Jonathan Majors Lawyer Shows Texts From Alleged Victim ... Says Woman Admitted Fault

Jonathan Majors' attorney says she has receipts regarding the assault claims against her client -- texts in which the alleged victim admits she's to blame, and says she doesn't want the actor prosecuted.

Majors' lawyer Priya Chaudhry tells TMZ ... the woman in question sent a few texts to the "Creed III" actor hours after his arrest last weekend, "admitting that she was the one who used physical force against him."

In the texts Chaudhry claims the woman sent, she says how angry she was Jonathan had been handcuffed ... and she adds, "Will make sure nothing happens about this. I told them it was my fault for trying to grab your phone."

The text exchange continued a few hours later, with the woman reiterating she's pushing hard to make sure the D.A. doesn't charge Jonathan for the incident.

Chaudhry says she has turned these texts over to law enforcement.

As we reported, Majors was arrested for misdemeanor assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault, and harassment ... after the woman allegedly saw another woman texting him and tried to sneak a peek at his phone.

Chaudhry told us Sunday she was already working hard to gather evidence disproving the claims, which seems to include these texts ... and she believes there is also video footage from inside the vehicle where the alleged incident went down that will clear Majors.

We've reached out to the Manhattan D.A. for comment ... so far, no word back.

'Vanderpump Rules' Raquel Hanging at Tom & Ariana's Home

UPDATE

9:50 AM PT -- Tom Sandoval's rep tells TMZ ... "Raquel did not spend the night at Tom and Ariana’s house. She stopped by the house Wednesday afternoon for about a half hour to say goodbye to Tom before he left town."

Raquel Leviss is still spending quality time with Tom Sandoval, and they're cozy enough to be hanging together in the very home where Tom lives with Ariana Madix for years.

The "Vanderpump Rules" villainess -- to most fans -- was outside Tom and Ariana's place tossing a bag into the trunk of her car Wednesday around 4 PM.

Here's the thing ... Raquel was wearing some very comfy clothes and slides as she made her exit.

As for Tom's location, well he left his home about half an hour after Raquel ... on his way to catch a flight outta town.

Sandoval made his way to LAX around 7 PM, catching a Southwest flight to his hometown of St. Louis. He was flying solo, so apparently, he's not ready to bring Raquel home to meet the fam.

IN A HURRY
BACKGRID

Photogs brought up the elephant in the room at the airport -- as well as a couple more Qs, but the guy wasn't in the mood to chat, instead makin' a beeline to check his bag.

However, the fact he and Raquel are close enough to kick it where he lived with his ex is pretty telling about how close they remain, now that the 'Scandoval' dust is settling.

As we reported, Raquel was a no-show in court Wednesday for the hearing over her restraining order against Scheana Shay. She'd alleged Scheana attacked her over the affair ... but since she skipped court, the restraining order was dismissed.

Now we know what, or who, was more important than court for Raquel.

Originally Published -- 8:48 AM PT

Mama June Daughter Chickadee Has Stage 4 Cancer

Mama June's daughter Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell has been diagnosed with cancer, TMZ has learned ... and we're told the family has come together to help in any way they can.

Family sources tell TMZ ... 28-year-old Anna was diagnosed with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma in January. She initially was complaining about stomachaches and a series of tests were conducted, which is when the cancer was discovered in her liver, kidney and lung.

We're told she underwent her first round of chemotherapy last month, already losing hair as a result. Doctors are waiting to see how she reacts to the treatment before they make further decisions. Her family is "very hopeful" she'll pull through.

Anna's fam has been stepping up during the uncertainty ... we're told they've pulled together to help take care of Anna and her two kids, 10-year-old Kaitlyn and 7-year-old Kylee.

She's also got a boyfriend named Eldridge who's been by her side throughout the scary diagnosis ... we're rootin' for you, Anna.

Billie Eilish Downpour Cancels Mexico Concert ... Whatevs, I'll Go Acoustic!!!

THE SHOW GOES ON

Billie Eilish isn't letting mother nature rain out her parade -- when a severe storm forced her to cancel a show in Mexico, Billie played on with an acoustic set for her drenched fans.

The singer hit the stage at the Foro Sol CDMX Wednesday night in Mexico City ... the latest stop on her Happier Than Ever Tour -- but instead of performing her usual concert, Billie announced she had to switch things up.

She told the crowd she'd be unable to perform due to the heavy rain ... and she'd been told everyone had to go home.

CALMING THE CROWD

Clearly, though, Billie wasn't leaving that easily.

She told fans, "I thought it was stupid for me to leave without coming out saying thank you for being here, and standing in the f***ing pouring rain." Then she added she was still going to sing a few songs acoustically if the fans were down.

Of course, it wasn't the show anyone had planned ... but the mini-show seemed to go over well with fans as they cheered and sang along with Billie. She promised to make up the full concert at a later date. It's now been announced the rescheduled concert will be Thursday night.

COMPLETELY SOAKED

Billie was joined onstage by her brother and music partner Finneas O'Connell ... who strummed an acoustic guitar as she sang her heart out.

A very wet, but memorable night for Billie and her fans!

Nashville School Mass Shooting Killer Was Emotionally Torn Apart ... Over Close Friend's Untimely Death

The Nashville mass shooter was reportedly torn up over the death of a close friend months before unleashing a murderous attack at a Christian school.

Audrey Hale was totally devastated after Sydney Shere Sims was killed in a car crash in August, former classmate Samira Hardcastle told NBC News.

Hale "definitely admired" Sims as they together attended Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts and the Nashville School of the Arts, Hardcastle said.

Maria Colomy, one of Hale's former teachers at another school, recalled that Sims' untimely death was an emotional wrecking ball for her former student.

Colomy paraphrased Hale's social media posts about the accident, stating something to the effect that Sims was "all that mattered" and "I'll miss you forever."

3/27/23
ENTERING THE SCHOOL
Nashville Police Department

As we reported ... Hale went on a bloody rampage at Covenant School on Monday, fatally shooting three 9-year-old students and three employees in their 60s.

Two Nashville police officers shot and killed Hale on the second floor of the private elementary school.

Cops said Hale penned a manifesto detailing the school attack and identifying other potential targets.

Police Chief John Drake said Hale -- a 28-year-old biological female who identified as male -- was a former student at the school and resented having to attend classes there.

Drake said Hale's resentment toward the school was one of the motivations for the deadly assault. It's not clear if the impact of Sim's death on Hale was also a factor.

Yo Gotti Mass Shooting at His Memphis Restaurant ... 2 Dead, 5 Injured

A Tennessee restaurant owned by hip hop star Yo Gotti is the site of a mass shooting that's killed 2 people, and left at least 5 others injured.

Law enforcement officials tell TMZ ... cops were called to Prive restaurant in Memphis around 11:30 PM Wednesday after a barrage of gunfire erupted in the parking lot, following a confrontation inside the restaurant that eventually spilled outside.

We're told one man was found dead in the parking lot, and the other passed away at a hospital.

Police say 4 other men and one woman were also sprayed with bullets. All of them were driven in private vehicles to hospitals for treatment. Their conditions were not released.

While Gotti does own Prive, a source tells us he was not in Memphis last night ... and none of his family members are among the victims.

The assailant or assailants fled and are still at large. Police have not said what triggered the initial altercation.

Images surfaced online showing officers investigating the scene with crime tape around the perimeter of the restaurant and patrol cars parked in front.

11/17/21
MOMENTS AFTER THE SHOOTING
Low Key/Facebook

You might recall, Prive was temporarily closed in November 2021 for fear of retaliation violence after rapper Young Dolph was murdered about 10 miles away in Memphis. Police officers stood guard outside the establishment, but nothing happened.

We've reached out to Gotti's reps for clarity on what happened inside the restaurant prior to last night's shooting ... so far no word back.

Neil deGrasse Tyson Cool Your Jets, Elon and Co. AI's Not a Threat to Humanity

NOTHING TO FEAR!!!
TMZ.com

Neil deGrasse Tyson is amused by Elon Musk and others who think AI technology is a threat to humanity ... he thinks the doomsday bunch are watching too many movies.

We got the famed astrophysicist at LAX Wednesday, and he snickered at Musk, Steve Wozniak and 1,100 others who sounded the alarm in an open letter that AI has become a "dangerous race" that could imperil our very existence ... they want a 6-month moratorium on AI development to assess the risks.

The way Neil sees it ... it's nothing new. We have seen the twists and turns triggered by the technological revolution for more than 100 years. When jobs get replaced by machines, people find new jobs. And here's the big point ... if AI eventually takes over all jobs, we can all go to the beach. After all, going to work is not embedded in our DNA, so society could reimagine how humans live.

The beach vs. work ... so who you rootin' for?

Ex-'Bachelorette' Star Joshua Tylerbest Arrested For Child Porn Possession

Joshua Tylerbest -- a contestant on Katie Thurston's season of "The Bachelorette," who actually went pretty far -- has been arrested and charged with having child pornography on him ... TMZ has learned.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the IT consultant was busted last month in Miami -- law enforcement says a Google account registered to him was flagged for allegedly uploading approximately 50 images/videos showing child sexual abuse.

The cops got a search warrant of the Google account and claim they found evidence of Tylerbest interacting with the child pornography images.

Law enforcement says they then searched his residence and seized several electronic items, including his iPhone -- which they claim contained 15 files that fit the bill for child porn. Cops claim the clips include videos of kids -- some of whom are under 10 -- involved in graphic sex acts with adults.

He's now been formally charged with 15 felony counts of possession of materials showing a sexual performance by a child ... to which he has pled not guilty. Tylerbest is due back in court in June.

Like we said earlier, Tylerbest had a little bit of a run during Katie's time as the 'Bachelorette' in 2021. He made it through four weeks but was eliminated after that. There was nothing particularly scandalous about his time on TV and, at the time, he was relatively well-regarded.

He's continued to fraternize with fellow 'Bachelorette' stars, as documented on his social media -- he's hit the town with other contestants who were on the show.

It's unclear if anyone from 'Bachelor' nation is aware of his arrest ... no one from the show has publicly reacted yet.

Bill Leavy Longtime NFL Ref Dead At 76

Former NFL referee Bill Leavy -- who helped officiate Super Bowl XXXIV and Super Bowl XL -- died this week ... league exec Walt Anderson confirmed on Wednesday.

He was 76 years old.

Anderson did not reveal a cause of death ... but told Football Zebras in a statement that Leavy "was an outstanding official and an even better man."

"Always kind and thoughtful," said Anderson, the NFL's senior vice president of officiating, "Bill was instrumental in mentoring countless young officials throughout his career."

Anderson added, "His integrity earned him respect at every step of his football journey and the entire officiating community mourns his loss."

Leavy began officiating NFL games in the 1995 season -- and worked six years before he was assigned to help ref the Titans vs. Rams SB XXXIV. Leavy was just yards away from Mike Jones' game-winning tackle on Kevin Dyson.

Leavy was later promoted to ref in 2001 ... and went on to work his second Super Bowl, XL, in 2006. He lamented his performance in the game, saying he regretted booting some of his calls in the Steelers' win over the Seahawks.

Leavy worked his final game for the NFL in 2014 -- a playoff matchup between the Colts and Broncos. He went on to work for the league in retirement, helping in the hiring process of new officials.

In 2019, Leavy won the Art McNally Award -- arguably the highest honor for NFL officials.

"Saddened to hear of the loss of Bill Leavy," former NFL ref Gene Steratore tweeted Wednesday. "Bill was an excellent referee and just a joy to be around. Life is just too short. He was a great mentor and friend."

"Rest in Peace Bill."

Tory Lanez Wants New Trial in Shooting Conviction ... Rap Lyrics, Photo of Gun Tattoo Tainted Jury

Tory Lanez is not going down without a fight ... he has just asked a judge to throw out his conviction for shooting Megan Thee Stallion, claiming, among other things, prosecutors tried to dirty him up with irrelevant evidence.

Tory's lawyer, famed criminal defense attorney Jose Baez, claims in legal docs obtained by TMZ, prosecutors submitted a shirtless photo of Tory with a firearm tattoo on his chest. During trial, prosecutors said it was merely for identification purposes, but Baez is calling BS, saying prosecutors used the photo to underscore to the jury his client had a fondness for weapons.

There are numerous other grounds ... notably Baez says it was a reversible error for prosecutors to threaten to present Tory's rap lyrics to the jury.

JULY 2020
EXITING THE VEHICLE
TMZ.com

And there's this ... Baez says the jury heard an 80-minute interview prosecutors had with Kelsey Harris -- Megan's friend who was in the car the night of the shooting. The audio was devastating to Tory's case, but Kelsey later recanted a lot of what she said in that interview.

Baez also says it was wrong to admit an Instagram post that included a comment from one of Megan's producers, claiming cops had matched bullets from Tory's gun to the fragments in Megan's foot.

Another claim ... it was wrong to allow statements Megan made to cops that Tory said to her immediately after the shooting, "Please don't say anything because I'm on probation."

Tory is facing 22 years in prison for three felony firearms violations. He's scheduled to be sentenced next month.

We covered all the latest developments in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast.

Ice Spice 'Stolen' Queen Chain Nothing But A TikTok Hoax!!!

NABBED NECKLACE???

Ice Spice is not the victim of a chain-snatching, but rather the target of a big ol' attempt at clout-chasing for Internet fame!!!

Video of a man claiming to have possession of Ice's icy "Queen" necklace made its rounds across social media Wednesday -- and while many fans reacted with concern for Ice, the whole drama was merely a TikTok user looking to make a viral breakthrough.

The TikTok user fended off a wave of backlash ... we mean, he was bragging about robbing a woman for her chain 😐 ... and a source close to the "Munch" rapper doubled down against the shenanigans, assuring TMZ Hip Hop that Ice has never even owed such a piece.

"Queen" branding actually belongs to Nicki Minaj ... and a closer dive through Ice's jewelry box reveals the Bronx-bred rapper rocked her custom "Isis" name pendant the past couple of years as her star power grew.

In January, she dropped her "Like..?" EP and upgraded to her current $100k chain and showed it off when she pulled up on Kim Kardashian and North West ... for an authentic viral TikTok moment.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Ice has officially crossed over ... and mo' money, mo' trolling is the motto in today's social media era!!!

Justin Gaethje I Can Knockout Islam Makhachev ... Gunning For Poirier Next

FIGHTS IN THE FAST LANE

Justin Gaethje's gearing up for a title run, and the UFC star tells us he has the power to dethrone champ Islam Makhachev ... but he knows he has to earn the fight, and he's ready to run through Dustin Poirier to prove his worthiness!

34-year-old Gaethje, the #3 ranked UFC lightweight, joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... where we talked about everything from who he wants next, to how he'd fare against the current champ, to how much longer he sees himself fighting, and Conor McGregor recently calling him "handicap" on Twitter.

On who Gaethje, who is coming off a dominating win over fellow contender Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286 in March, wants next:

"I think that's the obvious choice, Dustin. He's sitting at number 2 right now, I gave the new guys a chance and I proved that I am elite, and I need to fight elite fighters to fight for a belt. I think Dustin's the obvious choice. I think the loser of Dariush and Oliveira is also an option, but outside of those two, I do not see an option."

FYI, Justin and Dustin fought back in 2018 ... a classic fight that Poirier won by fourth-round TKO.

Of course, Islam, who was just in battle with 145 lb. king Alex Volkanovski (Makhachev won by the thinnest margin), is the lightweight champ. We asked Justin how a fight between the men would look.

"I think [Islam is] a hard fight for anybody. Just create damage. I'd have to fight the perfect fight," Gaethje told us, adding he recognizes he wouldn't be on the Dagestani fighter's level when it comes to "submission grappling," but Justin believes with his power, he can shut anyone's lights out.

"I think I can knock him out. I think I can knock anybody out with the power that I possess."

We asked Gaethje, who lost by submission to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020 at UFC 254, to compare The Eagle and Makhachev.

"I think they're very similar. I think the biggest difference is Islam has been finished. He's lost a fight. He's been finished. So that aura of invincibility is there, but it's not based on 100% facts like Khabib has, I think that's the biggest factor, the biggest difference."

We also talked to Gaethje about retirement.

"I have never thought about retirement. I haven't thought about my life after retirement. I'm still working for the goal that I've set for myself," Justin said, explaining he has faith that his family and friends would tell him when it's time to hang up the gloves. But, that's likely years away, according to JG, who believes he's just hitting his stride as a fighter.

"34, I think we are at our peak, mentally, physically. Between 34 and 36, so I can't see myself being done in the next two years. I'd say two to four years is def a timeline that makes sense. I'm not trying to fight when I'm 40, and after 36, I don't see myself getting better."

Lastly, Conor recently tweeted "Justin Gaethje is a handicap," before deleting the message shortly after. We asked JG for his reaction.

"One of my best approaches in life is to make everybody think you're stupid and then go into a conversation or situation where you can take advantage of everybody feeling like that. It plays perfectly into my hands. I love when people think I'm handicapped or dumb -- that's not a guy, I don't believe I'll ever fight him."

Gaethje vs. McGregor is a fight fans clamored over for years ... but Justin says the guy simply doesn't want to step foot in The Octagon with him.

"Obviously fans understand it, they understand [Conor] won't fight me. Plain and simple, he gets to choose who he fights, and he's very specifically choosing not me."

Guess Who This Flexin' Athlete Turned Into!

Before this athletic kid in his blue jeans turned into a professional athlete and actor, he was just swinging his baseball bat in the backyard, flexin' for the camera in West Newbury, Massachusetts and idolizing wrestling icon Hulk Hogan.

After a successful career in the wrestling ring, he took his handsome looks and muscular physique to the big screen ... working with Hollywood greats like Amy Schumer and Vin Diesel. He may have over 18 million followers on the 'gram, but you likely won't see any pics of himself on his page.

Need one more clue? WrestleMania 39!!!

Can you guess who he is?

Bam Margera Arrested For Public Intoxication

Bam Margera was arrested after allegedly making a scene at a restaurant where his estranged wife and son were eating ... and cops say Bam was drunk in public.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... police in Burbank got a call around 3:45 PM Wednesday for a disturbance at a Thai food restaurant, and when officers arrived they found the "Jackass" star arguing with a woman, with the dispute getting louder and louder.

Our sources say when police got to the restaurant, Bam was unable to take care of himself and was arrested and booked for misdemeanor public intoxication.

PUBLIC DISTURBANCE
Instagram / @laturtle69

There's video on social media showing Bam at the restaurant, and he's clearly upset. The footage shows Margera walking in and out of the restaurant while cops look on.

At one point, in the clip posted to Instagram Live by comedian Evan Breen, you see Bam take a seat on a curb while he speaks to officers.

One witness told us Bam's estranged wife, Nikki, and his 5-year-old son, Phoenix, were also inside the restaurant ... but cops aren't saying if Nikki was the woman arguing with Bam.

TMZ broke the story, Nikki filed for legal separation from Bam back in February -- after she claims he didn't appear to be sober during a visit he was supposed to have with Phoenix.

We were also the first to report Bam's domestic violence arrest earlier this month after a woman claimed he kicked her.

INK TO THE FACE
Instagram / @graywaketattoo

Bam has vowed to be a more present father as of late, even getting Phoenix's name tattooed on his face.

Our sources say Bam will either have to post $500 bail or stay in custody until he sobers up.

33 Swimmers In Hawaii 'Harassing' Huge Pod Of Dolphins ... In Big Trouble On Big Island

DOLPHIN DASH
Hawaii DLNR

The feds are investigating a large group of swimmers accused of harassing a pod of dolphins in Hawaii ... and the alleged violation is all on video.

Drone footage shows a big group of snorkelers swimming right behind a spinner dolphin pod in Hōnaunau Bay off the Big Island, the humans get super close to the marine mammals.

Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Tuesday they were initiating cases against 33 swimmers, who the feds say "appear to be aggressively pursuing, corralling, and harassing the pod."

The state's DLNR says they alerted the snorkelers to the potential violation while they were still in the water, and then uniformed officers met the snorkelers when they were back on land ... with state and federal forces launching a joint investigation.

In case you didn't know, it's against federal law to swim within 50 yards of spinner dolphins in Hawaii's nearshore waters.

The names of the 33 swimmers have not been released.

BARBARA CORCORAN Rips L.A.'s New Mansion Tax ... Nobody Benefits in the End

MILLIONAIRE MIGRATION
TMZ.com

Los Angeles' controversial new "mansion tax" is about to kick in, forcing sellers to pay more money than ever before if their property sells for at least $5 million ... and Barbara Corcoran thinks it's a bad idea.

We got the "Shark Tank" star and real estate mogul Wednesday in NYC day and asked her about measure ULA, which goes into effect Saturday, and she told our photog it's "not good for the country."

The new law, which passed on the ballot back in November, slaps a 4% tax on homes selling for $5 million and up, and places a 5.5% tax on properties selling above $10 mil.

Barbara's prediction is the housing market will slow to a crawl ... with rich people choosing to buy homes in cities and states with friendly tax laws on the books, particularly down south.

The way Barbara sees it ... people, rich or not, hate paying extra taxes for buying or selling a house. She says it makes them feel like the government's taking advantage of them.

Remember, the selling point to voters who supported the tax was the money raised would fund affordable housing construction to alleviate L.A.'s unprecedented homeless crisis. Some predictions say the "mansion tax" will bring in $1 billion annually.

TOSS THE TAX

Barbara actually agrees with the sentiment of the tax -- she says the wealthy have an obligation to help people less fortunate -- but she thinks this tax is the wrong way to do it, because ultimately it will reduce L.A.'s tax base.

La La Land's loss will be a boon for other places in the country -- that exodus had already started, but Barbara says it's gonna get even bigger now ... and she has an idea where wealthy ex-Angelenos will land.

Old news is old news!
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