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Derek Chauvin's defense attorney says his actions as a police officer were reasonable if one takes into account the full scope of George Floyd's arrest ... not just the notorious 9 minutes and 29 seconds he held his knee on Floyd's neck.

That's the crux of attorney Eric Nelson's closing argument for Chauvin, who Nelson says had to take into account the 17 minutes of action that led up to the 9-plus minutes, upon which he claims the prosecution is unfairly focusing.

According to Nelson ... Chauvin used his training and instincts as a police officer to respond to the situation in a way that was reasonable, arguing that his use of force on Floyd was justified.

However, Nelson also delved into the difficulty of interpreting the rules regarding "use of force," telling the jury it's incredibly hard to analyze, and once again ... can't be limited to 9 minutes and 29 seconds.

Nelson argued Chauvin's case needs to be examined from the point of view of an officer who is human and therefore "capable of making mistakes in highly stressful situations."

He adds ... "In this case, the totality of the circumstances that were known to a reasonable police officer in the precise moment the force was used demonstrates that this was an authorized use of force, as unattractive as it may be."

During his attorney's closing argument -- which lasted more than 2 hours before the judge let the jury break for lunch -- Chauvin removed his mask for an extended period of time. It was a bit odd, considering he'd been masked up all trial.

As we reported, the prosecution gave its closing argument earlier Monday, and stated Chauvin "had to know" he killed Floyd ... and that it was not an accident.

Renowned automotive engineer Sandy Munro believes it would be criminal for Tesla to hit the pause button on its self-driving car technology following a fatal crash this weekend ... because it's still doing way more good than harm.

The "Munro Live" YouTube host joined "TMZ Live" Monday to discuss the Saturday night accident in Texas, where 2 men in a 2019 Model S -- with Autopilot engaged -- were killed. Police say neither man was behind the wheel.

Sandy says this is simply an unfortunate reminder that the driver-assistance tech is not perfect yet -- which is why self-driving cars are not operational -- but he thinks it's getting there.

Much like Elon Musk did this weekend before the fatal Tesla wreck, Munro points out that vehicles with driver-assistance are already 8 times less likely to get into a crash than regular ones ... and in a very short time of being tested.

So, he strongly opposes any sort of knee-jerk reaction to what happened in Texas ... because he believes Tesla's Autopilot and similar features in other cars are making driving safer by and large.

As we reported ... cops say the 2 men who died in the fiery Tesla crash Saturday night were not driving the vehicle, but were instead in the passenger seat and rear seat when it failed to navigate a turn, ran off the road and slammed into a tree.

Worth noting -- Tesla warns that the Autopilot and full self-driving capability are "intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment."

Derek Chauvin's trial for the murder of George Floyd is in its final stages, with closing arguments for both sides ... and the prosecution says Chauvin "had to know" he killed Floyd.

Prosecutor Steve Schleicher told the jury Monday what Chauvin did, pressing his knee on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, was not an accident ... because Chauvin ignored George's pleas for help.

Schleicher explained all that was needed was a little compassion, but what George needed was oxygen ... and he got neither.

The prosecution again tried to blunt the centerpiece of Chauvin's defense, that Floyd allegedly died from a drug overdose and not the ex-cop's unforgiving knee, saying the medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.

Schleicher reiterated it's not a trial about the police department, it's a prosecution of one cop, telling the jury there's nothing worse for good police than bad police.

He also went over all the options available to the jury to convict Chauvin ... laying out exactly how they could arrive at guilty verdicts for any of the 3 charges: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder or second-degree manslaughter.

Remember, earlier in the trial Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo took the stand and ripped Chauvin for not following police policy with Floyd, saying Chauvin didn't learn to keep a knee on a neck for 9 minutes in the police academy.

"American Idol" contestant Cecil Ray forced his way into the home of his ex-girlfriend and struck her in the face when she refused to let him see the child he believes is his ... according to police in Texas.

A Rockdale PD officer says he got a call to a residence last week where Cecil -- full name Cecil Ray Baker -- allegedly entered the home of his ex, Mariah Lopez, and assaulted her.

According to the affidavit obtained by TMZ ... Lopez claims she wouldn't let Baker in, so he went to a locked back door and ripped it open to gain entry. She told police he then pushed her to the floor and "struck her in the face with a palm heel" before leaving.

Baker's sister told cops she witnessed the incident, and she claims he went to Lopez's place to see her daughter who he believes is his. According to cops, the sister mostly corroborated Lopez's version of events.

Police say they then tried to track down Baker, and learned that he had relocated to a nearby town. He was arrested a few days later on April 17 and booked for burglary of habitation, a second-degree felony in Texas.

Baker was released the same day on $15,000 bond.

Cecil Ray made it to the top 24, but was eliminated from 'Idol' last week.

Scottie Pippen has revealed his oldest son Antron Pippen passed away on Sunday. He was only 33.

"I'm heartbroken to share that yesterday, I said goodbye to my firstborn son Antron. The two of us shared a love for basketball and we had countless conversations about the game."

Scottie continued, "Antron suffered from chronic asthma and if he hadn’t had it, I truly believe he would've made it to the NBA. He never let that get him down, though -- Antron stayed positive and worked hard, and I am so proud of the man that he became."

Antron was born in 1987 to Karen McCollum -- who married Scottie in 1988 (they split in 1990).

Antron was a pretty solid basketball player who reportedly spent time hoopin' at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU). Clearly, Scottie believed he had real potential, if not for his medical condition.

Scottie did not reveal Antron's cause of death. However, he's asking fans to pray for his family.

"Please keep his mom, Karen, and all of his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. A kind heart and beautiful soul gone way too soon. I love you, son, rest easy until we meet again."

Antron also spent time playin ball at South Georgia Technical College -- and moments ago, the school paid tribute to their former player.

The fiery Tesla crash that killed 2 people in Texas was most likely the result of the car's Autopilot feature failing, as cops tell TMZ ... neither man was behind the wheel.

Physical evidence after the Saturday night crash led authorities to believe the 2 men in the Tesla 2019 Model S were not driving it when it failed to navigate a turn, ran off the road and hit a tree ... then burst into flames.

According to Mark Herman, the Harris County Precinct 4 constable ... one of the men was in the front passenger seat, and the other was in the rear seat when it was traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash.

Law enforcement sources tell us they'll be issuing subpoenas for information on the car to determine if it was indeed on Autopilot ... though that's their working assumption. We're told law enforcement is also in contact with Tesla honchos to determine what went wrong.

The men, ages 59 and 69, were with their wives minutes before the fatal wreck telling them about taking the Tesla out for a drive and wanting to use the driver-assistance feature ... according to Herman.

Demi Lovato has a lot of people scratching their heads over this one -- she got mad that a fro-yo shop advertises "diet" options ... something she considers triggering and harmful.

The singer took to IG Saturday to call out a frozen yogurt joint called The Bigg Chill ... which apparently has low-sugar/low-fat/fat-free goodies positioned toward the front of one of their stores and/or checkout counters.

She writes, "Finding it extremely hard to order froyo from @thebiggchillofficial when you have to walk past tons of sugar free cookies/other diet foods before you get to the counter."

Demi went on to tell them to "do better" ... and hashtagged her gripe with #dietculturevultures. If you're confused about what the heck she's upset about ... you’re not alone.

However, she elaborated with another comment, saying she's gonna use that hashtag to call out "harmful messaging" from brands that she believes perpetuate a society that enables and also praises disordered eating.

What she SEEMS to be saying ... by this place putting these low-cal foods in people's faces like this, they're also gaslighting/shaming them, and making them feel bad for wanting a treat, which Demi sees as hurtful -- especially for those who have eating disorders and body issues.

TBC responded to Demi in her DMs, which she published. They explained they have those alternatives for diabetics, folks with Celiac disease, vegans and a host of others who might want (or need) the so-called "diet" options. Demi appears to have realized ... she jumped to conclusions and perhaps even overreacted, as noted in her response.

She recommends that they label things better to be more inclusive. 🤷🏽‍♂️

The NYPD made the point traffic stops can go south fast -- but in doing so, they appear to have confused H2O for a harmful substance ... that's what the Internet's saying, anyway.

The department's news division posted a video Saturday that shows body cam footage of an NYPD officer making a "routine traffic stop" as they dubbed it. The cop asks for license/registration, and then the man gets out of the car ... to the confusion of the officer.

Before you know it, the guy chucks some type of liquid into the cop's mug, who stumbles back ... clearly shocked by what just happened. You hear his partner seem to ask what it was he threw, but then the video cuts out before you can see what happens next.

Now, NYPD claims this suspect doused the cop with a "chemical" before fleeing, tossing a Molotov cocktail ... before finally being arrested. They add the officer wasn't hurt.

Internet sleuths quickly attempted to pick this apart, however, and pulled screen grabs from the moment this guy threw whatever it was into the cop's face ... and at first glance, they're saying it looks an awful lot like a cup full of ice water without a lid or top -- nothing more.

Unclear if that is, in fact, what it was ... but to us, it does look like agua. Technically, that is a "chemical" in that it's made up of elements from the periodic table ... but the police make it seem like bleach or something that was tossed here. The NYPD hasn't elaborated.

Folks are also questioning their "Molotov cocktail" description ... wondering if it was actually what you'd consider a traditional bottle firebomb, or if it was just the container seen in this video. The NYPD posted an additional photo of what they say is a Molotov cocktail recovered from a traffic stop, but they don't directly connect it to this suspect/sitch here.

We've reached out to the NYPD for clarification ... so far, no word back.

Deshaun Watson claims at least 5 of his accusers performed massage therapy on the QB after alleged sexual misconduct incidents ... and the NFL star believes it's proof the women are lying.

Watson just filed new court docs responding to the 22 female massage therapists who have filed lawsuits against him. And, now that he knows the identities of his accusers, he's going after them one by one.

"In the few days since Mr. Watson has learned the identity of his accusers, his legal team has already uncovered evidence that numerous allegations in this onslaught of cases are simply not true or accurate," Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, says in the court docs.

Hardin lays out 6 points which he believes will help to prove his client's innocence ...

--"After the massage therapy sessions with Mr. Watson, 8 plaintiffs bragged about, praised, and were excited about massaging Mr. Watson"

--"7 plaintiffs willingly worked or offered to work with Mr. Watson after their alleged incidents"

--"3 plaintiffs lied about the number of sessions they actually had with Mr. Watson"

--"3 plaintiffs lied about their alleged trauma and resulting harm"

--"5 plaintiffs told others they wanted to get money out of Mr. Watson"

--"5 plaintiffs have scrubbed or entirely deleted their social media accounts"

Hardin clearly believes any woman who would work with Watson after suffering such trauma during an alleged sexual misconduct incident is lying.

Hardin claims he has proof that 5 accusers "chose to work with Mr. Watson even after they claim he acted offensively and aggressively in prior sessions."

"This, of course, raises the question of why they would agree to follow-up therapy sessions when they claim their experiences made them feel like they 'wanted to vomit' and caused them to 'no longer accept massage clients, for fear of a repeat of this type of harassment.'”

As for Hardin's claim that some of the accusers are scrubbing their social media accounts, he believes they're doing it to rework their images.

Watson names four accusers and says, "Before their names became public, their accounts contained pictures that are inconsistent with the image they portray through their petitions."

One of Colton Underwood's first orders of business as a new openly gay man was to hit the town and dip his toe into the scene -- but it looks like he got distracted along the way.

The former 'Bachelor' -- who just came out publicly last week -- went to a gay bar in Denver Sunday ... a place called Charlie's, which seems like a pretty happening place complete with a dance floor, private booths and bumpin' music.

All that was in full flex while Colton was there ... but based on these pics and video we got of him there, dude was more interested in his phone, at least for part of the night.

Anyway, eyewitnesses tell us CU was at Charlie's with his friend, and mentor of sorts, Gus Kenworthy. The Olympic skier's kinda showing Colton the ropes in the community ... and will be featured on Colton's Netflix docuseries.

Welcome to the Dozens ... starring Barack Obama?!?

He's got jokes! Fat jokes. Gambling jokes. Shaq jokes!! Plus, actual information about the COVID vaccine (no joke!)!!

Obama sat down virtually with Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal as part of ATTN:'s "Roll Up Your Sleeves" special on NBC ... where the goal was to educate the public about some of the misconceptions about the vaccine.

But, before he got down to business ... Obama had a little fun at Shaq and Barkley's expense!

Obama razzed Chuck for his famous gambling habit and joked with Shaq about how the Big Man endorses every business on the planet!

And then came the fat joke ...

Obama congratulated Barkley on his daughter's recent wedding -- and brought up how Charles mentioned how he wanted to slim down for the event.

"You also felt like you need to get in shape because The Hora (the traditional Jewish dance) ... when you're lifting the chair, nobody could do that at your current weight!"

Don't freak out, it was all in good fun -- and Barkley laughed it off.

"I survived the Hora! No one got hurt -- it was the best day of my life!"

As for the vaccine ... here's the gist of what Obama had to say.

-- "A lot of the underlying conditions, things like diabetes, folks who have preexisting conditions ... there is more of that in communities of color than there is generally, which means we're more vulnerable."

-- "A lot of young people think ... 'Even if I get COVID, it's like a bad cold.' But part of what we're seeing now is there is a different strain of the virus that's come over. That's not the dominant variant and it's actually hitting young people harder than the original version."

-- "We don't know the kinds of long terms effects that were having. There's some folks who get it and 6 months later and they're still not feeling quite right."

Obama also brought up how measles used to "kill people all the time" before vaccines.

He also mentioned the Tuskegee experiments and how it has become a reference point for Black people who don't trust the government when it comes to health care.

"The irony is when you know about the Tuskegee experiment, what's going on there is the government withheld treatment that was available for Black men for Syphilis. They didn't give them medicine they needed."

"So, here's a situation where if the medicine is available, we need to take it."

Dog the Bounty Hunter says Daunte Wright would still be alive today if police departments around the country heeded his call for law enforcement to switch from lead bullets to non-lethal ammo.

Dog tells TMZ ... he's apprehended tons of criminals during his career, and shot a good number of them, but he's never found a need for lead bullets and doesn't think cops need them either.

Dog's got an interesting perspective on the latest round of fatal police-involved shootings -- he's laying less blame on cops and guns, and more on their choice of ammo ... lead bullets made to kill.

The way Dog sees it ... 20-year-old Daunte could have been taken into police custody safely if Kim Potter, the former cop who fatally shot him, was using non-lethal bullets.

As you know, Potter claims she confused her Taser and her Glock and fired one deadly round.

It's another small step for man and giant leap for mankind -- this on Mars, where NASA just pulled off the first-ever powered flight on another planet ... courtesy of a mini helicopter.

NASA flew the aircraft, dubbed Ingenuity, and beamed in the live stream first thing Monday morning. Sending it instructions all the way here (some 180 million miles away) ... this little chopper got up off the ground at about 10 feet!

It's a historic feat ... marking the first time we've ever flown something that wasn't a rocket on another celestial body in our solar system. Think of it as the Wright Brothers flying the first plane on Earth -- this is like that, only it happened on Mars, with no one aboard ... and slightly better video!

As for the specs of how NASA was able to make it happen ... it sounds like they just had to tweak a few things for Ingenuity to achieve liftoff on the Red Planet.

For starters, Mars' atmosphere is quite thin compared to ours -- only about 1% as dense -- and it also has less gravity than what we're working with here. So, to account for that, NASA built this thing with much bigger blades that rotate incredibly rapidly ... around 2,537 RPM.

Now that they know Ingenuity can indeed get some air ... the plan is to test its capabilities and see if it can help us navigate and explore the mysterious red planet some more.

Mike Mitchell -- one of the founders of The Kingsmen, the '60s rock band known for their recording of the massive hit, "Louie Louie" -- has died.

Mike, the band's guitar player, died Friday on his birthday. Kingsmen drummer Dick Peterson says ... "We are deeply saddened by Mike’s passing. He was the kindest and most generous man on the planet."

He adds ...  "For the past 57 years, we have been playing colleges, fairs, and festivals, vintage car shows and rock n’ roll shows throughout the USA. Mike is irreplaceable, and he will be greatly missed not only by us but the fans as well. Mike was a favorite for his comedic nature as well as his musicianship."

The Kingsmen formed in Portland, Oregon in 1959, but became garage rock icons 4 years later in 1963 with their famous cover of Richard Berry’s 1957 song "Louie Louie."

The song held the #2 spot on the Billboard charts for 6 non-consecutive weeks, and inspired rock bands for generations ... being subsequently covered by other groups like The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, The Troggs, The Sonics, The Beatles, Mothers of Invention, Motörhead, Black Flag and Iggy Pop.

Though the other founding members of The Kingsmen split off, Mitchell -- who delivers the iconic guitar solo on "Louie Louie" -- remained for 62 years.

Another famous guitarist, Joe Walsh, offered his condolences to Mitchell's family, saying ... "I learned to play the guitar because of Mike Mitchell. I know every one of his solos, mistakes and all. We’re losing the good guys."

Mike is survived by his children, Samantha and Max.

He was 77.

"Lucifer" star Tom Ellis and his screenwriter wife, Meaghan Oppenheimer, got a devil of a scare in the mail ... cops are investigating a strange package sent to the couple.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... someone sent a glitter package last month to Tom and Meaghan's Los Angeles home, and we're told the couple found the delivery creepy enough to call cops and file a police report.

We know what you're thinking -- what the hell's a glitter package??? We're told it was a box filled with glitter, which might not sound all that menacing -- however, what concerned the couple is that it was addressed to Meaghan ... and not her more famous hubby.

LAPD's Threat Management division is now on the case, and we're told they do have a lead on a suspect.

The L.A. Lakers will NOT visit Joe Biden at the White House next week to celebrate their 2019-20 NBA championship -- but it ain't a protest.

Unlike every NBA team during the Trump administration, the Lakers are NOT choosing to skip the Biden visit for political reasons -- it's all about COVID protocols and scheduling conflicts, according to multiple outlets.

The Lakers will be in D.C. to take on the Washington Wizards on April 28th -- and championship teams have historically scheduled the celebratory White House during road trips in the area.

But, it won't happen this time.

However, the Lakers -- including superstar LeBron James -- are open to a future meeting with President Biden ... possibly later or even after the season.

Hey, they're all busy people!

Plus, the NBA has strongly discouraged teams from participating in large public gatherings -- which could be one of the reasons they're pressing pause on the White House visit for now.

During President Trump's term -- zero NBA or WNBA championship teams visited the White House.

The Warriors, Raptors and Lakers were all outspokenly against the visit -- and Trump, in turn, either withdrew his invitation or never extended one.

Same with the WNBA teams and nearly every major college basketball champion with one exception ... the Baylor women's team visited after their 2019 title win.