TMZ.com Home

Ben Crump, attorney for George Floyd's family, says Derek Chauvin has no chance to successfully appeal his guilty verdict ... and it's all because of what at least one juror is saying about the murder trial.

Crump tells TMZ ... Juror #52, Brandon Mitchell, shed a lot of light on the Chauvin deliberations and, in the process, "completely obliterates" any argument the defense is planning to make about outside public opinions swaying the jury.

You'll recall, Chauvin's defense attorney, Eric Nelson, asked Judge Cahill for a mistrial because Rep. Maxine Waters had encouraged folks to "get more confrontational" while protesting if Chauvin wasn't found guilty.

Nelson felt that her remarks might pressure the jury to return a guilty verdict, but Judge Cahill wouldn't bite -- and now, Crump says Brandon confirms that didn't happen.

He told Gayle King this week ... he and his fellow jurors felt no outside pressure to reach a guilty verdict, and reached their decision based on the facts presented in court.

Crump says Brandon's comments will play a big factor when and if an appeal is filed.

As you know, the jury found Chauvin guilty on all counts and he could get up to 40 years in prison when he's sentenced in June.

There was a spectacular site above the Gulf of Mexico early Sunday, when the SpaceX Dragon capsule careened and then floated into the sea with 4 astronauts on board.

The 4 astronauts -- 3 from the U.S. and 1 from Japan -- ended their 167-day mission ... the longest ever for a crew capsule launching from the United States.

The Dragon capsule -- named Resilience -- had a welcoming party at the ready. Several ships were nearby to recover the capsule and the astronauts. It was a perfect landing, judging by how close the capsule touched down next to the ships.

The seamen jumped into action and recovered the spaceship in a half an hour. Some people were so impressed with the speed, they likened it to a pit stop at a car race.

The folks at Mission Control were ecstatic ... sending a message to astronauts ... “We welcome you back to planet Earth and thanks for flying SpaceX. For those of you enrolled in our frequent flyer program, you’ve earned 68 million miles on this voyage.”

Spacecraft Commander Mike Hopkins was more than willing to accept the perk ...“We’ll take those miles. Are they transferrable?”

Charles Manson's original booking sheet following his arrest for the grisly Manson Family murders is up for sale ... but anyone looking to add it to their creepy crime collection is going to have to drop almost $100k, and maybe more.

The booking docs are 2 pages long and list Manson's physical details along with his hometown (Cincinnati, spelled incorrectly), his address (Transient), his occupation (Musician), but most notably ... the fact he was arrested for robbery and homicide and was facing 7 counts of murder.

The form is dated December 9, 1969 -- a few months after Manson's followers killed Sharon Tate and 6 others in August in Los Angeles -- and the second page includes 2 of Manson's fingerprints. The officer who fingerprinted him is listed with the last name Tate.

The second page also includes the name Juan Flynn at the top, presumably the same Juan Flynn who stayed at Manson's Spahn Ranch and testified Manson told him shortly after Tate's murder ... "Don't you know I'm the one who's doing all these killings?"

The booking form is on sale by Moments In Time, with an asking price of $95,000. We're told the site acquired the documents from a collector of historical crime items.

As you know ... Manson and 3 of his followers were convicted in 1971 of murder and conspiracy in the 1969 killings after a 9-month trial, the longest murder trial in history when it occurred.

Iowa Hawkeyes star Luka Garza -- voted the best college basketball player in 2021 -- is letting his haters be his motivators ... telling TMZ Sports he's using all the doubters as fuel to becoming a true NBA star.

The 6'11" big man was an absolute beast on the court this past season ... averaging 24 points and 8 rebounds a game.

Some experts have wondered whether 22-year-old Garza's athleticism will hurt his chances at success in the quickly evolving NBA ... but he tells us he's heard all the negativity and is ready to prove he belongs at the next level.

"I love it!" Garza says. "I love to hear it. I love to see it. It's fun for me! They don't know it because they probably don't like me, but it's helping me."

Garza says he's heard the naysayers throughout his career ... and he'll continue to put in the work needed to be a valuable asset to any team willing to take a chance on him.

"I have full confidence in myself that I can be an effective guy for any organization because I play hard as I can, I work as hard as I can."

"I'm excited about the process, it's gonna be a lot of fun and I'm excited to make my dreams come true."

Garza says he's working "harder than ever" as he focuses on the NBA Draft ... and is hoping to prove he's a first-rounder.

"I think they're gonna get a player who's gonna play every single game like it's my last. I'm a hardworking dude. I'm open to criticism."

But, Garza isn't just busting his ass on the court -- he's been working non-stop to help star athletes monetize their likeness as well ... creating his own NFT group in hopes of making that happen.

Garza says the NCAA should hop on board with the movement ... especially since it wouldn't take any money from their pockets.

"I think that's the biggest draw to it is for the NCAA, we're creating a new revenue stream that we don't have to take away. We won't have to get a salary from the university."

"We won't have to bother any of the advertisement deals they already have or the TV contract they have. That's still theirs but this is a way that we can make money for ourselves with not even touching the NCAA's money and what they've been able to do."

Ellie Kemper's good looks are truly something to celebrate!

Here is a 28-year-old version of the comedic actress looking bangin' at a party in Los Angeles back in 2009 (left). This was the same year Kemper landed the role of Erin Hannon on NBC's "The Office".

And, 12 years later ... she has a lot to celebrate -- including her 41st birthday which is this weekend -- she's been sharing snaps of her life on Instagram and posted a pic earlier this year showing off her famous smile (right).

The talented star has since worked on a number of projects, including her show "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt".

She gets the Dundie for ageless looks.

The question is ...

Hidden within this eye-catching photo is an award-winning actor who made a big splash on Hollywood after being in a number of iconic films throughout his career.

This famous fella started his acting career in the '80s and went on to star in major blockbuster films such as that have included forests, islands and other big roles! He's made appearances on television shows and is also known for his voice acting.

If you thought Utah Republicans forgot all about Senator Mitt Romney turning his back on Donald Trump -- welp, they haven't. Exhibit A ... this tidal wave of boos.

The Utah U.S. Senator showed face Saturday at a GOP convention at the Maverik Center in his home state -- but not one of the 2,000 or so delegates on hand seemed all too happy to see him step to the podium ... and they made their displeasure known, very loudly.

Check out this brutal scene ... the entire building is straight-up booing the man, with no shame whatsoever. He was also reportedly met with taunts and jeers, likening him to a "communist" and a "traitor." Unfortunately for Romney, he got booed the hell off stage.

We'll give him credit -- he tried holding his own up there for a while, even bringing up Biden's first 100 days, seemingly in an effort to curry favor with the Utah crowd. They weren't having any of it, though ... and Romney eventually addressed the elephant in the room.

He said it's no secret he wasn't the biggest fan of Trump's "character" before someone came to get him. That's an understatement if we ever heard one -- and big-time downplaying.

Fact is ... Romney drew his line in the sand many times over, especially with his impeachment votes. You might recall ... he twice voted to convict Trump at his trials, agreeing that the guy had either 1) abused his presidential power or 2) incited an insurrection. Trump was acquitted in both instances.

Caitlyn Jenner has a take on trans athletes you might not expect -- namely, if you're born as a biological boy, you shouldn't be allowed to compete in girls' sports ... at least while you're still in school, anyway.

We got the California gubernatorial hopeful Saturday in Malibu, and she weighed in on her first big political issue as she takes center stage in her run for Gavin Newsom's job -- telling TMZ she doesn't support trans girls born as boys participating in all-female school sports.

Yeah, we know ... it's a pretty interesting stance -- especially coming from Caitlyn ... who of course, is a trans woman herself AND a former Olympic champion. But, check out her rationale ... she chalks it up to fairness and protecting the integrity of girls' sports.

It's a hot-button issue right now across the country -- upwards of 34 states are considering legislation that would ban trans athletes from competing based on their gender identity ... and at least five have already turned the bills into law.

Caitlyn's words here are HUGE ... She's staked out her position and it's a stark contrast to Newsom's views.

Now, for some numbers -- because this isn't as black and white as it may seem. While some argue trans girls would naturally perform better in athletics because of higher testosterone levels ... that's not entirely true, at least not across the board, anyway -- so say scientists.

There are studies examining this topic -- and they suggest that while, yes, trans women have tended to perform better against their cisgender counterparts in certain activities -- running events appear to be the big one -- it's not conclusive that their testosterone levels alone are the sole cause for that ... and it's not always the case either.

More importantly, the studies suggest that once trans girls start getting hormone therapy ... their performances tend to level out across different sports -- and by and large, all things end up being roughly equal. It also appears most athletic orgs require trans athletes to be on hormone therapy.

Jack Harlow was feet away from what turned out to be a fatal shooting in Kentucky this weekend -- and TMZ's got video of the moment shots were fired ... and Jack scrambling.

The rapper -- who hails from the Louisville area -- was partying at a place in town called Vibes Restaurant and Ultra Lounge ... which was throwing a shindig in honor of the Kentucky Derby, something Jack himself had attended earlier in the day Friday.

Later that night, he stopped in at Ultra Lounge ... where he was filmed vibing out near the stage. Check out the video though -- it looks like an altercation unfolds with a woman and at least one man ... who then start leaning into each other before falling over in a scuffle.

Right at that moment, you hear what sounds to be a gunshot go off ... and everyone starts making a run for it, including Jack. It doesn't appear he was injured -- but we got calls in to his rep to make sure.

While it's unclear what exactly led up to the violence or who shot ... it sadly ended with someone losing their life. Police have said a woman was found dead from the shooting and a man was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Well this is kinda awkward -- it's just 7 days until curtain call for Elon Musk and the 'SNL' team, and he's out here openly brainstorming skits on Twitter, which screams ... unprepared.

The Tesla CEO took to Twitter Saturday -- a full week before he's set to host in NYC --- and he was actually fielding ideas from randos about good sketches he and the cast could do. He might just be screwing around ... OR, maybe he has no idea what's actually in store.

Here are just a few possibilities he's kicking around between himself and his followers -- he suggested "Woke James Bond," "Irony Man" (who defeats villains using the power of irony), "Baby Shark Tank" (self-explanatory) ... and he even entertained a Dogecoin idea.

Someone suggested he do a riff on the 'The Godfather' ... and spin it like the Dogefather, which he's been nicknamed for helping catapult the cryptocurrency into the mainstream.

Elon simply responded ... "Definitely."

Again, it's likely Elon's just joshing around and simply teasing his appearance altogether. However, another scenario exists ... that the 'SNL' team might not have filled him in entirely as to what skits are in play (yet), which isn't all that crazy considering the bad blood that's been brewing since the announcement.

If you haven't heard, a few cast members publicly decried Elon being tapped as host -- namely, Bowen Yang and Aidy Bryant ... who didn't seem to dig the idea of cozying up to Elon. Yang openly mocked a tweet Elon posted, which said, "Let's find out just how live Saturday Night Live is" ... to which Yang responded, "what the f*** does this even mean?"

Bryant was a little more subtle ... posting a quote from Bernie Sanders about the incredibly wealthy class in this country -- to which Elon belongs. He's a multi-billionaire these days.

Olympia Dukakis -- the Oscar-winning actress best known for her role in 'Moonstruck' -- has died ... this according to her family.

Her brother, Apollo, broke the sad news Saturday ... taking to Facebook to update fans that his sister had passed in New York City. He adds, "After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her Louis." Her husband, Louis, died in 2018.

Dukakis is perhaps most remembered for her turn as Cher's mother in the 1987 rom-com -- in which she played a wise-cracking matriarch who dealt with her daughter's relationship woes ... and those of her own as well.

She'd starred in countless other movies and shows over the years too -- most notably, 'Steel Magnolias,' all of the 'Look Who's Talking' movies, 'Mr. Holland's Opus,' 'Working Girl,' 'Over the Hill,' 'Mafia!' 'In the Land of Women,' 'The Cemetery Club,' 'Charlie's War,' and countless others. Dukakis was known for her comedic chops ... but she could do drama just as well.

Her television career was perhaps just as prolific ... Dukakis has appeared on a number of hit shows over the years, including "Search for Tomorrow," "Tales of the City," "Touched By an Angel," "The Simpsons," "Center of the Universe," "Frasier," "Joan of Arc," "Bored to Death," "Law & Order," "Sex & Violence," "Forgive Me," "TripTank," "Switch" and more.

Dukakis had won and been nominated for Golden Globes and Emmys ... this on top of her Oscar win in '88. Even before her on-screen success, Dukakis was a decorated stage performer ... having performed in over 100 productions, including both Broadway and off-Broadway shows.

Of course, she's also former Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis' cousin -- so her family name is incredibly famous.

She's survived by her 3 children and siblings. Olympia was 89.

RIP

Derek Chauvin deserves to be locked up for much longer than what the state of Minnesota's guidelines suggest ... that's according to the state's Attorney General, who's citing the ex-cop's "particular cruelty" toward George Floyd.

Minnesota AG Keith Ellison filed docs this week asking Judge Cahill to impose a stiffer sentence come June than he otherwise might under state sentencing guidelines, which recommend just 12.5 years. Cahill doesn't have to play it by the book, though, and could give Chauvin the max of 40 years.

If he's going over 12.5 years ... Cahill would have to find evidence of aggravating factors in the case, and Ellison says there's more than enough of that.

While Ellison didn't say exactly what the state is seeking in terms of a sentence ... it sounds like they want Chauvin behind bars for way longer than just a decade and change -- arguing the guy was especially cruel while killing Floyd, as evidenced by the number of times he ignored Floyd's screams.

Ellison notes Chauvin stayed on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes, despite the fact George was telling cops how much pain he was in ... that he couldn't breathe ... and that he was going to die. Floyd complained about not being able to breathe a whopping 27 times.

Chauvin's defense attorney, Eric Nelson, is arguing for the opposite -- saying Chauvin was authorized to use that force for an actively resisting suspect. The problem with that argument is Chauvin's own superiors testified he'd broken department protocol.

Ellison's filing is interesting in light of what he said on "60 Minutes" last week -- that Chauvin shouldn't get the maximum sentence just to set an example. Instead, he said the judge should give him whatever the case merits.

Jennifer Lopez was hanging out with Ben Affleck this week, setting the Internet on fire with proclamations they're back together. Not so, and we have an explanation.

True ... they spent time together, but we're told they're strictly friends. Fact is, they've been friends for a long time following their difficult breakup. There's no such thing as "never," especially in Hollywood, so it's always possible something could be rekindled, but there's no evidence of that now.

J Lo seems to have an M.O. in relationships gone south -- keep it friendly. She's also spent time with both ex-fiance Alex Rodriguez and ex-hubby Marc Anthony since her breakup with A-Rod. Maybe part of it is getting comfort from those she knows, but whatever it is she doesn't drop people like hot potatoes when the romantic thing doesn't work out.

Marc Anthony is a special case, since they share 2 kids. Again, it was a tough breakup but ultimately things got repaired so they could have a civil relationship and co-parent.

What's more, J Lo has maintained business relationships with some of her exes ... notably Marc Anthony and A-Rod.

As you know, J Lo and A-Rod called it quits after 4 years of dating and getting engaged in March 2019. They dodged a bullet ... were it not for the pandemic, they probably would have married.

A New York radio host is getting dragged for asking the freshly-minted Jets QB about his "hot mom."

WFAN host Craig Carton scored an interview with Zach Wilson, the #2 draft pick, and asked about his mother -- who got lots of attention during the draft. Zach's mom is undeniably attractive and lots of folks commented, but raising it with her son is a whole other Oprah.

Carton said, “Your mom has become the lead story, and I say that respectfully because people are like, ‘the star of the first round of the draft is Mrs. Wilson because she’s a very attractive woman.’"

He went on ... “And, I’m just wondering how awkward that is for you, that you just got picked second overall in the NFL draft, and the focus is, wow, his mom is really hot."

The 21-year-old QB from Utah responded, “Yeah, it’s not my favorite for sure. I like to keep her out of the spotlight. She’s an awesome lady and I love having her support.”

Carton drew some heavy fire but stood his ground, saying, "Appreciate how sensitive u r but b sure 2 listen 2 what I said versus what u assume I said. I asked him how awkward it was that the Post wrote story about his moms looks, also the #1 trending topic online all day. I didnt ask him bout her looks or 2comment on them Big difference."

In case you're wondering, Zach's mom is Lisa Wilson. She calls herself a "fitness fanatic" and posts lots of pics highlighting healthy cooking and her fam. She's been married for 24 years.

We don't post jokes on TMZ, but this one is so frickin' hilarious we made an exception.

Bill Maher was on his game per usual Friday night, and he riffed on a story about a school kid's science project designed to answer the question ... "Does your cat's butthole really touch all the surfaces in your home?"

Kaeden Griffin, a 6th grader from Tennessee, and his mom -- who was homeschooling the boy -- decided to crack the case by putting red lipstick on the buttholes of their 2 felines. The cats went here and there in the house and mother and son chronicled their results.

In case you're wondering ... long and medium-haired cats made no butthole contact with soft or hard surfaces, but the buttholes of short-haired cats never touched hard services. Sounds like a smear campaign if you ask us.

Anyway ... Bill's take on 'Real Time' is just hysterical. Watch and laugh your ass off.

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan are at odds over the 'Magic Mike' franchise ... the exes are fighting over money and want a court to intervene and settle the dispute.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... one of the lingering issues in the wake of the divorce stems from holdings related to the 'Magic Mike' franchise, which they built together during their marriage.

Remember, Jenna helped Channing find a choreographer for the live 'Magic Mike' shows, and she moved to London to support their family when he was in production across the pond.

Our sources say Channing and Jenna have been unable to agree on how to split the assets from 'Magic Mike' ... we're told they were recently in intense mediation over percentages, but couldn't strike a deal.

Channing has turned 'Magic Mike' into a hugely successful business, with the movie, live shows and an upcoming reality show ... and our sources say there's a lot to sort out.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Jenna is requesting a trial in their divorce case to settle a number of issues, including a property settlement and spousal support. Jenna is currently engaged and recently had a baby with Steve Kazee.

Our sources say Channing and Jenna are in agreement about one thing ... the best path forward is to let the court step in and settle things once and for all.

We reached out to reps for both ... so far, no word back.