Linda Fairstein Book Publisher Gives Her the Boot
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Linda Fairstein's world continues to crumble ... her book publisher has just kicked her to the curb as the fallout continues, following her portrayal in Netflix's miniseries, "When They See Us."
The Central Park 5 prosecutor will no longer have a relationship with Dutton, which confirmed it had "terminated its relationship" with the best-selling crime novelist. The move comes on the heels of an online push to boycott her publishers and distributors ... after the Netflix series dramatized her role that led to the wrongful conviction of 5 teens for the 1989 rape and beating of a female jogger.
Earlier this week, TMZ reached out to multiple people at both Penguin Random House and its subsidiary, Dutton -- the two publishing companies that peddled her 14 novels -- but they went radio silent. As did Linda's literary agency, ICM Partners. Not a peep.
Fairstein's latest book with Dutton had been "Blood Oath" back in March. Dutton dropping Fairstein's just the latest in a string of moves that led to Fairstein resigning from at least 2 nonprofits as well as from Vassar College.
Glamour Magazine also said it was a mistake to give her the Woman of the Year Award in '93 ... adding they wouldn't do it again. The backlash also included #CancelLindaFairstein all over social media.
AP first reported her termination.
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Tyreek Hill Criminal Child Abuse Probe Is Closed ... Prosecutors Say
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After weeks of issuing "no comment" statements regarding Tyreek Hill's criminal child abuse investigation ... prosecutors are now saying there is NO ongoing probe into the Chiefs star.
Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe announced back on April 24 that after weeks of investigating child abuse accusations, he could not charge Hill or his fiance, Crystal Espinal, with a crime.
Then, after disturbing audio -- which appeared to show Hill and his fiance arguing over their son's injuries -- leaked a day later ... KCTV (which had been leading the Hill coverage) said the DA had re-opened its investigation.
Several attempts to confirm those reports with Howe and his office were met with, "We have no comment at this time," responses.
But now, Howe appears to be saying prosecutors NEVER reopened the probe, telling The Kansas City Star, "It is not an active investigation,” and adding that comments he made at his April 24 news conference "still hold true."
It's big news for Hill -- as the Kansas City Chiefs only decided to suspend Tyreek after reports said the criminal investigation had been reopened after the audio files leaked.
In fact, head coach Andy Reid himself appeared to be under the impression the investigation was reopened, telling that to reporters at a pre-draft press conference in April.
But, it appears that was never the case, with Hill's attorney, Trey Pettlon, telling the K.C. Star, "It’s my understanding the criminal investigation has been closed for quite some time now."
"And obviously there’s been some misinformation about that, but it is closed.”
As for Hill's future, he still has an active case ongoing with the Kansas Department for Children and Families ... and Roger Goodell says he is still waiting to interview the WR over the allegations.
Tyreek has not participated in team activities since his April suspension.
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Brian France NASCAR's Ex-CEO Pleads Guilty In Drunk Driving Case
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EXCLUSIVE
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Brian France -- the former CEO of NASCAR -- just pled guilty to misdemeanor drunk driving stemming from an August 2018 arrest in the Hamptons ... TMZ Sports has learned.
France, 56, was pulled over on August 5, 2018 in Sag Harbor, NY -- and during the stop, cops say he bombed a field sobriety test and later blew a .18 on the breathalyzer ... more than twice the legal limit.
According to the police report, cops say they also found oxycodone pain pills. To make matters worse, we're told France name-dropped President Trump during the arrest in an effort to skate on the charges.
Now, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office says France has pled guilty to one count of misdemeanor DUI and in exchange, he got 100 hours of community service and must complete an alcohol education course before June 5, 2020.
If he completes the terms of his plea deal, prosecutors will allow France to withdraw his guilty plea and reduce the charge to a traffic violation.
France was originally charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance, aggravated DWI and DWI, and was facing up to a year in jail for each charge.
France was the CEO of NASCAR at the time of the arrest -- a role he held for 15 years -- but took a leave of absence following the incident and later stepped down. Brian's uncle, Jim France, is currently serving as Chairman and CEO of NASCAR.
Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini issued a statement about the case saying, "This case is a reminder for both residents and anyone visiting Suffolk County this summer that it is all of our responsibility to keep our roads safe. It is not acceptable for anyone to be driving while drunk or on drugs in our community."
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NFL Rookie Tyrel Dodson Frantic 911 Call 'He Hit Me Across My Face!'
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EXCLUSIVE
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TMZ Sports has obtained the 911 call Tyrel Dodson's GF made after the Buffalo Bills rookie allegedly attacked her in Arizona ... and she tells the operator, "He hit me across my face!"
The woman was frantic -- sobbing loudly -- but she eventually composes herself to tell the operator, "My boyfriend, like, hurt me."
She added, "He was hitting me and broke my door!"
As we previously reported ... Dodson was in Arizona with his girlfriend last month when they got into an altercation after he had thrown up on her carpet after a day of drinking.
Dodson's GF says in the 911 call the 6' 2", 240 lb football player "shoved me up against the wall" after she confronted him about the vomit ... and she says she hit him to get him off of her.
That's when she says "he hit me across my face."
The woman also says after she locked herself in her bathroom to keep him away from her ... she says he broke her bathroom door and it hit her in the face, causing a bump on her head.
Dodson's GF -- who also says the linebacker stole $10,000 in cash from her -- refused medical attention from the police.
Dodson was eventually arrested for the incident and charged with 1 domestic violence count, 1 charge of disorderly conduct and 1 charge of damage to property.
For his part, according to the police report, he told cops he never put his hands on her.
The Bills released a statement shortly after his arrest, saying, "We are aware of the incident involving Tyrel Dodson last weekend. We have been looking further into the matter and will continue to gather information as the legal process continues."
Dodson is due in court later next month to face the charges.
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R. Kelly Former Manager Indicted ... For Alleged Death Threat
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EXCLUSIVE
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R. Kelly's former manager has just been indicted in Georgia for allegedly threatening to kill the father of one of Kelly's girlfriends.
The Henry County District Attorney tells TMZ ... James Mason was indicted Thursday on one felony count of making terroristic threats. We're told the felony charge is punishable by 1 to 10 years in prison.
We broke the story ... Joycelyn Savage's father, Timothy Savage, went to cops in May 2018 claiming Mason called him and said, "I'm gonna do harm to you and your family, when I see you I'm gonna get you, I'm going to f***ing kill you."
As we reported ... the Henry County Sherriff's Dept. issued an arrest warrant for Mason in August 2018 and he later turned himself in. He was released on $10k bond and ordered to stay away from the Savage family.
The attorney for the Savage family, Gerald A. Griggs, responded to Mason's indictment, saying, "Today's indictment of Henry James Mason, former manager of R Kelly, further underscores the public accountability that victims and families are pressing on R Kelly and his team.
He continued, "The Savage family will not be bullied or threatened in their quest to reunite with Joycelyn. Let this be a message to all associates of Robert Sylvester Kelly that the Savages are serious about justice and accountability."
Joycelyn has long maintained she's not being held against her will, but her family believes she's been brainwashed by Kelly ... and they're mounting a full-court press to free her from his clutches.
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R. Kelly Pleads Not Guilty To New Sex Assault Charges
6/6/19
7:42 AM PT -- The hearing is over. Kelly entered a not guilty plea on the new charges and will be back in court at the end of the month.
7:13 AM PT -- Kelly has just arrived, flanked by his usual crew as he strutted into the Chi-town courthouse.
R. Kelly is back in a Chicago courthouse for a hearing on the new round of sexual assault and abuse charges he's facing ... and TMZ is streaming live.
The embattled musician will be present Thursday, along with his attorney, Steven Greenberg, for his arraignment. Greenberg, tells us his client plans to plead not guilty to all 11 charges.
As we reported ... Kelly was hit last week with 11 felonies related to sexual assault and various abuse in Illinois. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office charged him with 5 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, 4 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and 2 counts of criminal sexual assault.
In legal docs, Kelly is accused of forcing contact between his penis and the alleged victim's mouth and committing an act of sexual penetration on a victim listed only as "J.P." The alleged incident occurred in January 2010, when the victim was under the age of 18.
Kelly's crisis manager, Darrell Johnson, had already told us his client denies all accusations and maintains his innocence. Hence, the not guilty plea today.
Thursday's hearing, which is set to begin around 7:30 AM PT, is separate from the 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse Kelly is already facing in Cook County. There are also 3 federal probes underway -- 2 in New York's Eastern and Southern Districts and another in the Northern District of Illinois.
Originally Published -- 6:44 AM PT
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Linda Fairstein Her Publishers Aren't Booking It ... Despite CP5 Backlash
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EXCLUSIVE
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The saying "silence speaks volumes" couldn't be more true for Linda Fairstein and her book publishers, who've signaled where they stand on the uproar against her ... by remaining silent and doing nothing.
Despite a massive amount of backlash and scrutiny that's forced the D.A.'s former lead investigator on the Central Park Five case to resign from boards of directors -- there have been no consequences for her in the publishing world, where she's made a killing.
TMZ has reached out to multiple people at both Penguin Random House and its subsidiary, Dutton -- two publishing companies that have peddled her 14 novels -- but we haven't heard a peep.
An online push to boycott her publishers and distributors erupted when the Netflix series, "When They See Us" -- about the CP5 case -- premiered last Friday.
We've reached out to 6 different people at both PRH and Dutton, including reps from Linda's literary agency, ICM Partners -- but still ... radio silence.
It's interesting ... Fairstein resigned from her leadership positions at nonprofit Safe Horizon as well as from Vassar College after immense outrage over her role in wrongfully prosecuting and securing convictions against the then-teenagers ... which is captured in Netflix's new "When They See Us."
She was even publicly rebuked by Glamour Magazine, which said it was a mistake to give her the Woman of the Year Award in '93 ... adding they wouldn't do it again.
Still, despite all that ... nothing seems to have changed on the book front, which is where the initial outcry began this weekend. You'll recall ... many, many people called for retailers to yank Fairstein's novels from their shelves, which CP5 exoneree Raymond Santana was down with.
Not only is Fairstein still listed as a featured author on the publishers' websites, her books are still for sale at pretty much all of the places that have been selling 'em. Hmmm ...
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Cristiano Ronaldo Rape Investigation Still Active ... Cops Say
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The criminal investigation into Cristiano Ronaldo's rape allegation is still active, the Las Vegas Metro Police Dept. says.
Kathryn Mayorga, the woman behind the allegations, had dropped her civil case filed in state court in Nevada earlier this month -- making some people wonder if the two sides had reached a settlement.
But, Mayorga's attorney, Larissa Drohobyczer, says Kathryn is NOT backing down -- they're simply moving the lawsuit from state court to federal court, where it's easier to sue someone who lives abroad.
"We basically just switched venues but the claims and lawsuit still remains," Drohobyczer tells TMZ Sports.
In other words, Mayorga's team was having trouble serving Ronaldo with the court papers -- but the laws in federal court are more favorable for a person suing someone who lives out of the country.
Per Drohobyczer, they are still waiting for confirmation from the Italian government that Ronaldo has been served with the lawsuit.
As we previously reported, Mayorga claims Ronaldo raped her in a Las Vegas hotel room back in 2009.
She had initially filed a police report describing the alleged crime -- but didn't identify Ronaldo by name.
In her original lawsuit, Mayorga says she later accepted a $375,000 payment in exchange for her silence -- but now, she wants that agreement voided.
The Las Vegas Metro Police Dept. reopened the case -- but so far, no charges have been brought against the soccer star.
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Logan Paul Stop Showing Up at My House ... Unless You Wanna Get KO'd!!!
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EXCLUSIVE
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Logan Paul's asking nicely -- please don't show up to his house unannounced ... UNLESS you're there to get the hell beat out of you, because that's great for YouTube views.
We got LP outside Beauty & Essex restaurant in Hollywood Tuesday night, shortly after we broke the story ... a man showed up at his Encino home uninvited 2 days in a row, forcing Logan to call the cops and file a trespassing report.
Logan tells us it's not an unusual occurrence, but he'd like it to stop ... because, believe it or not, he actually values his privacy.
HOWEVER, Logan concedes that sometimes dudes showing up at his pad is totally cool ... if they have a gimmick and are down to get in the ring with him and get knocked out.
Case in point -- last week when fellow YouTuber ViktorCrazy camped out outside his gate dressed as Ivan Drago and demanded a boxing bout ... he got promptly whooped. Logan says that video was the best vlog he's had in a while.
So, there ya go clout chasers ... if you really want to walk the line of trespassing to take a chance at meeting Logan at his home, just have a game plan and be ready to get your ass kicked.
Logan respects it.
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Offset Ignores Autograph Hound's Lawsuit ... Takes the 'L' by Default
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EXCLUSIVE
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Offset is gonna lose some cash because he apparently lost track of one lingering legal issue -- the beatdown his security put on an autograph seeker after last year's Met Gala.
TMZ got the wild video of the May 2018 incident ... the 'grapher was trying to get Cardi B's John Hancock after the gala ... only to get his ass kicked by a bunch of guys he believed to be Cardi and Offset's hired muscle.
5/8/18
The overzealous fan, Giovanni Arnold, filed a lawsuit and had asked a judge to grant him a default judgment back in April of this year. He said Offset hadn't said a peep in response to the lawsuit ... and the judge granted his wish this week.
It's unclear how much Offset is on the hook for now, or if he plans to challenge the default judgment in court. Considering Cardi's been taking care of business on her end -- she was sued for this as well, and has been responding -- we imagine Offset will fight it.
5/8/18
When the ass whooping went down last year ... Cardi's camp said the guy was being super aggressive in trying to obtain the autograph. In one video clip ... you can hear Giovanni egg on CB and Offset's entourage.
5/8/18
Giovanni was loaded onto a stretcher and transported to a hospital. Neither Offset nor Cardi actually put hands on him, FWIW.
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Linda Fairstein Nonprofit Members Wanted Her Out ... Years Before 'When They See Us'
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EXCLUSIVE
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Linda Fairstein's presence on a nonprofit's board shocked some members of the org, but long before she resigned ... there were some who wanted her booted because they knew about her history with the Central Park 5 case.
TMZ spoke with a handful of former and current members of Safe Horizon -- the New York-based org that helps victims of abuse and violent crimes -- and they said Linda's position on the board of directors was known to be heavily criticized by many staffers.
We're told the disapproval dates back to at least 2016.
We're told a number of staffers had complained, and even went through proper channels all the way up to the CEO, only to be ignored time and time again.
The main gripe was Fairstein didn't represent Safe Horizon's values -- specifically, assisting abuse victims who are predominantly people of color. They felt her role in the CP5 case could undermine their work and image.
Remember, Fairstein was one of the lead investigators for the prosecution on the 1989 case. She's long been criticized for allegedly coercing false confessions out of the 5 boys ... leading to their convictions. That's a central plot in the Netflix series, "When They See Us."
Although they were exonerated by DNA evidence in 2002 ... Linda, to this day, maintains they did it.
We're told another issue for Safe Horizon staff was Linda's link to the Harvey Weinstein scandal when it broke in 2017. She was one of many high-level attorneys Weinstein met with through the years ... allegedly to influence the Manhattan D.A.'s Office -- where Fairstein used to work -- to drop sexual misconduct cases against him.
Sources close to Weinstein tell us he never retained Fairstein as an attorney and was simply asking his longtime friend for "off the record advice" on how to handle one particular allegation against him.
Again ... we're told their concerns of Safe Horizon employees fell on deaf ears.
It wasn't until "When They See Us" debuted that Fairstein finally resigned Tuesday ... amid massive public pressure.
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Logan Paul Home Targeted By Trespasser ... Cops Investigating
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EXCLUSIVE
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Logan Paul's getting used to kicking unwanted guests off his property, confronting a trespasser twice in two days ... and now police are involved.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a man showed up unannounced at Logan's home in Encino on Sunday afternoon and again on Monday night, trying to enter the property on both occasions and prompting Logan to call the cops.
We're told police took a report for trespassing, and now they're investigating who the suspicious person was who showed up.
Our sources say the guy first came over Sunday afternoon, ringing the front gate before attempting to climb over the fence. We're told Logan and a companion raced out of the house, confronting the man and telling him to hit the road.
But, the same dude apparently returned the very next night, ringing the front gate at 11 PM and then hightailing it on an electric scooter when Logan came barging outside.
It's not the first time Logan's dealt with trespassers at his place ... early last year, the YouTube star took matters into his own hands and made a citizen's arrest after an intruder broke into his home. The guy later entered a no contest plea for aggravated trespassing and spent 30 days in jail.
We're guessing Logan's on high alert tonight ... waiting to see if the man returns for a third day in a row.
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Parkland Shooting 'Coward' Deputy Arrested and Charged ... 11 Counts, Inc. Child Neglect
12:50 PM PT -- The Broward Sheriff's Office has also fired Peterson for neglecting his duties at the high school on the day of the shooting after an internal investigation.
The Broward County Sheriff's Deputy who fled at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when a mass shooting broke out has been arrested for failing to do his job and help limit the carnage ... and he's facing up to 96 years in prison.
Scot Peterson has been arrested and charged in Florida and has been hit with 11 criminal charges stemming from the Parkland shooting on February 14, 2018.
The charges include 7 counts of child neglect, 3 counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury. This comes after a 14-month investigation where law enforcement interviewed 184 witnesses and reviewed countless hours of surveillance footage.
Peterson's bond has been set at $102k ... but if he posts it he'll be required to wear a GPS monitor, turn in his passport and forfeit any firearms he has.
As we reported ... Peterson was tasked to guard the school, but video shows him running away from danger when 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz opened fire on the school.
He's also been sued by families of the victims.
Originally Published -- 12:36 PM PT
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Madonna Loses Court Appeal To Block Sale of Tupac Letter
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Madonna just whiffed on her chance to shut down the sale of an old jailhouse letter from Tupac ... and now it looks like she's gonna have to watch as tons of her personal items hit the auction block.
According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... Madonna just lost her appeal to slam the brakes on the sale of the letter. A New York State Appeals Court ruled Madonna can't pursue claims against Darlene Lutz, her old pal and art consultant, or GottaHaveRockandRoll.com -- the online auction house to which Lutz consigned the items for sale.
Tuesday's court ruling opens the door for the sale of some of Madonna's intimate personal items, including the breakup note from her ex-boyfriend, Tupac.
As we reported ... last year a judge tossed out Madonna's lawsuit to stop the sale, saying a release she signed way back in 2004 means she couldn't sue over the letter's sale.
The appellate court upheld the judge's ruling in a 5-0 decision, saying Madonna's claims are blocked by the "very broad" release.
In his handwritten breakup letter, Tupac confesses he ended his sexual relationship with Madonna because she's white. Next month, it's finally going up for auction.
We reached out to Madonna's reps for comment ... so far, no word back.
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Jenelle Evans Nasty Exchange with Mom After Custody Hearing
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6/4/19
11:46 AM PT -- Jenelle and her mom, Barbara, just had a nasty little exchange outside the courthouse. Barbara insinuates the only reason Jenelle was hugging her daughter is for the cameras ... and Jenelle says Barbara -- who currently has custody of Ensley -- has blocked her number.
10:49 AM PT -- Jenelle just had an emotional moment with 2-year-old Ensley, hugging her daughter in the parking lot before Ensley left with Jenelle's mom, Barbara.
10:13 AM PT-- Jenelle and David just left court -- sans any of their kids -- we're told they were simply there to give the judge updates on their progress with parenting classes and couple's counseling.
Jenelle Evans and David Eason are back in court desperately trying to regain custody of their kids ... and at least one of the ex-'Teen Mom' star's kids was present.
Jenelle and David showed up together Tuesday to court in North Carolina in their ongoing Child Protective Services case ... but had nothing to say to our camera. As you know ... the troubled couple has been making court visits almost weekly since David shot and killed the family's dog.
Not long after Jenelle and David arrived, Jenelle's ex, Nathan Griffith, showed up with their 4-year-old son, Kaiser. It's unclear if any of Jenelle's other kids -- including 9-year-old Jace and 2-year-old Ensley -- made it to court.
As we first reported ... Jenelle and David enrolled in couples therapy in an attempt to get their kids back. David will also undergo a psych evaluation to determine what is at the core of his anger issues.
All of Jenelle's kids were removed after a judge decided there were serious issues with the couple that put the children at risk.
Originally Published -- 7:23 AM PT
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AOC on Central Park 5 It's About Time 'They See Us' ... Reckoning is Long Overdue
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she's thrilled the Central Park 5 is getting a renewed spotlight, because it's starting a much-needed convo about injustice ... especially for young people of color.
We got the New York congresswoman Tuesday on Capitol Hill, where we asked about the controversial case that played out in her own backyard in 1989, and the fact it's being depicted in Netflix's new show, "When They See Us," all these years later.
AOC -- who, btw, wasn't born until 6 months after the Central Park attack -- said she's ecstatic the wrongfully convicted men are having their story told in a thoughtful and captivating way.
She added it's one of many cases that illustrate how the criminal justice system all too often fails black and brown youths.
She took a swipe at President Trump too, who infamously took out a giant newspaper ad days after Trisha Meili, the Central Park jogger, was attacked. The ad called for the death penalty to be reinstated in New York, and publicly convicted the 5 boys before their trial even began.
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez also weighs in on the campaign to #CancelLindaFairstein -- one of the investigators on the case at the time. As AOC puts it ... it's reckoning time.