so it all worked out.

As we reported, the reality star pled guilty in July to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. Prosecutors said she was targeting and scamming people out of cash with the scheme.

Feds wanted her locked up for 10 years, listing off numerous reasons why she's the "most culpable person charged in this case."

She was sentenced in January -- along with 6.5 years in the pen, Jen will also do 5 years of supervised release once she gets out.

She got emotional in court, apologizing for what she did, adding ... "With the proper medication I can now see what happened."

Her sentence came with some special conditions post-lockup ... most notably she'll have to participate in a mental health treatment program.

Jen did an interview with White Collar Advice shortly before reporting to FPC Bryan. She talked about why it took her a year to admit she was guilty, what she's going to bring to prison with her and her plans to document everything she experiences.

BTW, Jen got tatted up Wednesday before surrendering ... inking the names of her husband and sons on her arm. Her son Omar also got one -- the Hawaiian word for "child."

Bam Margera's wife says a specific incident triggered her to file for separation ... and we're told it was Bam spending time with their son while, she believes, he was under the influence.

Nikki Margera's attorney David Glass tells TMZ ... her recent filing came after the 'Jackass' star visited their 5-year-old, Phoenix, while Nikki was present.

We're told she thinks Bam wasn't sober -- despite him claiming he was -- and she says he was acting inappropriately.

David says after the visit she made the hard choice, after years of trying to help Bam, that she needed to protect herself and their son.

TMZ broke the story ... Nicole filed Wednesday, citing irreconcilable differences. She's asking for legal and physical custody over Phoenix, as well as spousal support.

As you know, Bam's been publicly battling substance abuse ... with Steve-O, his friend and 'Jackass' castmate, bracing for his death.

Bam also caused some controversy after claiming Priscilla Presley gifted him items from Elvis' wardrobe -- something Priscilla's denying.

Kanye West is choosing a different, and more peaceful, way to deal with photographers ... instead of grabbing and throwing their cameras, he's taking his beef straight to law enforcement.

TMZ obtained these photos of Ye strolling into the L.A. County Sheriff's West Hollywood Station Tuesday afternoon ... and our law enforcement sources tell us he was there informing deputies he'd gotten into an argument with paparazzi.

We're told his story is ... he'd asked paps to stop recording him and his family at some point on Tuesday ... and the interaction almost turned physical, but he says it did not escalate to violence.

Ye left the station after filing the report, and we're told the Sheriff's Dept. is now looking into the matter to see if there's anything more to the alleged argument.

Meghan Markle's legal team went to court Wednesday, gunning to convince a judge to toss a defamation lawsuit filed by her sister Samantha, and the arguments left the judge scratching her head but leaning in Meghan's favor.

Samantha Markle claimed Meghan was peddling lies about her in both the Oprah interview and a 2020 bio, "Finding Freedom." Specifically, Samantha claims her half-sis lied when she allegedly said she was an only child, causing her humiliation and shame. Meghan's lawyers fired back ... their client never said she was an only child. She told Oprah she grew up as an only child.

Samantha claimed Meghan lied about her upbringing, and when she got caught in lies, she turned Samantha into a sacrificial lamb and attacked her to cover up her own alleged misdeeds.

As for the alleged lies ... Samantha points to what she says is Meghan's rags-to-riches narrative, growing up in poverty when she had a middle-class background. She says their dad, Thomas, paid for all sorts of things for Meghan, including elite private schools, tuition at Northwestern as well as dance and acting classes.

MM's lawyers asked the judge to boot the case, calling the claims "offensive" and "inappropriate." Her lawyers say Meghan merely stated her impressions about her life growing up.

Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell said she was "struggling" to see how Meghan's statements were defamatory. The judge took the case under advisement.

Bam Margera's wife has tried for years to make things work with her estranged husband, but has apparently decided there's nothing more she can do ... filing for legal separation.

Nicole Boyd filed separation papers Wednesday in L.A. citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the breakdown in her marriage with Bam.

The two have a 5-year-old son, Phoenix, together -- Nicole's asking for both legal and physical custody -- but will allow for Bam to get supervised visitation as long as he foots the bill and it happens in L.A. County.

Nicole is also asking the court to award her spousal support.

Bam and Nicole got hitched in October 2013, and she lists the date of their separation as September 2021.

TMZ broke the story, Nicole filed legal docs back in September 2021 asking the court to award her custody of Phoenix, however, at the time, she didn't file divorce documents.

An already emotional scene was ramped up after a man inside the courtroom lunged at Buffalo mass shooter Payton Gendron during the monster's sentencing hearing.

Barbara Massey, who lost her sister, Katherine, during the attack in May 2022 which left 10 dead, addressed the shooter directly Wednesday inside an Erie County Courthouse. Massey exclaimed, "My sister Katherine Massey was a great person, Kat didn't hurt anybody ... You don't know a damn thing about Black people, we're human, we like our kids to go to good schools, we love our kids. We never go in neighborhoods and take people out."

At that point, a man dressed in grey who was standing next to Barbara pushed her aside and lunged at Gendron, only to be restrained by several officers protecting the murderer.

As the incident happened, you can hear several people in the crowd become emotional ... and both Gendron and the man who lunged at him were escorted out.

Gendron, who is white, killed 10 Black people and wounded several others during a mass shooting at a Buffalo-area grocery store.

Gendron live streamed his brutal attack, carrying out the killings with an automatic weapon inscribed with racist words and phrases -- including the N-word and "Here's your reparations."

He's expected to be sentenced to life in prison -- pleading guilty to charges including domestic terrorism motivated by hate and murder.

The hearing resumed after a brief pause to settle the courtroom.

Connor Smith -- a former MTV star from "Are You the One?" -- is again being accused of trying to engage in sex acts with a minor ... and now, cops are looking for him.

The ex-reality show contestant -- who was prominently featured on 'AYTO' way back in 2015 -- is wanted in the state of Illinois ... where the Lake County Sheriff's Office says they've issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of trying to meet a child for a sexual encounter.

According to LCSO, Smith interacted with an undercover detective online for the past several weeks ... thinking the cop was a girl under the age of 15, and allegedly sending explicit material of himself -- and then planning to meet up with the fake kid to engage in sex acts.

Smith is accused of driving to a rendezvous point on Feb. 9 -- where he allegedly scheduled to pick up the would-be teen -- and at this point ... the Sheriff's Office says their officers moved in to apprehend him. However, they say Smith successfully fled in his pickup truck.

The following day, Lake County obtained a warrant for his arrest -- on felony charges of traveling to meet a minor, grooming and disseminating harmful material -- with a judge signing off on a million-dollar bond if he were to be captured and arrested.

LCSO says Smith indicated to them that he'd actually surrender, but note ... he hasn't done so yet. Now, they're warning the public about him -- and asking for tips on his whereabouts.

A woman accused of murdering her lover and dismembering his corpse attacked her attorney in a Wisconsin courtroom ... and it was all caught on video.

Taylor Schabusiness was calmly sitting in shackles alongside her attorney Quinn Jolly during a competency hearing in Green Bay on Tuesday when things quickly took a turn for the worse.

It started with Jolly asking the court for an extension to give an expert witness time to assess Schabusiness' competency to stand trial. The judge agreed, and then pushed her trial back to May 15 from its original date of March 6.

Schabusiness clearly wasn't feeling the decision and took all of her rage out on Jolly.

Check out this wild footage showing Schabusiness lunging at Jolly and elbowing him in the head as he tried to fend her off. A sheriff deputy sprang into action, tackling Schabusiness and wrestling with her on the ground.

The deputy, along with two other cops, finally restrained Schabusiness and propped her up against a door. After making sure Schabusiness wasn't injured, the deputies led her out of the courtroom.

Schabusiness was charged with murdering Shad Thyrion during sex while she was high on meth in 2022. She allegedly strangled Thyrion with a chain and sliced off his head and penis with a serrated knife. She also reportedly told cops that she had fun looking for his organs scattered about the crime scene.

According to her lawyer, Schabusiness has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and treated for mental health issues since the 7th grade.

Drake's wish is officially granted -- he will not be grilled by a defense attorney about XXXTentacion's murder ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

Judge Michael A. Usan signed off on Drake's motion to avoid the deposition ... tossing the court's previous order calling for him to sit down later this month and answer questions.

Defense attorney Mauricio Padilla, who reps suspect Dedrick Williams, previously argued Drake needed to be present for questioning due to an old beef between XXX and him.

Drake's attorney, Bradford Cohen, though, told the court Drizzy has no relevant information to add to the case -- and the judge agreed.

It is possible Padilla could convince the judge there's some other cause for Drake to be deposed, and get a new subpoena -- but with the trial already underway, the clock's ticking.