TMZ.com Home

Eastern Michigan basketball star Emoni Bates was deeply emotional as he sat handcuffed in the back seat of a cop car ... breaking down in tears and talking to his mom on the phone right after his gun arrest, footage obtained by TMZ Sports shows.

18-year-old Bates -- one of the top prospects in the class of 2021 -- was pulled over in Superior Township, Michigan after allegedly running through a stop sign around 10:45 PM on September 18.

During the traffic stop, Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies -- who immediately recognized Bates -- told him there was a strong scent of weed coming from his vehicle and asked if there were guns or drugs in the Mitsubishi Outlander.

Bates -- who was driving without a license -- initially claimed he didn't, but eventually came clean ... admitting he had marijuana and a gun, putting his hands up and complying with the officers.

The 6'9", 190-pounder was then placed under arrest and put into the back seat of the cop car. While his vehicle was being searched, cops allowed him to use his phone ... and he called his mother to apologize for the arrest -- breaking down in tears in the process.

During the search, cops found what appeared to be a bag of marijuana ... as well as the gun.

Emoni's mom, Edith, calmed him down during the phone convo ... and then handed the phone over to a man, who seemingly said he is the owner of the gun.

The man appears to ask if cops found "my stick in your car?" ... to which Bates replied, "Yeah."

Bates was hit with two felonies -- carrying a concealed weapon and altering ID marks on a firearm -- but on Thursday, Bates' attorney, Steve Haney, told ESPN he expects the charges to be dismissed after agreeing to a plea deal.

Haney says he will plead to a misdemeanor count of attempted illegal transportation of a weapon ... which will be dismissed off his record if he completes a diversion program.

The school confirmed the news to TMZ Sports ... saying, "The Eastern Michigan University department of athletics has received notification that there is an agreement between the Washtenaw County prosecutor's office and Emoni Bates' defense team that would result in the felony charges being dismissed."

While many people assumed JPMorgan Chase Bank cut ties with Kanye West after his recent antisemitic attacks, the decision was actually made weeks ago after Ye voiced his displeasure with the bank.

In a letter circulated by Candace Owens Wednesday night -- which had the date cropped out -- Chase announced it was ending the relationship with Yeezy Inc. A source familiar with the correspondence tells us the letter was actually sent back on September 20 ... well before Kanye wore his 'White Lives Matter' shirt or before he made the antisemitic remarks.

It was early September when Kanye aired out his grievances with Chase, writing, "I went to JP Morgan but of course they won't give me no deal flow cause Jin Ulrich is on the board of both adidas and JP Morgan."

Obviously, it was clear -- Ye had beef with his bank -- and the fact the letter was dated shortly after that rant seemingly indicates his beef led to the end of the working relationship.

The Jan. 6 Committee is releasing new video showing Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi dealing with a real sh**ty situation -- as she tried to get troops and Congress back to certify the 2020 election results.

The video, more than 7 minutes long, shows the Congresswoman and Sen. Chuck Schumer in several different rooms in the Capitol -- they were being moved around for their safety, but were fully aware of how intense and dangerous the insurrection had become.

While on the phone with VP Mike Pence, Rep. Pelosi told him they had reports there was "defecation and all that kind of thing" on the floor of the House.

She and Schumer also spoke to various governors, the acting Attorney General, and the Mayor of Washington, D.C. requesting they send National Guard troops immediately.

The legislators determination to complete the vote was evident, even though ... as the Speaker put it, "It could take time to clean up the poo poo that they're making all over" the House chamber.

PnB Rock's girlfriend's world was turned upside down the day he was murdered ... but she says his actions saved her life, putting her under a table and out of harm's way.

Stephanie Sibounheuang posted a lengthy caption on Instagram Thursday, her first time speaking since PnB was gunned down inside a Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles restaurant a month ago.

Steph says, "I am 100% not ok. If I wasn’t spiritual I could kill my self (but then I’ll go to hell and my man not there)." She then reveals PnB pushed her under a table while shots rang out, "I'm not supposed to be here but bc of him. I am."

In her post, Steph also reveals a heartbreaking detail from the tragic day, saying, "My last day with u. I told you "I know you my husband. I know you my soulmate" Even it was for a little bit. At least we got to experience what having a soul mate is… and for that…I am grateful."

As we reported, 3 people have been arrested and charged in connection to PnB's murder.

Cops say Freddie Lee Trone and his 17-year-old son spotted PnB enter the restaurant before the son followed him inside, shooting Pnb during a robbery to get the rapper's jewelry.

Shauntel Trone, the 17-year-old's stepmother was arrested for accessory to murder for the crime.

The parents of a 14-year-old boy who died over 2 years ago after taking a fentanyl-laced pill they say he got from a dealer he found on Snapchat are now taking the social media company to court over his death.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, Amy and Aaron Neville, plus a handful of other parents who lost their children to a similar fate, are suing Snapchat -- saying it "facilitates the overwhelming majority of lethal fentanyl sales."

The docs say Snap's process for disabling known dangerous accounts on the platform is broken ... saying "Snap provides no reporting mechanism, staffed email address, or even a phone number for users to report underage, dangerous, or violating use of its social media product."

The lawsuit also alleges Snap is specifically designed to attract children and illicit activity, pointing to the features like disappearing messages that make it hard to trace illegal drug transactions that may go down on the app.

Amy's now the VP of Void -- a nonprofit that fights against the spread of illegal drugs like fentanyl -- and her org recently claimed social media companies across the board aren't doing enough to cut off the connection between kids and dealers.

She's said the access to drugs through the app was way too easy ... believing Alexander wouldn't have put himself in a situation that was in person -- but dealing behind a screen made it much simpler.

Snapchat's recently said it's been working to address the issue ... doubling down on efforts to ban drug dealer accounts and blocking search results that involve drug keywords.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages, as well as for stricter action to be taken on the platform to help prevent any more fatalities in the future.

A rep for Snap tells us, "The trafficking of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl is an urgent national crisis. We are devastated that these counterfeit drugs have taken the lives of so many people, and our hearts go out to families who have suffered unimaginable losses. We are committed to bringing every resource to bear to help fight this national crisis, both on Snapchat and across the tech industry overall."

The rep says the company uses, "cutting-edge technology to proactively find and shut down drug dealers’ accounts, and we block search results for drug-related terms, instead redirecting Snapchatters to resources from experts about the dangers of fentanyl."

Troy Aikman is speaking out publicly for the first time since making controversial remarks during "Monday Night Football," calling his comments "dumb."

"My comments were dumb, just shouldn't have made them," Aikman said during a radio appearance on 96.7 The Ticket, adding, "Just dumb remarks on my part."

Of course, during Monday night's Raiders-Chiefs game, the former Cowboys QB voiced displeasure with how the NFL is enforcing the roughing of the passer penalty.

"My hope is the competition committee looks at this in the next set of meetings, and, you know, we take the dresses off," the three-time Super Bowl champ said during the broadcast.

Aikman has been under siege ever since ... with the QB being accused of being sexist and misogynistic.

The roughing penalty has become a big talking point this season, especially given Tua Tagovailoa's injuries and the call Tom Brady received against the Falcons.

Aikman, however, isn't alone in his gripes with the NFL -- HOF head coach Tony Dungy took to Twitter to express his confusion with how rules are being enforced against quarterbacks.

Anna Sorokin is fresh out of ICE custody and spending her time on house arrest ... and she thinks a second chance is something that she's earned -- even if others don't see it that way.

Anna joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live" ... and she thinks her trial taking place in the U.S. -- mixed with America's obsession with the true crime genre -- is what boosted her popularity, saying her story is all about getting another chance.

Of course, it would be a really tall order for ICE to give her the green light to stay -- as you know, she was found guilty of multiple fraud charges back in 2019 ... including 4 counts of theft services and 3 counts of grand larceny while pretending to be a German heiress named Anna Delvey.

Anna chalks her crimes up to a simple mistake ... and she makes the argument she should be allowed to stay in the U.S.

Anna's required to stay at home and rock an ankle monitor ... only to step out under the watchful eyes of immigration officials or her parole officer.

The jury has recommended life in prison for Nikolas Cruz, the gunman who murdered 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 ... and the judge is delaying sentencing until November 1.

In an emotional sentencing hearing Thursday the judge read the jury's verdict of life without parole after they were unable to unanimously decide on the death penalty.

The jury of 7 men and 5 women discussed the 24-year-old's fate Wednesday and came back with their sentence Thursday morning in a Fort Lauderdale courthouse.

Family members of Cruz's 17 victims were very obviously angry sitting inside the courtroom -- many shaking their heads and crying in disbelief. Cruz sat expressionless.

As for the delay, the judge agreed to give surviving victims a chance to be heard before the judge issues the sentence.

Cruz pled guilty last year to 34 counts -- 17 charges of murder and 17 charges of attempted murder.

In the sentencing phase, multiple witnesses took the stand to describe the pain and horror they endured as a result of the massacre. There were cell phone videos jurors saw ... showing students hiding in fear as gunshots rang out.

Attorneys for Cruz highlighted his mental health struggles, and they called witnesses who testified his illness was triggered by his biological mother's drug use while she was pregnant.

During his courtroom appearance, he went on a bizarre rant and begged the families of the victims to give him a second chance ... claiming he wanted to be spared so he could help others.

As you know, Cruz opened fire on students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland in February 2018.

It remains one of the deadliest high school shootings in U.S. history.

In a separate case, Cruz also pled guilty to assault and battery charges for attacking a jail guard in 2018 after the whole thing was caught on camera.

Kanye West defies logic ... he says he doesn't wish harm on Jewish people -- despite saying he's "going death con 3" on Jews -- as he seems to be saying Jews in high places in Hollywood have screwed over Black entertainers.

Kanye was leaving the screening of Candace Owens' new doc Wednesday ... the photog asked about the film, and Kanye seemed stunned he wasn't asked about his antisemitic remarks right out of the box.

Ye makes it clear ... his comments in the last week were thought out and intentional. He seems to have personal grievances with Jews who run entertainment companies that he says have wronged him and other Black entertainers. What he doesn't explain ... is he raising the issue because he thinks the execs who did him wrong did so because they're Jewish?

Kim Kardashian gets her sexual drive with a little help from an 88-year-old lady ... her grandmother!

Kim's revelation came, of course, on their Hulu show, "The Kardashians," explaining to Mary Jo she remembered a tip she got from her granny ... sex in front of a fireplace is life-changing.

Ever the good granddaughter, Kim tested MJ's theory with her then-BF Pete Davidson ... in front of the fireplace at the Bev Hills Hotel.

Mary Jo worried they did the deed in the lobby where a fireplace is front and center, but KK assured her it was inside a room.

What's really interesting ... when Kim said she had a surprise for the fam ... both Kris and Khloe seemed to worry Kim might be jumping the gun ... getting ready to tie the knot with Pete.

These are NOT Charlie Brown's "Great Pumpkins" -- Customs agents uncovered a huge amount of meth tucked inside a bundle of everyone's fave Halloween gourds.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealed their big find in a statement Wednesday ... noting its officers have seen "just about everything and this Tuesday was no exception" -- saying they discovered more than $402K in liquid methamphetamine inside the pumpkins.

The 4 winter squashes, found at Eagle Pass Port of Entry in Texas, held a total of 44 pounds of the drug which was packed into 136 different condoms.

The officers seized the meth and the car that was carrying the pumpkins ... and the driver was turned over to Maverick County Sherriff's Office for further investigation.

The family of Willie Spence, the "American Idol" runner-up who died in a Tennessee car accident, doesn't think alcohol played a role -- instead, their alternate theory centers around his weekend activity.

Family sources tell TMZ ... Willie was leaving Tennessee State University's homecoming weekend when the crash happened, and while some have speculated he was driving drunk, his family says the late singer wasn't a drinker, so that doesn't track.

The accident took place during the day, not late at night ... another reason why they think he wasn't fresh out of leaving some big party.

However, we're told it was a long weekend for Willie -- one that might've left him severely fatigued, and the family's fear is he fell asleep at the wheel.

Police have yet to determine an official cause for the accident or his death.

Willie's family tells us he was on his way back to Atlanta to meet with an organization that helps abused and trafficked women ... a partnership he excitedly told his mother about the day before the fatal accident.

Turns out Kanye West and Candace Owens didn't just decide to wear their "White Lives Matter" shirts on a whim -- the two have been planning it for weeks -- with some of Kanye's former friends telling us she's acting as his chief advisor in his day-to-day life.

Sources close to Kanye tell us ... Candace has been reaching out to people on Kanye's behalf, working to set up calls, meetings and appearances.

We're told folks who were close to Kanye (many have distanced themselves after his recent attacks) believe he's in a bad space mentally, and anyone working to persuade him to do anything other than get help doesn't have his best interests at heart.

What's more ... Ye showed up to Candace's film premiere in Nashville Wednesday. Ray J was also in attendance, a reunion sources told us was coordinated by Owens in spite of Kim Kardashian.

Our sources say it's unclear if Candace is getting paid by Ye as an advisor, but one source says, "Anyone taking money from him is taking advantage of him." As far as Candace's involvement in Kanye's life, the same source said, "She's gonna run him into the ground."

Earlier this week, Candace leaked an old voicemail from Kim to Ray J in which Kim called Whitney Houston -- whom Ray was dating at the time -- an "Old hag."

Our Kanye sources say they believe Candace leaked the vm to show her allegiance to Kanye, especially against Kim, whom Kanye has accused of "kidnapping" the couple's kids.

One of the reasons Kanye's former allies believe Candace is in his ear ... until recently he was conciliatory with Kim, seemingly agreeing she would have the kids around 80% of the time, and he would have ongoing involvement in their lives.

As for his recent rants, a source tells us, "Kanye cannot get out of his own damn way, which is the root of every issue personally and professionally." The question ... is he getting advice?

We reached out to Candace ... so far, no word back.

Everyone onboard an American Airlines flight smelled it -- that much we know -- but the problem is they had no clue who or what dealt it, so the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing.

The Wednesday night flight from Miami to Barbados was inundated by the pungent chemical odor -- and because the crew believed it was coming from a passenger's carry-on bag, you can imagine the panic that caused.

The pilot made the quick decision to head back to the MIA.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units met the plane once it landed, and all 172 passengers were quickly evacuated as firefighters investigated.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the smell was coming from a large, industrial-strength bottle of nail polish -- it somehow made it through TSA and spilled in the passenger's bag. We're told the woman isn't in any trouble.

50 Cent's son Marquise Jackson is ready and willing to mend their relationship -- yes, even if it means paying -- but he's clarifying ... it's not dear old Dad's money he wants.

Marquise tells TMZ Hip Hop he meant what he said, in a now-viral post, about putting up $6,700 -- Fiddy's monthly child support payment -- for the one-on-one, and says he'll actually pay more than that if necessary.

He says that's where the money talk ends, though. Now in his 20s, Marquise says he's matured and feels he and 50 should be able to agree or disagree about issues without going at each other's throats.

Marquise believes the biggest hurdle between them is the fact 50 Cent thinks his eldest son has grown up entitled ... after receiving $80k/year in child support.

Marquise says he doesn't know what to expect if and when they do have a sit-down, but hopes it would lead to better understanding for both of them -- as he told us ... not having his father in his life has left him with many unanswered questions.

To say he's got an uphill battle on his hands would be an understatement. So far, 50 Cent's only response has been to post the "Power" scene where his character kills his son.

A bizarre reunion just happened in Nashville, as Kanye West and Ray J came face-to-face at Candace Owens' film premiere.

Both men were in attendance Wednesday night for the premiere of "The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and the Rise of BLM." The event was held at the Woolworth Theater, and while arrivals were supposed to start around 6:30 PM local time, Ye didn't show for more than 2 hours after the scheduled slot ... posing for pics on the carpet with Ray and Kid Rock.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us it was Candace who worked to get both Kanye and Ray J there in an attempt to scorn Kim Kardashian.

It was earlier this week when Candace leaked an old voicemail from Kim to Ray J -- who was dating Whitney Houston at the time -- in which Kim called Whitney an "Old hag."

Kim has remained silent for weeks, even as Kanye wore his "White Lives Matter" shirt to both his Yeezy Show and North's basketball game. He's also had his social media accounts suspended for antisemitic remarks -- and JP Morgan Chase Bank has also allegedly cut ties with Ye's multi-billion-dollar Yeezy brand.