Memphis NAACP Prez Charges in Tyre Nichols Case Could Be Adjusted

MORE TO COME
TMZ.com

The charges 5 ex-Memphis PD officers are facing in the Tyre Nichols murder case can, and should, be tweaked based on evidence and what's most likely to secure convictions ... according to an NAACP chief.

We spoke to Van Turner Jr. -- the President of Memphis' NAACP branch -- Monday on "TMZ Live" to discuss the fallout of the release of bodycam and surveillance footage depicting the fatal beating Tyre endured at the hands of officers earlier this month.

SAVAGE BEATING
Memphis Police Department

There's been talk about a possible defense the officers could argue based on some of what they've been charged with -- 2nd-degree murder and kidnapping -- and how they could potentially be acquitted. So, the question becomes ... are different charges more appropriate?

Turner Jr. says he believes the investigation is still very much fluid and, depending on further evidence that surfaces, it would be totally appropriate to tweak the charges against these men -- potentially upgrading them to felony first-degree murder.

1/07/23
VIEW FROM ABOVE
Memphis Police Department

We also asked Van if the release of the bodycam footage has prompted other citizens to come forward about run-ins with MPD's SCORPION Unit -- which has since been disbanded amid outrage.

SLUMPED OVER
Memphis Police Department

He says there have been more accounts about the way they conduct their business ... and there's now a wider investigation into whether the way they handled Tyre was SOP for that group of cops.

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Bottom line ... there's still a lot of unanswered questions and a lot more accountability that needs to be reached -- and the city of Memphis, not to mention the rest of the country, are loudly demanding it happen sooner than later.

PULLED FROM THE CAR
Memphis Police Department

Turner Jr. also poses a powerful rhetorical question here: How many more of these deaths do we need to witness before meaningful police reform is translated into law in the U.S.?

Circus of Books WeHo Swiping 30" Dildos Ain't Easy, But ... Shopper Caught on Cam!!!

HEFTY HEIST
WEHO Times

The bigger the sex toy, the bigger the score for an alleged shoplifter -- or at least that appears to be what this person was thinking, attempting the ol' 5-finger discount on a 30-inch tall dildo!

Surveillance footage at famed adult store Circus of Books in West Hollywood shows the not-so-smooth shopper snatch the giant sex toy off a display table, tuck it under their arm and walk right out the front door.

We gotta imagine this bad boy is only for show, and not so much functional because it's more than 2' tall and retails for almost $700.

In the video -- obtained by WEHO Times -- you see the cashier spring into action as soon as they notice the phallus heist going down.

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The cashier runs out from behind the counter and goes after the person. The video then cuts to the cashier carrying the 30" dildo back into the store, returning it to the display table ... opposite yet another oversized toy. Caper foiled!!!

JULY 2020
THE DILDO BANDIT
TMZ.com

We've seen similar incidents before ... during the pandemic, cops got involved after a man was seen on video swiping a 3-foot dildo from a sex shop in Las Vegas.

The ol' saying is "go big or go home" -- but, clearly, some folks prefer to go big AND go home ... which is fine, as long as you pay!

Rich Dollaz My Daughter Ashley Fired Gun in Self-Defense ... She Has a Restraining Order, Hello!!!

HE WAS A DIRECT THREAT
TMZ.com

Rich Dollaz has his daughter Ashley Trowers' back after her arrest for allegedly shooting at her ex in Memphis ... insisting she's a domestic violence victim who acted in self-defense.

The "Love & Hip Hop" alum hopped on "TMZ Live" Monday and emphatically claimed Ashley only fired out of fear, and added she and her child's father have had multiple domestic disputes in the past.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... cops say Ashley was approached by the ex, Demiah Tatum, and his friend Mykel Yates during her first day working security at a Kroger's, and she ended up firing 2 shots at the vehicle.

Rich says Ashley already had a temporary restraining order requiring Demiah to stay away from her -- but he claims Demiah got out of his car to confront her.

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Rich says people have told him Demiah's claiming he just happened to "pull up" at the Kroger's where Ashley worked ... but her dad isn't buying it was a total coincidence.

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Ashley was released on her own recognizance the same day she was arrested and booked for aggravated assault, but Rich feels she has a strong case if this ends up going to trial.

Flavor Flav I Survived 6-Yr Crack Addiction ... Cost Me $2,400/Day!!!

Flavor Flav is reflecting on the tumultuous drug-bingeing past he says nearly cost him his life and did cost him almost $1 million/year -- and he's convinced God allowed him to survive to share his story.

The Public Enemy hype man came clean on DJ Akademiks' 'Off The Record' Spotify podcast ... admitting getting off drugs was the hardest obstacle he's ever overcome.

Flav claims he spent $2400 per day on crack and hid it from those closest to him, including Chuck D and his other PE bandmates.

The Long Island-born rap legend first revealed his crack addiction in his 2011 book, "Flavor Flav: The Icon The Memoir." He tells Ak he was his own biggest and best customer, on account of having a lot of money during his heyday.

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Flav also frowned upon today's hip hop landscape ... noting how rappers are filling their lyrics with drug use, which doesn't leave him very hopeful for the future.

He predicts crack will be around as long as there are humans -- a claim on which Boosie Badazz would, no doubt, cosign.

BOOZE FOR THOUGHT
Twitter / @BOOSIEOFFICIAL

The rapper ranted about today's drugs being too strong. He'd been reacting to Gangsta Boo's death -- which some believe was a fatal OD -- when he offered some wildly irresponsible advice about getting high.

Prominent rappers such as Juice Wrld, Lil Peep and Gucci Mane artist, Big Scarr, have all passed from ODs in recent years ... so Flav's findings are, unfortunately, a grim reality.

Lisa Marie Presley $35 Million Life Insurance ... Battle Brewing Between Priscilla and Riley

Lisa Marie Presley was millions of dollars in debt at the end of her life, but the moment she died, her estate was flush with cash -- to the tune of $35 million.

Family sources tell TMZ ... Lisa had taken out 2 life insurance policies -- one for $25 million, and another for $10 million. Our sources say there may be a third $10 million policy, but it's unclear if it's lapsed.

What's even more shocking ... our sources say Lisa was trying to cash in the $25 million policy to pay some of the debts she owed, totaling $4 million. We're told she had notified the insurance company and filled out the paperwork to get a lump sum of just $2 million. We're told there was a screwup in the paperwork so the policy was never cashed in.

TMZ Doc on Lisa Airs Tonight on FOX at 8PM

Our sources say Lisa was $4 million in debt when she died ... of that she owed $2.5 million to the IRS. We've learned Lisa blew through $100 million during her adult years.

When the debts are cleared, there will be around $30 million (assuming the third policy lapsed) to distribute. We're told Lisa's 3 kids, Riley Keough and 14-year-old twins, Finley and Harper Lockwood, were named beneficiaries and will receive equal amounts.

Since the twins are minors, the money will go into a trust. This is where a family conflict is starting to erupt. As we reported, Lisa created a trust in 2010, naming her mom and her former business manager, Barry Siegel, as trustees.

Lisa amended the trust in 2016, cutting Priscilla and Siegel out as trustees and naming her daughter Riley and Son Benjamin in their place. As we reported, Priscilla filed legal docs Friday, challenging the validity of the amendment. Presumably, she still wants to be trustee of what now amounts to a fortune.

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TMZ has prepared a documentary -- "TMZ Investigates Lisa Marie Presley: Unending Tragedy" -- which breaks news on cause of death, money and brewing custody/visitation disputes. The doc airs tonight, January 30, on FOX at 8 PM.

Pro U.S. Skier Kyle Smaine Dead At 31 ... Killed In Avalanche

Professional skier Kyle Smaine -- who won gold at the 2015 Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships -- has died in a terrible ski accident, his family announced.

He was 31.

Smaine was in Japan skiing ... a place he enjoyed frequenting this time of year due to the "unbelievable snow quality," something he talked about on social media before the accident.

Smaine was on the trip with photographer Grant Gunderson, who recounted the frightening events in an emotional Instagram post, calling it his "absolute worst nightmare scenario."

Grant says he was tired so he decided to go down the mountain and rest. But, Kyle wanted to keep skiing. Gunderson says things took a turn for the worst when another skier triggered a large avalanche that threw Smaine 50 meters, and buried him, killing the 31-year-old.

Gunderson says rescue officials -- "two mountain guides and 4 or 5 emergency doctors" -- did everything they could to save Smaine, and another man who is yet to be identified, but tragically there was nothing they could do to save the men.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said they're "aware of the incident in Nagano Prefecture" and are working with local authorities.

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Gunderson, crushed over the loss of his friend, said Smaine's death is something he will be "rehashing" for the rest of his life.

R.I.P.

Oprah Happy 69!!! Celeb-Packed Bday Bash

BIRTHDAY BASH

Oprah rang in her 69th birthday with some of the most famous women in Hollywood -- including Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Priyanka Chopra ... and Kim Kardashian.

The get-together Saturday in L.A. served as a two-pronged event ... first, to celebrate O's big day, obviously -- but these ladies also came together to honor Anastasia Beverly Hill's 25th anniversary with a true who's-who guest list.

In addition to the above-mentioned names ... other stars in attendance included Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, Lori Harvey, Jessica Alba, Rita Wilson and others. So, yeah -- it was a pretty glitzy affair for the iconic cosmetics store ... and especially Oprah.

Kim snapped photos of O and her elaborate cake ... and Lori got the moment on video. Of course, everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' at the top of their lungs.

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It was selfies galore too ... KK got some, and so did J Lo. It also sounds like some speeches were made -- including one from Sharon that Oprah referenced in her Oprah Daily newsletter.

If the in-person tributes sound impressive ... they're nothing compared to the countless other celebs who wished Oprah a happy birthday on social media -- 'cause there was a lot.

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Her longtime BFF, Gayle King, posted a photo of them and wrote, "It’s a big day for all of us who love @oprah ! Happy everything to the girl who lives her best life everyday & does what she can to help everybody else do the same …"

Others social shout-outs came from the likes of Kerry Washington, Alessandra Ambrosio, Lupita Nyong'o, Viola Davis, Garcelle Beauvais and more. Indeed, Oprah's left an impression.

And, in case it needs to be said again ... happy birthday!

Lisa Marie Presley Back on Opioids ... Dramatic Weight Loss Leading Up to Death

Lisa Marie Presley was on an extreme weight loss regimen in the months leading up to her death, because she wanted to look her best to celebrate the "Elvis" movie during the various awards ceremonies ... family sources tell TMZ.

Our sources say ... 2 months before the Golden Globes, Lisa Marie got plastic surgery and began taking weight loss meds. We're told she lost 40 to 50 pounds in the 6 weeks leading up to the Globes.

What's more ... our family sources say Lisa Marie was taking opioids again -- an addiction she struggled with for years.

GAUNT & UNSTEADY
Youtube / extratv

Lisa did 2 interviews during the Globes that caused alarm ... she was gaunt, slurring her words and so unsteady she had to hold on to a friend as she spoke. Dr. Drew tells TMZ it was obvious just watching the video ... there were clear markers Lisa was on something.

Family and law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... on the morning she died, Lisa complained of abdominal pain.

Lisa's cause of death has been deferred pending toxicology results, which could take several months.

TMZ INVESTIGATES LISA MARIE'S DEATH -- TONIGHT ON FOX AT 8 PM
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As the cause of death remains undetermined, there's already a family war brewing. Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie's mom, has filed legal docs challenging a change her daughter allegedly made to her trust. Lisa had appointed Priscilla trustee in 2010, but cut her out in a 2016 amendment replacing her with her daughter, Riley Keough. Priscilla is suggesting in the docs that the 2016 amendment is fraudulent.

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TMZ has prepared a documentary on new details of Lisa's death, a possible custody fight and a battle over money.  The doc, "TMZ Investigates: Lisa Marie Presley: Unending Tragedy," airs on FOX tonight, January 30th, at 8 PM.

TMZ broke the story, Lisa Marie went into full cardiac arrest January 12 at her L.A. home. She was rushed to a hospital where she died just a few hours later.

Drake, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz Turn Club LIV Miami Into A Movie!!! 🎥

LEGENDS ONSTAGE
PurpleMiami

Miami's Club LIV was the location for a Young Money-sanctioned movie last night ... with Lil Wayne, Drake and 2 Chainz all gracing the stage to celebrate the birthday of DJ Stevie J!!!

Drake was seemingly in a great mood last night after winning big betting on the Super Bowl-bound Philadelphia Eagles ... and you can see his enthusiasm as he surprised the crowd by rapping along to performances of Wayne's "Steady Mobbin'" and 2 Chainz' "Watch Out."

The event was thrown by Michael Gardner and Louis Oliver and hosted by Wayne ... who was in his element ripping through a flawless rendition of his classic tongue-twisting track, "A Milli."

GANG'S ALL HERE
PurpleMiami

Drake eventually grabbed the mic, joining Wayne on their platinum collaboration "The Motto" and for his own "Her Loss" opening track, "Rich Flex" ... giving the crowd an impromptu concert on Sunday for David Grutman's club at Fontainebleau.

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Grammys and the Super Bowl coming up -- expect more feature films from superstar rappers for the next few weeks!!!

Larsa Pippen, Marcus Jordan Secret Handshake ... Sealed With A Kiss!!!

CUTE KISSES

Things are clearly getting quite serious between Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan -- the two now have a secret handshake ... one that they seal with a big smooch!!

Michael Jordan's offspring shared a vid of the couple's new intimate finger-locking greeting on his social media page Sunday night -- showing further that he and Scottie Pippen's ex are, in fact, an item.

In the clip, you can see Marcus and Larsa slapping hands repeatedly -- before Marcus, as part of the shake, put his arm over her head and pulled her in to give her a kiss.

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It's a cute and romantic moment for the two -- but it also shows things have certainly progressed to perhaps official relationship status for the couple.

You'll recall, despite getting very close over the past few months, the duo has insisted they're nothing more than just good friends. But they've now each posted each other on their social media pages in the last few days -- with Larsa sharing a snap last week of the two holding hands in front of a Jordan floral arrangement.

For what it's worth, Marcus captioned his handshake video with the words, "Twistin’ up my fingers for my twin" -- something that sure seems to indicate things are heating up.

Good for them it's true love at last ... even if Scottie ain't exactly pleased to see it all.

Lisa Loring OG 'Wednesday Addams' Dead At 64 ... After Suffering Stroke

Actress Lisa Loring, best known for her portrayal of Wednesday Addams in the iconic TV show, "The Addams Family," has died.

Her daughter, Vanessa, tells TMZ ... Lisa passed away Saturday at a hospital in Burbank, CA, after she suffered a stroke due to high blood pressure.

Lisa was just 6 when she landed the role of pig-tailed Wednesday Addams in the 1964 dark comedy sitcom. Although she played the part for only 2 years, her depiction of the character inspired other actresses who portrayed Wednesday in later films based on the TV show.

Jenna Ortega, who took on the role of Wednesday in the recent Netflix series, also gave props to Lisa in an interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show.

After "The Addams Family," Lisa stayed mostly in TV with appearances in "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.," "Fantasy Island" and "Barnaby Jones." She also played Cricket Montgomery on "As the World Turns" in the early '80s. Her final credit was the 2015 movie, "Doctor Spine."

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Lisa was 64.

RIP

Philadelphia Eagles Fans Party In Streets After Win ... Crash Through Bus Stop

UPDATE

9:12 AM PT -- The Philadelphia Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports ... five arrests were made during the title game celebration ... saying, one was for violation of the firearms act, two were for assault on police, and two others were for vandalism on city property.

Greased light poles be damned, Eagles fans hit the streets of Philadelphia in the minutes after the Birds won the NFC Championship -- and, at one point, they went so hard, they crashed through a local bus stop!

The hectic scene all went down after Philly handily beat the San Francisco 49ers ... when droves of Eagles supporters took to Broad Street near City Hall to celebrate the big victory.

Fans packed into the roadway like sardines -- and, eventually, they climbed onto a bus stop to catch a better view of the party.

Unfortunately for them, the stop couldn't hold the weight of everyone, and it gave way -- sending Philly supporters crashing to the ground.

It's unclear if anyone was injured -- or if any arrests were made -- we've reached out to authorities for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

In other parts of the city, fans were seen climbing light poles ... despite cops' best efforts to deter the popular celebration.

You can see in one fan's footage of the calamity, six people climbed to the top of one light pole -- just days after police said they'd be greasing the poles in an effort to stop people from going up them.

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Of course, Philly fans had every reason to go crazy Sunday night ... they smashed the 49ers 31-7 -- and are now headed to their second Super Bowl in the last five years.

Originally Published: 06:08 AM PT

Abigail Breslin 'I Married My Bestest Friend!!!'

Abigail Breslin is officially a married woman ... revealing she tied the knot with her longtime lover Ira Kunyansky!

The "Zombieland" star took to IG, Sunday night ... telling fans she had exchanged vows with her now-husband over the weekend. She wrote," 01.28.23❤️💍❤️ married my bestest friend. @richruski" .. while sharing a photo of the two at their wedding.

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Before that, she made a post showing off THAT finger with her dazzling engagement ring and a wedding band ... saying "ya girl got married y’all."

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Her hubby Ira also proudly posted his bride, sharing a pic of them on their big day saying ... "Love my other second half ❤️ @abbienormal9".

The newlyweds have been romantically linked since 2017 when they first started dating.

Ira popped the big question last February, and Abbie had a pretty funny reaction to his proposal when she posted it ... her caption read, "I was like, 'duh. #engagedyall".

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Since then, Abigail has shared some of their special moments with fans -- on New Year's they posed for a photo, as they rang in 2023 together.

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Congrats to the newlyweds!

Eva Longoria Buy My Former Aston Martin ... From 'Desperate Housewives'!!!

Wanna look as hot as Eva Longoria on "Desperate Housewives"? Love cars? Got deep pockets? Then do we have the auction for YOU!!!

That's right ... you could be the lucky owner of the 2007 Aston Martin DB9 Volante Eva whipped around Wisteria Lane during the show's heyday.

The vehicle's current owner, David Teitelbaum tells TMZ the luxury car is one of a kind, factory-made specifically for "Desperate Housewives" ... even down to the color combo. We're told the vehicle was given to Eva after wrap, and has factory door plaques to commemorate it.

The car is currently listed on eBay with a starting price of $39K, or can be purchased outright for $49K. Unclear why Eva decided to part with it originally -- but David is selling the car after just 2 months because he says he's too tall to comfortably drive it.

Of course, it comes with just as much power as it does pretty -- with a naturally aspirated V12 engine and 450 horsepower.

Other features include -- a $2k Apple CarPlay installation Bluetooth and plug-in, as well as brand new tires and brake pads. It has just over 50,000 miles on it.

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Now's the chance to ride like Eva!!!

Marisa Abela Films Winehouse Scene in Costume Still Not Looking Like Amy

Amy Winehouse fans who got PO'd seeing Marisa Abela in costume for the biopic probably aren't gonna be happy with this latest update, 'cause it's still looking a little ... off.

TMZ obtained photos that were taken out in London Sunday afternoon, where the actress was in full costume portraying the late singer. As you probably know by now, Marisa was tapped to play Amy -- but people online are crying foul, saying it's a complete miscast.

Considering the massive amount of criticism early set photos received in the past few weeks, you might've thought the studio would make a tweak or two to Marisa's makeup or something -- but alas, as seen in these pics, they're forging ahead with what they got here.

Unclear what sort of scene they were shooting exactly -- but eyewitnesses tell us it looked like Amy's onscreen dad, Eddie Marsan, was dropping her off at a rehab center. That would make sense ... this film is focusing on Amy's rise to fame in the early aughts, when she was still living in London. By then, she'd already been using substances, alcohol and otherwise.

The backlash over Marisa's casting is likely to continue as the movie moves along in production -- frankly, MA looks nothing like Amy ... and while the real Amy Winehouse's own father says it's not a big deal at all, that's likely not gonna appease the diehard fanbase.

It's a bit weird everyone's so riled up over the fact Marisa's not a dead ringer for Amy. Truth be told, Hollywood's been in the habit of casting actors who don't necessarily look exactly like the iconic musicians they play, especially of late. Austin Butler excluded, of course.

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Plus, ya gotta imagine that the producers -- who are working on this with a blessing from Amy's estate -- want to do her legacy justice ... so a little trust goes a long way for this sort of thing. As they say, it's not always about the look -- but, more so, the essence.

Bottom line ... Marisa still has the potential to wow everybody, so we'll just have to wait and see what comes of the performance when 'Back to Black' eventually hits theaters.

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In the meantime, let go of all your Lady Gaga fancast dreams, people -- coulda, woulda, shoulda ... but it isn't so. Give Marisa a chance!

'Gossip Girl' Star Jordan Alexander Reboot Was Canceled ... But I'm Happy It Even Happened!!!

LOOKIN' AT THE BRIGHT SIDE
TMZ.com

"Gossip Girl" star Jordan Alexander isn't shedding any tears or holding a grudge after the reboot series was canceled ... instead, she's finding the positive in an awesome experience.

We caught up with Jordan shortly after word got out that HBO Max wasn't bringing back the show for a 3rd season ... which, naturally, sent some fans into a frenzy.

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Jordan obviously isn't thrilled the show got canned, but tells us she's looking on the bright side of it all ... telling us starring in the series was the greatest experience of her life.

Our photog asked if canceling the revival show with such a diverse cast felt like more of a disservice, to which Jordan said she was just happy it happened at all.

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The show's creator, Joshua Safran, seemed to share the same sentiment. In an IG post, he wrote, "The EPs and I will forever be grateful to the network and studio for their faith and support; the writers for their devious brains and dexterous talent; the superstar cast for being the greatest of collaborators and friends; and the crew for their hard work, dedication and love for the project. This was honestly the greatest set I ever worked on, top to bottom."

BTW, Jordan says she would be more than happy to do it all over again should the series find a new home.

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