'Welcome to Sweetie Pie's' Owner Arrested in Murder-for-Hire Plot ... In Nephew's 2016 Killing

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"Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" star Miss Robbie is dealing with a new family shocker tied to the murder of her grandson -- cops have arrested her own son for an alleged murder-for-hire plot straight outta "Dateline."

Miss Robbie's son, and costar on the OWN show, James Timothy Norman was busted by feds for his alleged role in the 2016 shooting death of Andre Montgomery ... his nephew and Miss Robbie's grandchild.

According to docs, prosecutors say Norman -- who owns Sweetie Pie's restaurant -- took out a $450k life insurance policy on his nephew back in 2014 ... and then worked with a woman named Terica Ellis to allegedly pull off the murder. The feds claim they communicated on burner phones in the days leading up to the killing in St. Louis.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors claim Ellis got Andre's location the day of the murder ... then placed a call to Norman. Shortly after that, on March 14, 2016 ... Montgomery was shot at killed, and the feds claim they ping'd Ellis' phone near the scene of the crime.

Immediately after Montgomery's murder ... Ellis allegedly called Norman, left town and deposited $9k in cash into various bank accounts. Prosecutors say Norman then contacted the life insurance company in an attempt to collect on the policy.

Ellis is facing the same murder-for-hire conspiracy charge as Norman.

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ANDRE ON 'WELCOME TO SWEETIE PIE'S'

As we reported ... the OWN series' star, Miss Robbie, always believed her grandson's murder was a setup, but you have to imagine this is still quite shocking to her.

LeBron James, Lakers Wear Fake MAGA Hats Before Playoff Game 'Make America Arrest Cops Who Killed Breonna'

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UPDATE

4:46 PM PT -- The entire Lakers roster is joining James in calling for justice for Taylor -- with stars from Dwight Howard to Anthony Davis to Alex Caruso wearing the hats prior to Tuesday night's game.

UPDATE

All eyes are on LeBron James before he takes the court for his first playoff game of the season ... and the Lakers superstar is sending a powerful message with his wardrobe:

"Make America Arrest The Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor"

The demand comes in the form of a modified Donald Trump "MAGA" hat ... which POTUS made famous during his first campaign for presidency.

Of course, the Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers are set to tip-off for their first-round match-up in the NBA Playoffs from the Disney World bubble ... and LeBron has vowed to use his platform to raise social justice awareness throughout the season.

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As we previously reported, a number of NBA superstars spoke with Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, last month ... and many have used their platform to demand justice.

The hat is also clearly another jab from James at POTUS -- and it's not the first time. LeBron has not his disdain for the President ... he's previously referred to him as a "bum" and a "clown."

LBJ also chose to wear a shirt with the phrase "by any means" ... as well as a pair of Nike Air Force 1s designed by African artist Karabo Poppy.

Talk about making a statement.

Originally published -- 4:16 PM PT

Coronavirus Anti-Masker's Homophobic Rant ... Ya Can't Kick Me Out!!!

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Maskless in Marshalls
INDECENT EXPOSURE
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4:39 PM PT -- Campbell Police Department Captain Ian White tells TMZ ... police responded to a call Tuesday, but when they got to Marshalls, the guy was gone. We're told a complaint was filed and the investigation is ongoing.

This anti-masker has found his hill to die on ... and it's inside a Marshalls.

Check out this video from the discount department store in Campbell, CA ... the guy is shopping without a face covering, and he throws a fit when employees ask him to leave and launches into a homophobic rant.

The man in the video, who some are calling a male "Karen," or "Kevin," thinks he's smarter than everyone else, but he's not ... you'll hear him claiming it's a $75,000 fine to deny service to people with disabilities. Seems he got his info from the alleged "Freedom to Breathe Agency." Yeah, that's been debunked ... it's not a real thing.

Guess this genius missed the report from the U.S. Department of Justice saying the 'FTBA' cards folks claim allows them to get away with not covering their faces are fraudulent.

Of course, the anti-masker felt he couldn't possibly be in the wrong, and he dropped homophobic slurs at store employees -- calling them "dumb f*****g f*****s" for not knowing the law.

It gets even worse ... the man starts to expose himself while employees ask his name. What would the 'FTBA' say about that?!?

Too bad he couldn't just wear the damn mask on this failed shopping trip ... he really needs a new tie.

Originally published -- 2:17 PM PT

Author Eddie S. Glaude U.S. Can't Have Racial Equality ... Until It's Honest About History

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Scholar Eddie S. Glaude Jr. says starry-eyed Americans who now say they want equality will NEVER achieve it ... without accepting the truth about the country's roots in racism.

Glaude -- an author and Professor of African-American Studies at Princeton -- joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to address the major problem with our nation's history ... essentially, that it's not told honestly.

The professor cites several examples of systemic racism and injustices that are far more recent than slavery, yet are sugar-coated or downright omitted when teaching Americans about their past.

Glaude says it all manifests itself even today in something he calls the "value gap" ... which is the belief that white people are more important than others.

Again, he points to specific things happening right now that make him feel that "value gap" still isn't being addressed -- and believes that will crush any progress toward racial equality.

The good news ... Glaude believes there's positive momentum along with the Black Lives Matter movement, and offers a James Baldwin quote about hope that sums it up perfectly.

Speaking of Baldwin, Glaude's new book about the author and activist's struggle and how it relates to modern-day America, "Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own," is available now.

Britney Spears I Want My Dad Off Conservatorship ... At Least as a Solo Act

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Britney Spears is looking to make some big changes to her conservatorship -- and she's firmly against her father, Jamie, continuing to run the whole show.

Britney's court-appointed attorney just filed new court docs spelling out Britney's wishes -- she wants Jamie Spears out as sole conservator over her estate and appears to want the woman who since last Fall has been calling the shots to be the permanent conservator over her regular person.

In the docs, the lawyer says Britney "strongly prefers" keeping Jodi Montgomery in the position -- who has been assigned as the temporary conservator over Britney's person for nearly a year now. At this point, she says she wants to put her in that role permanently.

As for her business affairs, Britney's attorney says she doesn't want Jamie to be the only one handling her estate anymore -- which he's been managing exclusively since 2019 when his co-conservator resigned.

Instead, he says Britney prefers a "qualified corporate fiduciary" to manage the business affairs of her estate. But, what's unclear in the docs is if she's okay with keeping Jamie on as a co-conservator at all.

Sources with knowledge of the situation tell us conversations have been had about adding a corporate fiduciary -- which we're told would likely be a bank -- but that the talks have included Jamie staying on as co-conservator of the estate. The wording from Britney's side in the docs isn't clear if she's still open to that arrangement or not.

The docs also say what we told you last year ... Britney no longer wants to perform at this time -- as in, no more Vegas residency. The attorney says a major overhaul in how her conservatorship is run is needed to reflect her current lifestyle and her wishes.

Britney's attorney is seeking input on these matters from all others involved in her conservatorship. There's a hearing on the matter on Wednesday.

L.A. Lakers To Wear Kobe Tribute Jerseys In NBA Playoffs ... With Gigi Patch

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The L.A. Lakers will rock special Kobe Bryant tribute jerseys during their playoff run -- which include a patch to honor Gigi Bryant ... and Vanessa is a huge fan of it all.

Check out the "Black Mamba" look -- uniforms that were actually inspired by and co-designed by Kobe a few years before he passed.

The design is sweet -- black uniforms with a snakeskin print ... featuring 16 stars on the side to represent the 16 Lakers championships.

The team is set to debut the new threads on Kobe Bryant Day -- 8/24 -- against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4 of their playoff series, according to the NBA's "Lockervision" website.

The jerseys will also include a special patch on the right shoulder to honor Gigi -- featuring her #2 in a white heart.

Vanessa gave a sneak peek at the threads on her Instagram stories Monday and they're awesome.

We're guessing the Lakers players are stoked about the look -- especially since LeBron James and Anthony Davis previously got Kobe Bryant tattoos to pay tribute to the NBA legend.

As for the date, 8/24 has already been declared Kobe Bryant Day in Orange County, where Kobe and Gigi lived.

The date represents the two jersey numbers Kobe wore during his 20-year run with the Lakers ... 8 and 24.

Nike, meanwhile, is giving Kobe his own memorial week starting on 8/23 (Bryant's birthday) ... with reps from the Swoosh saying they'll honor the Lakers legend all week with special programming and merch.

Kobe and Gianna -- along with 7 others -- died in a helicopter crash back in January.

Gianna was only 13-years-old. Kobe would have turned 42 this coming Sunday.

RIP

U.S. Postmaster General Halts Kneecapping Post Office ... Until After the Election

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President Trump's new Postmaster General is doing a major about-face ... suspending all major changes to the USPS until after the November election.

Louis DeJoy announced Tuesday that in order to avoid even the appearance of voter suppression, he's immediately suspending the curtailing of retail hours at the post office, vowing to keep mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes in place ... and overtime for postal workers will continue to be approved as needed.

He also says no mail processing facilities will be closed.

Good for the country ... but there's a caveat. DeJoy said these measures will go into effect after the election, so ultimately it sounds like it'll be bad news for USPS employees ... it's just been delayed.

No word on whether the Post Office will bring back the blue collection boxes it has already removed across the country. Some blue collection boxes have also reportedly been locked in some cities, including Los Angeles.

DeJoy -- a longtime Trump ally with zero experience in the Post Office -- made the move just days before he's set to testify in front of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. That hearing, and a Congressional hearing next week, are being held following accusations DeJoy's intentionally hindering the USPS's ability to handle the expected mass volume of mail-in voting this year.

As we reported, some people are already rallying behind USPS workers ... from protesting outside DeJoy's home in D.C. to celebs doing their part on Cameo.

Michael Jordan Convicted Murderer of Dad Granted Parole, To Be Released In 2023

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One of the men convicted in the murder of Michael Jordan's father, James Sr., in 1993 will walk free in 2023 ... after he was granted parole on Tuesday.

MJ's dad was shot to death in July 1993 while sleeping in his car at a rest stop in North Carolina. His body was dumped off a bridge in South Carolina and recovered 11 days later.

One of the men -- 45-year-old Larry Demery -- pled guilty to first-degree murder, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery in 1996.

On Tuesday, the North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission announced that it has granted Demery parole as part of the Mutual Agreement Parole Program.

Demery is set to be released on August 6, 2023.

In a letter explaining Demery's release, the MAPP is described as a scholastic and vocational program that is a three-way agreement between the Commission, the Division of Prisons and the offender.

The letter also explains the state's Structured Sentencing law eliminates parole for certain crimes committed on or before October 1, 1994 ... however, Demery was sentenced under previous guidelines, which made him eligible for parole.

Gene Simmons Kissing My Home In the Hills Goodbye ... Yours for $2.2 Million!!!

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Gene Simmons is done with his life in the Hills of Hollywood, so he's unloading some real estate at a price that might be perfect for a KISS memorabilia collector ... who's also rich.

The iconic rocker just listed his 3-story pad in picturesque Laurel Canyon for a cool $2.2 million ... which gets ya 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and rock star-worthy views.

Gene's crib is on a gated private road, perched at the top of Laurel Canyon ... so you get offers 360-degree views of the downtown skyline, Hollywood sign, Bev Hills, Santa Monica Mountains, Griffith Park Observatory and the Pacific Ocean. Basically all of L.A.

You can take in the sights from spacious outdoor decks on all 3 levels of the 2,345-square-feet home, which Lisa Young and Kennon Earl of Compass are listing.

The master suite -- or primary suite, your choice -- has a reading alcove full of shelves and the room opens up to one of the decks ... and the kitchen and bathrooms are recently updated with modern touches.

By the way, Gene's not packing up his family jewels and leaving Hollywood altogether. He and Shannon still have their massive mansion in those other Hills. Beverly, that is.

Cuba Gooding Jr. Sued for Rape ... Alleged 2013 Hotel Incident

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Cuba Gooding Jr. allegedly coerced a woman to his hotel room and raped her before falling asleep and allowing her to escape ... this according to an explosive new lawsuit.

The suit's been filed by a Jane Doe ... who claims Gooding raped her in 2013 at The Mercer hotel in NYC. According to the legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the woman and her friend met Gooding at a restaurant's VIP lounge on the evening of August 24, and he invited them for drinks back at the hotel.

The woman claims Gooding arranged for a cab to take him and her to the hotel -- and says she planned to meet her friend at the hotel bar -- but once they got to The Mercer ... he asked her to go to his room so he could change.

According to the suit ... the woman was hesitant but Gooding said it would be quick, but once inside the room, she claims he turned on music, blocked the door and began to undress.

Jane Doe says she tried to leave, but Gooding stopped her and forcibly began to sexually assault her with his hands. She alleges she resisted and said "no" several times, but Gooding became physically aggressive and threw her on the bed.

Then, according to the docs, Gooding "aggressively removed Plaintiff’s underwear" and vaginally raped her. She alleges he did not wear a condom and raped her until he ejaculated.

In the suit, she says Gooding went to the bathroom afterward, but as she was attempting to get out of the bed, he returned and raped her again ... this time anally.

She says they both laid in the bed after this as she feared he would rape her a third time, but he fell asleep ... allowing her to leave his hotel room.

Jane Doe is suing Gooding for a "crime of violence" based on gender and seeking damages.

Cuba's attorney, Mark Heller, tells TMZ ..."Clearly, this is a fabricated accusation that was never reported to the police -- and forms no basis for any claim at this point with 7 years having passed."

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THE ALLEGED GROPING AT MAGIC HOUR

As we've reported ... Gooding Jr. is in the midst of a sexual assault case, and there are at least 22 women who have accused the actor of sexual misconduct. Back in October, Cuba pled not guilty to 6 sexual abuse charges.

Cardi B Rips Trump Supporters ... No 'WAP' for You!!!

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Cardi B ain't down to share wet-a** p****y with a group of Trump supporters who were dancing to her hit ... and she's calling them out for what she sees as a reckless boat party.

The rapper just threw a ton of shade at this young group of MAGA bros and gals for posting a video of themselves dancing to "WAP" on boats decked out with Trump 2020 flags and hats.

Cardi's also taking thinly-veiled shots at conservative talk show host Ben Shapiro ... wondering why some Trumpers are jamming to her super sexual song when Shapiro took issue with her suggestive lyrics -- as only he could.

CB says the Trump boater video "makes my ass itchy" ... and says she's calling the feds, because the folks in the video are ignoring coronavirus safety precautions. You'll notice a lack of masks and disregard for social distancing, and Cardi says they should be quarantining. We're pretty sure she's joking about the feds, but you get her point.

Guess Cardi B does not subscribe to Michael Jordan's famous argument for staying out of politics -- Republicans listen to music too.

Will Smith Ya Gotta Stay Safe in Theaters, China ... No Translator Needed!!!

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LAYIN' DOWN THE LAW

Will Smith's been brushing up on his Chinese during the pandemic ... welcoming folks back to movie theaters in China with a safety PSA in their language!!!

Here's the deal ... theaters are beginning to reopen over in China -- yes, other countries are way ahead of the curve -- and Will's sharing coronavirus safety tips so the Chinese can finally get a look at him and Martin Lawrence on the big screen in "Bad Boys For Life."

Will checks all the usual boxes for theater etiquette in the age of COVID-19 ... face coverings, social distancing, assigned seating, temperature checks, no eating, drinking or talking ... but he does it in a super fun way, and ya gotta watch him speak Chinese!!!

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The final product PSA is great, just like Will dropping knowledge in a foreign language ... but the outtakes might be the best part!

'Cheers' Star John Ratzenberger Save the U.S. Post Office ... Cliff Clavin's Got a Plan!!!

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John Ratzenberger is throwing his fictional mailman hat in the ring to save the U.S. Post Office, and maybe you didn't know this, but ... Cliff's got a plan to do it!!!

Ratzenberger, who famously played know-it-all mailman Cliff Calvin on "Cheers," made his appeal on Cameo after someone reached out to him to make a plea for the embattled USPS.

Check it out ... Ratzenberger's obviously referencing the current battle between President Trump and the Post Office over funding. Not only is Ratzenberger aware of all this ... he's also got a plan on how the USPS can get a great boost right now.

Hint: Think Christmas in August!

As we reported ... not only has the USPS mysteriously been removing mailboxes across the country, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy -- a longtime Trump ally -- has also bizarrely ordered the removal of mail-sorting machines and eliminated overtime for postal workers.

The immediate fear is postal workers won't be able to meet the demand of mail-in ballots come Election Day. Not if Cliffie's got anything to say about it.

Ashton Kutcher Sets His Art on Fire ... But It's All Good!!!

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Ashton Kutcher torched one of his doodles, but not because he's a frustrated artist going back to the drawing board ... quite the opposite, and it's all for charity.

Of course, "The Ranch" and "That '70s Show" star is known for being a techie, and he's now involved in a new crypto-technology that creates digital collectibles that can't be forged or destroyed ... a platform called Cryptograph.

Ashton demonstrates the concept by setting his original hand-drawn work of art ablaze, but noting he took the only digital photo of it and added it to the Cryptograph ... thus immortalizing his doodle forever.

So now, much like an original Picasso or Van Gogh on display at a fancy art museum, an original Kutcher's up for grabs on the blockchain platform ... and the proceeds are going to a good cause.

The money for Ashton's doodle will benefit Global Wildlife Conservation and Oxygen Seven, which aims to reforest the planet.

The actor's doodle auction begins Tuesday morning at 10 AM PT and lasts for 3 days ... so get it while it's hot.

Tracy Morgan Files for Divorce, Prenup in Place ... He Wants Her to Drop His Name

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Tracy Morgan and his estranged wife are filing divorce docs almost in lockstep, and agree they have a prenup ... but there are signs the split could get nasty.

Megan was first to file, on July 28, and Tracy filed the next day. He wants joint legal custody and shared time with their 7-year-old daughter -- but Megan wants sole legal and physical custody ... so, there's a potential battle brewing.

And, get this ... Tracy also wants Megan to be required to change her last name back to her maiden name. We've also learned the couple does have a prenup, as both parties acknowledge in their divorce docs.

As we reported ... they announced last month they would file for divorce after almost 5 years of marriage. In a statement, Tracy told TMZ ... "Sadly, after nearly five years of marriage, Megan and I are filing for divorce. This is a challenging time for all involved."

Tracy and Megan met in 2011 after meeting on a blind date. They announced their engagement later that year at the Emmy Awards, and had their first child, daughter Maven, in July 2013. Tracy and Megan finally tied the knot on Aug. 23, 2015.

President Trump I'm Pardoning Susan B. Anthony ... For Voting in 1872

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President Trump has revealed whom he's going to pardon this week -- and no, it's not Joe Exotic ... strangely, it's Susan B. Anthony.

DT made the announcement Tuesday after hyping up the fact the day prior he was going to pardon someone major, saying Anthony shouldn't have been found guilty for casting a vote in the presidential election of 1872 ... which was illegal for women to do back then.

It's a bizarre choice and comes off as a desperate appeal to women before the November election -- especially on the 100-year anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. We get it ... but fact is, there's plenty of still-living people that could've used the pardon now.

Still, since we're talking SBA -- here's the story on her conviction ... which was issued under sketchy circumstances and probably didn't need official rectifying all these years later.

Susan broke the voting law in protest that year when Ulysses S. Grant was facing off against Horace Greeley. Like we said, only men were allowed to cast ballots in those times -- but the women's suffrage movement was in full swing ... and Susan was leading the charge. She and about a dozen other women were given access to the booths.

She was one of many arrested and tried for voting -- but the judge presiding over her case actually directed the jury to hand down a guilty verdict, which they did. All she had to do was pay a $100 fine, but she resisted ... standing on principle she'd done nothing wrong.

Funny enough, the Supreme Court later ruled that it was wrong for a federal judge to direct a verdict out of a jury -- but Anthony's conviction still stood in the books ... until now, that is.