Black Teen in TX Family Flees Due to Death Threats Over Cop Mounting Incident

PINNED TO THE GROUND
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The Black teen who was mounted by a white cop in Texas has evacuated her home -- along with the rest of her family -- following death threats over the viral video.

18-year-old Nekia Trigg is the woman in the troubling video, and her mother, Antanique Ray, and a few other family members have left their Forney, TX home ... fearing retaliation from local citizens and even law enforcement ... according to Nekia's attorney, Kim T. Cole.

Cole says a slew of the death threats were made via social media, including direct messages telling the family they got what they deserved during the incident with police. Cole advised the family to lay off social media while everything unfolds -- she's expecting the threats to increase.

MOM TOO
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We're told Antanique got arrested for an alleged altercation with cops as they escorted Nekia away in cuffs, but the day after she and the family packed their bags and went to an undisclosed location.

As for why the family fears law enforcement will retaliate ... we're told they have a general fear of the Kaufman County Sheriff's deputies after prior experiences close family friends have had with them.

We're told Nekia, who just graduated from HS, is worried about her mother facing jail time and fears she may have no place to live if Antanique has to serve time behind bars.

Cole says she plans to file a civil rights lawsuit on Nekia's behalf against Kaufman County and Deputy Conner Martin ... who literally straddled her and held her arms down above her head as she screamed saying she couldn't breathe.

Cops say they'd gotten reports Nekia was walking in front of cars, attempting to harm herself ... but the family refutes that.

Dog The Bounty Hunter Owes Nearly $1 Million from Suit ... Time To Pay Up!!!

Dog the Bounty Hunter is getting dogged over a lawsuit he lost back in the day, and the financial cloud hanging over his head has traveled from Mexico to California ... and now to Hawaii.

Here's the deal ... we're told Dog was arrested in Mexico in 2003, and hired a lawyer who ended up helping the reality TV star out of a jam, but they got into a disagreement over the fees. Dog ended up suing, the lawyer sued back, and it became a big mess.

At the end of the day, Dog took the 'L' -- he was hit with a judgment in 2013 for around $880,000. That was filed in California, but according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... the lawyer is still trying to collect and now he's filed docs in Hawaii -- where Dog has a home -- hoping to chase down the money.

According to the docs, Dog now owes $880,916 plus interest ... so it's no wonder he's getting hounded.

We reached out to Dog, and he had no comment.

Ric Flair Released By WWE

UPDATE

10:08 AM PT -- Flair has released a statement on the move ... saying he has no beef with WWE and he's thankful for all the organization has done for his career.

UPDATE

"They solely are responsible for putting me in the position of life that I'm in right now, where I'm seen in the brightest light ever," Flair said Tuesday.

UPDATE

Flair says it was his request to be released from WWE ... and he's grateful to have it granted.

UPDATE

"We have a different vision for my future. I wish them nothing but continued success! Thank you for everything! Nothing but respect!"

Wrestling legend Ric Flair is no longer with WWE -- the Nature Boy has been released from his contract, the company confirms to TMZ Sports.

It goes without saying -- Flair is one of the most iconic wrestlers to enter the squared circle ... he's a 16-time world champ and has been a fan favorite since joining the World Wrestling Federation in 1991.

It's not the first time Flair has parted ways with McMahon's company -- he left in 1993 for WCW before returning to WWF in 2001.

72-year-old Flair had a cup of coffee with other promotions in the '00s -- including Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and Ring of Honor -- before returning to WWE in 2012. He stayed with WWE up until this week.

While Naitch is one of the most recognizable wrestling superstars on the planet, we're told the move is not a complete shock ... despite Flair re-upping with WWE last May.

At the time, Flair told Wrestling, Inc., "Well it's not for life but I hope [WWE keeps] renewing me. You never know, but I'm obviously not gonna go anywhere else if they didn't renew me."

We're told the split has been in the works ... and both sides ultimately came to an agreement recently.

Of course, if Ric wants to find work elsewhere, his buddy Tony Khan runs All-Elite Wrestling, which could be a possible landing spot.

Originally Published -- 6:25 AM PT

Rover Dog Sitter Loses Pet on the Job ... Pooch Mysteriously Killed, Owners Devastated

A dog sitter screwed up in a big way ... the dog she was caring for was killed, and the owners are crushed and don't believe the woman's story on what really happened.

Ashley Dingess and Nick Roa shared a Chihuahua/Yorkie mix named Gizmo ... they were going to Disneyland over the weekend and booked a dog sitter through Rover ... an app that pairs dog owners with dog sitters.

OUR WORST NIGHTMARE
TMZ.com

It went south fast ... Ashley and Nick say the sitter told them the dog ran away, which they say is B.S. because Gizmo is up there in years and had surgery recently on a bum leg, so she couldn't run fast.

The sitter finally fessed up and said she was running errands and the dog somehow escaped ... she may have jumped out the car window, but that's a hard one for Ashley and Nick to swallow. They just don't know and they say the dog sitter has been sketchy from the jump.

Gizmo ended up getting hit by a car and killed at the onramp of a nearby freeway -- and Ashley and Nick were notified of this by a Good Samaritan. Of course, they're devastated and furious ... and contacted Rover to complain.

We're told the company was apologetic and told them to submit their grievances in writing. In the meantime, they say Rover offered them $500 to cover cremations costs ... but to them, that's simply not enough to right this wrong. This is bigger than just money.

Ashley and Nick tell us they want this to serve as a cautionary tale for other pet owners looking to use Rover's services. Unclear if they're planning to take legal action.

A Rover rep tells us. "Our Trust and Safety team is investigating the incident and we are prepared to take appropriate actions, including removing the pet care provider from our community. Pending the outcome of the investigation, we've paused their account on our platform."

They continue, "Our hearts go out to all who loved Gizmo and we will continue to offer our support to his family. This experience is highly unusual on our platform: Over 40 million stays have been booked through Rover, with 97% of reviews receiving 5 stars."

Khabib Nurmagomedov I'm Done Fighting Forever ... Zero Plans To Come Back

CONTENT WITH COACHING
TMZSports.com

Khabib Nurmagomedov is retired FOR REAL ... so says the UFC superstar himself, who tells TMZ Sports there's absolutely no plans of a comeback in the works.

The 32-year-old laid down his gloves after beating Justin Gaethje in 2020 ... but given that he's still in the prime of his career, many believed he'd eventually make his way back to the UFC Octagon.

In fact, his longtime coach, Javier Mendez, recently told Betway Insider that Khabib "misses" fighting, adding, "I guess you could say he wants to fight again."

But, when we got Nurmagomedov out at Catch in Los Angeles over the weekend ... he emphasized over and over and over again that he's done.

"No," Khabib said when asked if he'd return. "No. No. No. No. No."

Khabib is clearly keeping his promise to his mother ... agreeing to never fight again following the tragic death of his dad (and coach), Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

Besides, The Eagle is obviously enjoying his post-fighting career as an MMA coach ... telling us he just flat-out loves it when his fighters win their matches.

As for the since-deleted comment Conor McGregor posted on social media about Khabib's dad ... we asked Nurmagomedov about it, and it's apparent he ain't pleased one bit with Conor.

Guess Who This Soccer Girl Turned Into!

Before this soccer sweetie was making audiences laugh with her kooky characters, she was just another kickin' cute kid scoring major goals in Springfield, Illinois.

This athletic star is best known for her hilarious sketch comedy on one of the longest-running weekly comedy shows on air. She has made a huge name for herself by standing out among the cast of comedians ... she's even branched out to the big screen with fellow alums for huge blockbuster films, including 'Ghostbusters' and 'The Boss.'

Now, this celebrity personality is starring in a new musical parody series.

Can you guess who she is?

Matt Damon I've Never Called Anyone Homophobic F-Word

Matt Damon says he didn't need to retire the homophobic f-word after all ... because he says he never used it in the first place.

The actor just tried to dig out from under an interview, where he was quoted as saying he only recently stopped using the f-word after his own daughter checked him hard.

Matt attempted to clear the air Monday, saying the quote from his interview with The Sunday Times was him recalling a discussion he had with his daughter where he tried explaining lots of progress has been made since he was a young kid growing up in Boston and hearing the f-slur used on the street before he knew what it meant.

MD told Variety ... "I have never called anyone 'f****t' in my personal life and this conversation with my daughter was not a personal awakening. I do not use slurs of any kind."

As we reported ... The Sunday Times reported Matt said in an interview his daughter called him out when he used the f-word in a joke -- she explained how the word is dangerous and he told her, 'I retire the f-slur!'

Now, Matt says he told his daughter the slur was uttered "constantly and casually" when he was younger and pointed out it was even used as a joke in his 2003 movie, "Stuck On You" ... adding she was incredulous the word was used so flippantly. He seems to be saying even though he heard it a lot growing up, he never used it himself.

Matt told Variety he stands with the LGBTQ+ community and says he understands why his quote led folks to assume the worst ... "I have learned that eradicating prejudice requires active movement toward justice rather than finding passive comfort in imagining myself 'one of the good guys.'"

Michelle pfeiffer & David e. Kelley unload pacific palisades mansion And In Record Time Too!!!

Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley have taken advantage of the blazing hot housing market by unloading their Pacific Palisades home in a flash ... TMZ has learned.

The couple listed the estate in July and it only took a week to get a solid offer. The house was listed at $25 million and our real estate sources say they got close to asking.

It's an eye-popping amount of loot, but it's by no means a bonanza for them. They paid $22,250,000 in January 2020 ... so with carrying costs, upgrades and realtor fees ... it's probably around the break-even mark.

The house is just over 10,000 square feet, with 7 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. It's right up against the Riviera Golf Course, which is prime real estate in the area. In addition to overlooking the golf course, it has ocean views as well. Of course, it has the requisite pool -- an infinity pool, no less.

The house was listed by Cindy Ambuehl at Compass.

Last we saw Michelle, she was overseeing the construction of a house they were building.  Word on the street is they have amazing taste, so the new house has gotta be awesome.

Skateboarding Star Terry Kennedy Charged With 1st-Degree Murder ... Facing Life In Prison

Skateboarding star Terry Kennedy has just been charged with 1st-degree murder ... TMZ Sports has learned.

A spokesperson for the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office tells us the charge was formally filed Monday afternoon ... after the man Kennedy allegedly attacked at an Illinois motel last week died over the weekend.

We're told Kennedy appeared in court for a bond hearing after the filing ... though the proceedings were continued until Tuesday morning.

Kennedy is now facing up to life behind bars if convicted.

As we previously reported, officials say Kennedy attacked 23-year-old Josiah Kassahun in Oakbrook Terrace, IL on July 27 and then fled the scene.

Details of the incident are still unclear.

Kennedy was eventually located, arrested, and initially booked for several charges, including aggravated battery in a public place and threatening a public official.

But, we're told Kennedy was hit with the murder charge after the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Kassahun's death on Saturday as a homicide.

We've reached out to Kennedy's reps for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Kennedy is a big star in the skating world ... he's appeared in the popular "Skate" video games -- and has often boarded with Rob Dyrdek over the years.

Story developing ...

Meghan McCain Beef With Mary Trump ... Leave Me and My Fam The F*** Alone!!!

The McCains and the Trumps continue to fire shots at each other ... and this time it's pitting John McCain's daughter against Donald Trump's niece.

Meghan McCain went scorched-earth on Mary Trump Monday after the former President's niece took a shot at her on "The View."

Mary, who secretly recorded her relatives for a book she wrote, beamed into the talk show for an interview about her famous family members, and she ripped Meghan for not being part of the discussion, saying it showed a lack of courage on MM's part.

Well, Meghan didn't take the dig too kindly and now she's going after Mary and the rest of the Trumps, saying ... "There is no 'good' Trump family member to me. Continue to wish they would all just leave me and my entire family the f*** alone."

It's unclear why Meghan was not part of the segment with Mary ... Meghan appeared in earlier segments of the show, but Mary was only fielding questions from Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines and Sunny Hostin.

As you know, Meghan is on her way out at "The View" ... and it looks like she's not going quietly.

biz markie's Wife Obamas wrote letter of condolences ... After Death

MEMORIES OF BIZ
BET
UPDATE

1:56 PM PT -- Biz Markie's celebration of life is just now wrapping up, and as expected ... it was an emotional ordeal, especially when the man's widow stepped to the podium.

UPDATE

Tara Davis delivered some heartfelt remarks during the memorial, and actually made a stunning revelation about who sent her condolences in the wake of Biz's death -- none other than the Obamas themselves wrote a letter expressing their sorrow, she says.

UPDATE

That truly speaks to Biz's impact and reach -- the former President and First Lady felt compelled to send thoughts and prayers to Tara ... pretty incredible, really.

UPDATE

His kids also spoke ... and expressed solemn remembrances, saying how much they'd miss him. All around powerful stuff -- but the Obama news might just be the headline.

Biz Markie is being honored in the wake of his death -- with friends, family and loved ones coming out to speak on his behalf in a major celebration of life ... and TMZ's live streaming the event.

The rapper's funeral took place early Monday in the Big Apple, with a public memorial service to follow ... which you can watch in full here.

Al Sharpton is set to deliver the eulogy -- and other MCs are also expected to be on hand during the proceedings ... including Fat Joe, LL Cool J, Papoose, Big Daddy Kane, Al B. Sure!, Leland Robinson, among others. It's unclear if any of them will actually deliver remarks.

Word is ... Biz will be dressed to the nines, courtesy of the Harlem fashion designer, Dapper Dan.

It's sure to be an emotional moment for New Yorkers and hip-hop fans alike -- as you know, BM was a trailblazer in the genre ... and was loved by many before his untimely death.

TMZ broke the story ... he died last month at the age of 57.

Originally Published -- 11:14 AM PT

DaBaby Apologizes to LGBTQ+ Community ... for 'Hurtful,' 'Triggering' Comments

DaBaby's finally doing a mea culpa ... he's apologizing for the third time over his homophobic rant that led to him getting 86'd from various music festivals and his hit song with Dua Lipa being dropped from playlists.

The rapper apologized with a lengthy statement Monday saying he's educated himself and knows better now following the vile comments he made at the Rolling Loud festival in Miami. He said, "I want to apologize to the LGBTQ+ community for the hurtful and triggering comments I made. Again, I apologize for my misinformed comments about HIV/AIDS and I know education on this is important. Love to all. God bless."

7/25/21
THE HOMOPHOBIC COMMENTS
Rolling Loud

The rapper suggested he's a victim of high-speed social media, saying, "Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you even have the opportunity to grow, educate, and learn from your mistakes. As a man who has had to make his own way from very difficult circumstances, having people I know publicly working against me -- knowing that what I needed was education on these topics and guidance -- has been challenging."

He went on to thank those who came to him "with kindness, who reached out to me privately to offer wisdom, education, and resources. That’s what I needed and it was received."

As we've reported ... Lollapalooza organizers yanked him from Sunday's lineup. Ditto for the UK's Parklife festival ... swift action was taken after DaBaby went on stage at Rolling Loud and said, "If you didn't show up today with HIV/AIDS or other STDs that'll make you die in 2-3 weeks" and "Fellas, if you didn't suck a n***a d**k in the parking lot."

DABABY'S EXPLANATION

The rapper tried to explain himself ... but instead made things worse. The vile comments drew outrage ... from Dua Lipa saying she was horrified to Leslie Jordan slamming DB's rant as stupid and clueless.

'intervention' Host ken seeley slams weeknd's 'sober lite' take ... Wrong Word, Buddy!!!

HARMFUL WORDS
TMZ.com

The Weeknd might think he's living the "sober lite" life -- but a renowned addiction interventionist says the language isn't just contradictory, but downright harmful.

Ken Seeley said as much Monday on "TMZ Live," where he broke down why Abel's seemingly innocuous choice of words here can be triggering and counterproductive to people who are actually fighting for their lives to stay sober ... truly sober, that is.

Check it out ... Ken firmly challenged both The Weeknd and Demi Lovato -- who recently said they were "California sober," implying Demi just smokes and drinks in moderation -- telling us the definition of sobriety isn't up for interpretation or cute twists, as the singers seem to be trying to concoct.

He also says addiction is a serious issue -- and the severity of that battle seems to be get diluted by folks making up terms that include sobriety ... that's his take, anyway.

As someone who used to habitually use crystal meth, Ken says he knows the difference between actual sobriety and recovery ... and suggests TW and DL use the latter phrasing if they are actually on that path.

Both artists are admitted former heavy drug users ... but it's unclear if they consider themselves straight-up addicts, per se.

Either way, Ken says it's time for them to show some dictionary discipline ... at least when it comes to the word "sober."

Bill & Melinda Gates Officially Divorced

UPDATE

11:04 AM PT -- We just obtained the final divorce documents, and here are some of the details. Neither party will get spousal support. Also, Melinda will not change her last name. The document says all property is divided pursuant to the "Separation Contract." Translation -- when they decided to split, they signed a document outlining who gets what.

UPDATE

They have no minor children so there are no child custody or child support issues. The separation contract also addresses support their kids get as adults.

Bill and Melinda Gates are each officially a very eligible bachelor and bachelorette ... because their bitter divorce is now a done deal.

Court records confirm the judge signed off on their divorce Monday ... talk about a way to start your week.

As we reported ... Melinda filed for divorce back in May after 27 years of marriage, and there was no prenup. Bill's net worth is estimated at more than $130 billion, so the divorce settlement could leave Melinda over $65 billion.

Melinda's been cashing in on the split for months ... remember, Bill lined her pockets with nearly $2 billion in stocks the day she filed divorce docs, and the following day, he hooked her up with 25 million shares of Mexican Coca-Cola.

The judge's signature ties a bow on an acrimonious divorce. As we reported, Bill's family was extremely upset with him earlier this year, when everyone BUT Bill went to a private island when they thought news of the divorce would be made public.

We're told the family is upset over allegations he was coming on to different women ... some of whom worked at his company.

Originally Published -- 10:12 AM PT

Wayne Brady I Don't Care About Racist Voicemail ... Caller Can 'Kiss My A**'!!!

THE THREATENING VOICEMAIL
TMZ.com
UPDATE

11:15 AM PT -- Wayne says he's not bothered by the voicemail, telling us he's heard much worse and telling the person who left the message to "kiss my a**."

UPDATE
THIS IS AMERICA
TMZ.com
UPDATE

WB joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday and told us the racist hate mail is the least of his worries. Wayne's happy to talk about it, telling us he hopes the incident can spark a bigger conversation on the social climate in America.

UPDATE

Wayne says the voicemail wasn't even clever and hopes the caller keeps watching him on TV ... and he tells us why people don't have to like him, but they better respect him.

Wayne Brady was the target of a racist, expletive-laced voicemail left at the studio where he films his game show ... and it's disgusting.

TMZ's obtained the audio of the message left at CBS Studios in L.A.'s Fairfax District where the affable comedian and singer hosts "Let's Make a Deal." The voicemail's as deplorable as it sounds ... with the caller dropping a couple of "f***ing n*****" bombs.

The audio lasts only 9 seconds but the caller spews plenty of racism and hate. It's unclear exactly what he's ranting about ... but it's clear he's no fan of Wayne's.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the message was left on the studio's voicemail system. We're told CBS security filed a report and immediately notified the LAPD.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the LAPD looked into it but, in the end, we're told cops determined the VM didn't rise to the level of a crime.

In any event ... sad to think someone feels this way about one of the nicest guys in Hollywood. #SMH

Originally Published -- 1:00 AM PT

Britney Spears Piggin' out ... Makes Potbellied Pal

Britney Spears desperately wanted to say "Aloha" to a curly-tailed cutie she spotted on her tropical vacay -- and she excitedly did just that when the opportunity presented itself.

The singer was spotted practically jumping for joy Sunday when she came across a potbellied pig in Hawaii ... where she and her BF, Sam Asghari, have returned for vacation again.

With all her recent conservatorship drama playing out in court, it's been a while since we've seen Brit looking so genuinely giddy as she does here. She completely freaked when she saw someone's pet pig out for a walk on Maui.

Britney bent down to pet and stroke the little guy. Apparently, she's gotten the word ... domesticated pigs are super smart, and make a nice alternative to cats and dogs.

Anyway, here's hoping this guy doesn't end up on a spit over a luau fire pit. Looks like Britney would be heartbroken.

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