George Floyd County Autopsy Report Released Reveals Positive COVID-19 Test in April

The full autopsy report for George Floyd has been completed by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner and it reveals he tested positive for COVID-19 in early April ... though he was likely asymptomatic at the time of his death.

The 20-page analysis details most of what we already know, Floyd became unresponsive and died while pinned to the ground by 3 police officers. However, a section of the report says George tested positive for COVID-19 on April 3.

The coroner says, "positivity for 2019-nCoV can persist for weeks after the onset and resolution of clinical disease, the autopsy result most likely reflects asymptomatic but persistent PCR positivity from previous infection." Meaning George was likely walking around without issues or active symptoms, but the virus was still in his body.

As we reported, George's family hired Dr. Michael Baden to complete a private autopsy. Baden's report found Floyd's cause of death to be "death from asphyxia" after the Hennepin County concluded he had a heart attack while being restrained by cops, with underlying medical conditions including hypertension and possible drugs or alcohol.

The final report from Hennepin on Wednesday says Floyd had, “no injuries of anterior muscles of neck or laryngeal structures.”

On Wednesday, ex-cop Derek Chauvin was hit with an additional charge of 2nd-degree murder. The other 3 officers involved, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, were all charged with felonies -- aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

'Gown and Out In Beverly Hills' Famed Dress Shop Destroyed in Riots ... $500k in Damages!!!

The stars of 'Gown and Out' are feeling down and out after the riots and looting in Bev Hills destroyed their high-end dress shop ... and the damage couldn't have come at a worse time.

Patrik Simpson, who stars in the reality show "Gown and Out in Beverly Hills" on Amazon Prime Video tells TMZ ... he and his husband's dress store, Pol' Atteu Couture, was completely destroyed during Saturday night's riots, and they're estimating they suffered more than half a mil in damages.

Patrik tells us he and his hubby, Pol Atteu, had just restocked the entire store before Saturday night's violence, as they geared up for a big reopening. The store had been shuttered for months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As you can see, it looks like a bomb went off in the store ... and Patrik says looters stole over 100 dresses, including custom wedding dresses waiting to be shipped to brides and some gowns intended for the Daytime Emmys.

It's pretty sad ... Patrik says his husband sews all the dresses by hand, so Pol has hours of work ahead of him as he tries to recreate the custom gowns the rioters stole.

And, in the wake of the damage and destruction, Patrik says he and Pol are wondering what they did to deserve such a mess. They've had the store for over 25 years, and have seen their decades of hard work gone in a flash. They even started a GoFundMe account to help with the costs.

'Tiger King' Star Joe Exotic Band Behind the Tunes New Deal & Song, 'Killer Carole'

The band that provided the magic for Joe Exotic's unique set of songs on 'Tiger King' has good news for everyone itching for more of their good musical vibes.

Vince Johnson of The Vince Johnson Band -- who made up one half of the music duo who wrote and performed Joe's tracks featured on the Netflix series -- just inked an exclusive licensing and distribution deal with BMG Rights Management and Create Music Group.

As part of the agreement, all those Joe tunes (which are actually Vince's) will be compiled onto an album for the first time and be released on streaming services everywhere in the coming months. There'll also be some new tunes, including a cut called 'Killer Carole.' Probably won't be a big hit in Carole Baskin's crib.

We got a little taste of this gem before it officially drops Friday -- we're thinking you can add this one to your back road country playlist. No sign of Joe, though, in the pseudo-music video -- he's a little tied up right now, unfortunately.

In any case, it's great news for Vince and co. ... whom, as we previously told you, were gunning for a record deal of some sort in the wake of the show's massive popularity. Unclear if they've gotten signed to a label yet, but a licensing deal is kinda like getting halfway there.

Of course, Vince lost his longtime music collaborator -- Daniel Clinton -- who helped him pen a lot of the songs on 'Tiger King,' after he passed away from a heart attack late last year. Here's hoping Vince does him proud with this streak of good luck going forward.

As for their latest earworm ... play it again, boys!!! Earmuffs, Carole.

George Floyd Beautiful Murals All Over the World

George Floyd's death has been a catalyst for a movement to end racism and police brutality, and though the unrest has been ugly at times ... it's also produced some incredibly powerful works of art.

All over the world -- from U.S. cities like Minneapolis, where George was killed in police custody, and L.A. ... to Manchester, England and Berlin and all the way in Syria and Kenya -- murals are popping up to honor Floyd and contribute to the peaceful demonstrations for change.

Many of the amazing displays include the words "I can't breathe," George's last words to the officers who were applying force to his neck and back for nearly 9 minutes ... serving as a reminder of the unjust, inexcusable and inhumane way in which he died.

Some murals also shout out the Black Lives Matter movement or include the names of other black people who died at the hands of police officers ... and never got justice.

As we reported, the 4 officers involved in George's killing have now been arrested and charged in his murder. However ... justice is far from being served.

Dennis Rodman Black People Must Vote ... Launches Fundraiser

Dennis Rodman is still very pissed off at the looting taking place all over the country ... but he's now channeling his anger into action.

The NBA Hall of Famer says he feels compelled to raise money for the Black Voters Matter fund ... an organization "dedicated to expanding Black voter engagement & increasing progressive power."

And, how's he going to raise the cash?! DINNER AUCTION, BABY!

"Dennis Rodman is so disappointed at all the rioting and looting in light of the tragic death of George Floyd that he's auctioning off himself for dinner for two lucky guests with all the proceeds going to benefit the Black Voters Matter Fund," his rep Darren Prince tells TMZ Sports.

The auction, going down on Charitybuzz.com, says Dennis, the winner and a guest will dine with The Worm -- and notes, "The winning bidder is responsible for the cost of the meal."

The winner will also receive 2 signed jerseys provided by Rodman's memorabilia partners at Fiterman Sports Group.

And, if you know Dennis ... who the hell knows what could happen at dinner? Quick trip to Vegas?!? Carmen Electra cameo?!

Happy bidding!

Guess Who This Cute Kid Turned Into!

Before this tiny toddler traded in his baby talk for one of the most powerful voices in rap music he was just another cute kid with a New York state of mind growing up in Brooklyn, New York.

You may not recognize him by his birth name (Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones) ... he only shortened the Arabic name once he started his career as an MC and nasty lyricist.

Although he's god's son ... many say it was written in this young man's fate for the rapper to rule the world and now his life is good.

Can you guess who he is?

Barack Obama Inspired by Young People Mobilizing ... to Protest Floyd's Death

YOUR LIVES MATTER
Obama Foundation
UPDATE

2:48 PM PT -- Obama invoked the names of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez and Malcolm X when discussing young people and the inspiration they've become during this movement. He said what's happening right now "reminds people of the 1960s and the chaos, the discord and distrust throughout the country." But he added, "I have to tell you, I know enough about that history to say there is something different here. You look at these protesters, and that is far more representative across America, peacefully protesting; who felt moved to do something because of the injustices they have seen."

UPDATE

Obama said the mobilization in peaceful protesting across America -- and frankly, across the world -- didn't exist back in the day. He said, despite the riots, the majority of Americans agree these protests are justified. And, that's the change he's seen so far in these protests.

UPDATE

The Prez said he wanted to talk directly to people of color and say "I want you to know that you matter; that your lives matter. Your dreams matter." He also challenged local officials on how to bring about real change, while urging young people to vote in local elections.

UPDATE
THE OBAMA RULES
Obama Foundation
UPDATE

It should be noted ... Obama acknowledged law enforcement and the "vast majority who protect and serve. I've been heartened to see those in law enforcement who recognize, 'Let me march along with these protesters.' Those who recognize they want to be part of the solution. Those who listen. Change will require everyone’s participation."

Former President Barack Obama is making his first on-camera remarks about the death of George Floyd ... and TMZ is streaming live.

Obama is set to speak Wednesday during a virtual town hall sponsored by My Brother's Keeper Alliance -- an org that partners with his Obama Foundation. Barack is expected to address Floyd's killing, police practices ... and the racial bias still ingrained in the justice system.

Organizers have dubbed the event, "Reimagining policing in the wake of continued police violence" ... and it's supposed to kick off at 2 PM PT. This will be Obama's first time publicly discussing George Floyd's case on camera -- he's already addressed his death on social media and in a Medium essay.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

44 tackled issues surrounding police brutality while in office -- he rolled out a number of policies intending to curb those incidents, such as creating a task force with guidelines on 21st century policing, as well as limiting the transfer of military equipment to police departments.

Donald Trump's administration has rolled back some of those reforms, so ya gotta wonder if BO will directly call out the President during the town hall.

5/16/20
IT'S IN YOUR HANDS

Obama also addressed the slaying of Ahmaud Arbery a few weeks ago during a speech to the graduating class of 2020 -- HBCU students, specifically.

Originally Published -- 1:43 PM PT

George Floyd MN Atty Gen. Says 'Conviction Will Be Hard' ... Chauvin Gets 2nd-Degree Murder Charge, 3 Others Charged with Aiding & Abetting

CHARGES FILED
Fox 9
UPDATE

4:08 PM PT -- We've obtained the mugshots of officers Thao, Kueng and Lane ... all 3 are now in custody and have bail set at $1 million.

UPDATE
UPDATE

1:29 PM PT -- Attorney General Keith Ellison says the evidence now supports the stronger charge for Chauvin along with the arrests and charges of the other 3 officers.

UPDATE

Ellison asked the public for more patience as they continue to thoroughly investigate and gather evidence, and issued ominous words of caution — winning a conviction "will be hard."

UPDATE

He says history has shown there will be clear challenges in getting guilty verdicts for the cops but pointed out that his partner on the case, Hennepin Co. Atty Mike Freeman is the right man for the job ... he’s the only lawyer in Minnesota to convict a cop of murder.

UPDATE

The AG also asked anyone who has information about Floyd’s death to come forward, and made it clear he will not rush the case to trial ... because he wants everything to be completely ready to go and as strong as possible when they go to court.

The 3 officers who stood by as Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd have all been arrested and charged with crimes, and Chauvin now faces a 2nd-degree murder charge.

As for the 3 officers -- Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao -- they've all been charged with felonies -- aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

It's interesting ... the complaint calls the 2nd-degree murder charge "unintentional while committing a felony." So, they're charging Chauvin on felony murder for the excessive force that led to Floyd's death.  The underlying felony is excessive force and an assault against Floyd.

It's extremely significant because the 3 officers who stood by will be noticed by every other cop in the country. Now, when a cop crosses the line and another cop observes it, that second cop will presumably think twice before just watching and doing nothing.

Chauvin now faces 40 years in prison -- that's the maximum penalty for 2nd-degree murder.

As for the other 3 ... they face 40 years each -- the same punishment for 2nd-degree murder.

Attorney Lee Merritt, who reps the Floyd family along with attorney Ben Crump, tells us the reason he and others have been pushing so hard for the officers involved in Floyd’s death to be held accountable ... is to encourage all cops to start becoming part of the solution to police brutality.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!!
TMZ.com

Lee hopes George’s murder case sends a message -- cops need to oppose bad cops in order to be good cops. He says this can be a positive step toward changing a system that’s enabled mistreatment of black people for so long ... and there’s already signs it’s happening.

Meanwhile, Ben Crump calls the upgraded charge for Chauvin and the arrest of the 3 other former officers a "bittersweet moment" for the Floyd family. He says ... "This is a significant step forward on the road to justice" and is providing some peace for George's family in this painful time.

You can clearly see it was more than just Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's body ... with 3 ex-officers total on him at one time.

The independent autopsy at the behest of Floyd's family revealed he died from asphyxia as a result of neck and back compression.

Originally published -- 10:34 AM PT

Colin Kaepernick Twitter CEO Jack Donates $3 Million To Legal Defense Initiative

Twitter's CEO is making a massive contribution to Colin Kaepernick's cause -- dedicating millions to the QB's fund to pay legal costs for protesters who get arrested while fighting for justice for George Floyd.

Jack Dorsey announced the donation Wednesday on his own platform, saying he's putting up $3 million of his own money into a new fund he calls Start Small, LLC ... aimed at Kaepernick's Know Your Rights Camp.

JD says the dough will "advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization to elevate the next generation of change leaders."

As we reported ... just last week, Kap's Know Your Rights Camp started a "legal defense initiative" to cover mounting legal bills for the "freedom fighters" on the ground in Minnesota, where George was killed, and it's since expanded nationally.

Colin said he's already amassed a top-notch team of defense attorneys to help out, but they've been asking for donations from supporters on the outside.

Well, Jack has answered the call with a HUGE 7-figure donation ... and you know Team Kap is happy.

As we previously reported ... The Weeknd has also donated $200,000 to Kaepernick's initiative.

Jack's pledge continues a string of donations to noble causes ... he previously donated $1 BILLION to COVID-19 relief, and joined forces with Rihanna for a $4.2 million grant for domestic abuse victims in Los Angeles.

Atlanta Cops 6 Charged with Excessive Force For Tasing Black Students in Their Car

EXCESSIVE FORCE
UPDATE

5:09 PM PT -- 6/3 -- We've obtained the mugshots of officers Gardner, Streeter, Hood, Sauls, Jones and Claud.

UPDATE

All 6 officers were booked into jail Wednesday.

The Atlanta police officers involved in the violent arrest and tasing of 2 black college students who were in their vehicle during protests this weekend are now facing charges ... on the heels of 2 of them losing their jobs.

The Fulton County DA has charged 6 cops for using excessive force during the incident with Messiah Young and Taniyah Pilgrim Saturday night.

Four of the cops have been charged with aggravated assault -- Mark Gardner, for tasing Pilgrim; Ivory Streeter, for tasing Young and pointing a gun at him; Lonnie Hood for using a Taser on Pilgrim and Young; and Willie Sauls for pointing a Taser.

Another officer, Armond Jones, has been charged with aggravated battery for forcefully throwing Young down on the street and pointing a gun at him. The sixth officer, Roland Claud, is charged with criminal damage to property ... the couples' car.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms fired both Gardner and Streeter almost immediately after learning of the incident, and the other 4 were placed on desk duty.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
WSB-TV

The students claim they were out getting food when they got caught in traffic and the chaos around them. They later spoke about the scary ordeal, saying they felt lucky to be alive ... and demanded change so similar incidents stop happening.

Originally Published -- 6/2 9:22 AM PT

Saints' Malcolm Jenkins Blasts Drew Brees In Emotional Vid ... 'Shut The F**k Up'

EDUCATE YOURSELF
@malcomjenkins27 / Instagram

"I considered you a friend. I looked up to you. You're somebody I had a great deal of respect for. But sometimes, you should shut the f**k up."

Malcolm Jenkins just went HARD after Drew Brees in a now-deleted video ... calling his Saints teammate everything from "self-centered" to "unaware" -- and it's pretty emotional.

Jenkins -- who took down the vid and posted a second version of it to his Instagram on Wednesday -- fired at Brees for calling kneeling protests during NFL national anthems "disrespectful."

"To assume that you have a perspective about the flag and what it means to you or the national anthem, and that everybody else should have the same mentality," Jenkins said, "it is just completely unaware that my grandfather's experience is way different from yours."

The NFL star continued, "To stay silent when your peers are screaming from the mountain top that, 'We need help, our communities are under siege and we need help,' and what you're telling us is, 'Don't ask for help that way. Ask for it a different way. I can't listen to it when you ask that way.'"

"We're done asking, Drew. And, people who share your sentiments, who express those and push them throughout the world and airways, are the problem."

In his second video, Jenkins echoed the same sentiment as his first ... even saying in the clip, "if you don't understand that other people experience something totally different than you, then when you talk about the brotherhood and all this other bullsh*t, it's just lip service."

YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM
@malcolmjenkins27 / Instagram

In the written caption of the second clip, Malcolm said Drew had reached out to him to give his side of the story prior to posting the vids ... but the DB explained why he felt the need to go forward with the emotional messages anyway.

"As I was trying to muster up the energy and find the words to address Drew Brees’s comments I recorded this video," Jenkins said. "Before I could post it, Drew reached out to me to discuss his point of view."

Malcolm continued, "All in all, I’m still posting this video because it’s important for anyone who wants to consider themself an ally to know how these words and actions affect those who you want to help. Drew’s words during his interview were extremely painful to hear and I hope he rectifies them with real action."

Drew -- who's faced backlash for his comments from just about every notable athlete in the country -- has yet to comment publicly on the criticism.

Cleveland Mayor World Thinks We're a 'Butthole' City ... But We're So Much More!!!

BUTT OF THE JOKE
The Appeal

Cleveland's mayor left a sour taste in the mouth's of many locals who tuned in to a discussion he had about the city ... referring to The Land as "The World's Butthole."

Mayor Frank Jackson was talking about his fair city and its charms on Wednesday -- but during the Facebook chat, he said yes, he's aware that many perceive Cleveland as Earth's anus ... so to speak. He very quickly made it clear, though, that HE doesn't actually believe that to be the case.

Check it out ... Frank says perception isn't always reality, and if you closely examine Cleveland's GDP and gross domestic capital -- it's actually fairly wealthy in that region of the country.

He's right, BTW ... there've been multiple studies and articles in recent years documenting Cleveland's output -- and the numbers, by and large, are on an upward trend dating back to the early 2000s. Even federal data backs up Cleveland's positive economic status.

So, yeah ... Drew Carey was right. Cleveland rocks! No need to repeat the off-base butthole comparisons, Mr. Mayor.

LeBron James Rips Drew Brees You Don't Know Why Kap Was Kneeling?!

UPDATE

12:57 PM PT -- LeBron James is going IN on Drew Brees over the QB's comments -- explaining why Drew is just dead wrong.

UPDATE

"WOW MAN!! 🤦🏾‍♂️. Is it still surprising at this point. Sure isn’t! You literally still don’t understand why Kap was kneeling on one knee??"

UPDATE

"Has absolute nothing to do with the disrespect of Flag of United States and our soldiers(men and women) who keep our land free."

UPDATE

LBJ continued ... "My father-in-law was one of those men who fought as well for this country. I asked him question about it and thank him all the time for his commitement."

UPDATE

"He never found Kap peaceful protest offensive because he and I both know what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong! God bless you."

UPDATE

James isn't the only high-profile sports star to weigh in -- Richard Sherman also spoke out against Brees' comments.

UPDATE

"He’s beyond lost. Guarantee you there were black men fighting along side your grandfather but this doesn’t seem to be about that," Sherman tweeted.

UPDATE

"That uncomfortable conversation you are trying to avoid by injecting military into a conversation about brutality and equality is part of the problem"

UPDATE

New England Patriots stars/twins Devin and Jason McCourty's joint Twitter account spoke out against Brees' stance ... saying "This is a disgrace! To speak about your grandfathers as if there weren’t black men fighting next to them."

UPDATE

"Those men later returned to a country that hated them. Don’t avoid the issue and try to make it about a flag or the military. Fight like your grandfathers for whats right!"

UPDATE

Doug Baldwin sent a public message to Brees on Twitter, saying, "the reason my children have to live in a world that won’t empathize with their pain is because people like you are raising your children to perpetuate the cycle. Drew, you are the problem."

Drew Brees still does not believe NFL players should take a knee during the national anthem -- saying it's disrespectful to the flag.

The New Orleans Saints QB appeared on Yahoo's On The Move where he was asked about Colin Kaepernick's kneeling demonstration most likely making a return when the NFL season begins.

"I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America," Brees said.

The 41-year-old explained why the anthem is so important to him - he has 2 grandfathers who served in the military -- and says he gets emotional thinking about the sacrifices they made to serve our country.

Brees also says he thinks about "the civil rights movements of the '60s and everyone and all that has been endured by so many people up until this point."

That's when Brees acknowledges the civil unrest in the U.S. following the killing of George Floyd ... but still doubled down on his stance.

"Is everything right with our country right now? No, it's not. We still have a long away to go. But, I think what you do by standing there and showing respect for the flag with your hand over your heart, is it shows unity."

"It shows that we are all in this together. We can all do better and that we are all part of the solution."

Clearly, not everyone in the NFL feels the same way.

Kaepernick has said he took a knee to put a spotlight on police brutality and racial injustice ... not to disrespect the military.

Minneapolis Sued You Gassed Peaceful Protests And Arrested Reporters!!!

Peaceful protesters have been under attack by the Minneapolis PD, often in violation of their First Amendment rights ... according to a new class-action lawsuit.

A woman named Annette Williams is suing the city on behalf of all other peaceful protesters like herself ... who she claims got sprayed by cops with a chemical irritant "in retaliation" for opposing police tactics in the arrest and killing of George Floyd.

Williams says she and her daughter were peacefully protesting on a public sidewalk on May 28 when the Minneapolis PD drove past and sprayed the crowd, which she claims was presenting no danger to police.

She says the irritant was not being used to clear a path for vehicles either, because it was directed at protesters on or around a sidewalk. Williams says it forced her and others to remove face masks worn for COVID-19, and they began coughing uncontrollably.

She says she's "suffered from labored breathing and chest pain interfering with her daily activities" ever since. She adds that the incident had a "chilling effect" and discouraged protesters from exercising their constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly.

ARRESTED ON AIR
CNN

On top of all this, Williams claims the arrest of a CNN news crew the following day -- which as we reported, and went down live on the air -- underscores "the city and police force’s open infringement on first amendment rights."

According to the suit ... police have also engaged in a "corral and combat" strategy against protesters in an effort to concentrate them in one location, then gas them and shoot non-lethal projectiles at them. Williams claims this has "no tactical purpose other than injuring otherwise peaceful protestors."

She is seeking damages from the city and wants an order stopping cops from engaging in these practices against peaceful protesters.

George Floyd Son, Attorney Visit Death Site ... He Was Tortured!!!

WE EXPECT JUSTICE
Fox 9

George Floyd's son and the family's attorney are making a powerful call for justice ... from the very site where he was killed.

George's son, Quincy Mason, stood alongside attorney Ben Crump Wednesday on the Minneapolis street where Floyd died. They kneeled to pay their respects, and Quincy spoke to the crowd, saying no man or woman should be without their father ... and he wants justice to be served.

Crump added that justice for the family goes beyond the arrest and now second-degree murder charge for ex-cop Derek Chauvin, who kneeled on George's neck for nearly 9 minutes.

Crump was speaking shortly before the announcement the other 3 ex-officers would also be charged ... but said their arrest and prosecution are also key to the family's pleas for justice.

As we reported ... the Minnesota Attorney general is expected to make an announcement Wednesday afternoon charging Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng in connection to Floyd's death.

5/25/20
EXCESSIVE FORCE
Facebook/ Darnella Frazier

Crump says Floyd was absolutely tortured during his final moments ... and he claims the other officers failed to act when they knew George did not have a pulse.

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