CELEBRITY JUSTICE ™

Amber Portwood's ex-fiance says she's a loving mom who would never put her kids in harm's way ... and he's not buying her as a machete-wielding maniac.

Matt Baier -- who was engaged to Amber before they split in 2017 -- tells TMZ ... her domestic violence case doesn't add up to him, and he wants to hear her side of the story.

Amber's ex admits they had some "legendary arguments" when they were together, but says she never got violent with him ... even when she was in her most heated moments.

He adds that she was nothing but a wonderful mother during their time together ... so it's hard for him to believe she'd do something dangerous around her 1-year-old son, James.

We broke the story ... Amber was arrested for domestic battery on July 5 after her boyfriend, Andrew Glennon, contacted police and claimed she struck him with a shoe while he was holding their boy.

We later learned she also allegedly struck a door with a machete while Andrew was on the other side of it.

Baier thinks that allegation is fishy, and speculates there's more to the altercation people don't know ... suggesting it couldn't have just been a fight over fireworks, as some outlets have reported.

As we told you, Amber was in court last week to face the 3 felony charges against her and attend a hearing about custody of her son. Andrew filed for sole custody after her arrest, and a judge slapped Portwood with a temporary restraining order.

Interestingly, another ex and baby daddy of Amber's, Gary Shirley, was at the courthouse with his wife to show her support.

A$AP Rocky should be immediately released from a Swedish jail -- that's what the Congressional Black Caucus is demanding with its protest on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

Members of the Caucus going to bat for A$AP include Congressmen Andre Carson and Hakeem Jeffries. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who reps for A$AP's Harlem neighborhood, will also be there.

Rep. Jeffries has been vocal about A$AP's detention for a while now, saying the saga proves the hip-hop police are even at work outside the United States. 

As we've reported ... A$AP has been rotting in a Swedish jail for weeks, being treated like a convicted criminal even though prosecutors have not charged him with a crime. The rapper is under investigation for aggravated assault, and the alleged victim is a man who was physically attacking and harassing A$AP and his crew before the street brawl that landed him in jail.

Rep. Espaillat tells TMZ ... the State Dept. is monitoring the situation and has reached out to the Swedish ministry, but A$AP and 2 members of his entourage remain in jail, where they spend 23 hours a day in their cells. 

Espaillat says A$AP's manager flew to Sweden days after the arrest, and his hotel room was raided by Swedish authorities and his cell phone was confiscated. 

The Congressman adds, Sweden is putting out a false image, projecting a country based on democracy and decency ... but he sees the complete opposite.

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman will spend the rest of his life in prison ... unless he manages to escape again.

The Mexican kingpin was just handed a life sentence, plus 30 years, by the judge in a federal courtroom in Brooklyn after being convicted on all 10 counts he was facing back in February.

He's also ordered to forfeit $12.6 BILLION to the government as a result of the dirty money he made from his criminal drug enterprise.

As we reported, El Chapo was found guilty for engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to launder narcotics proceeds, international distribution of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and other drugs and use of firearms.

The verdict came after a nearly 3-month trial in which the jury heard around 200 hours of insane testimony about drug trafficking, luxury weapons, money laundering ... and an alleged $100 million bribe to a former Mexican president.

El Chapo reportedly looked stunned by the guilty verdict but managed to give his wife, Emma Coronel, a double thumbs up before he was led out of the courtroom.

Of course, all of this came after the Sinaloa Cartel's leader was captured by the Mexican government in 2014, escaped more than a year later through a mile-long underground tunnel ... only to be caught again in early 2016.

He was extradited to the U.S. in 2017, but before his trial began in November 2018, he filed a bunch of weird motions about his life behind bars -- including TV and prayers complaints -- and made a promise to not be violent with the jurors.

Quavo will think twice and maybe three times before ever stepping foot on Swedish soil again, because he says he -- just like A$AP Rocky -- was abused by Swedish cops.

We got Quavo early Wednesday in WeHo leaving Bootsy Bellows, and the Migos star shared something he's never talked publicly about before ... he and his cameraman were cornered by Swedish cops, put on the ground and almost arrested.

Quavo makes it seem like it happened very shortly after arriving in the country.  

As we reported, A$AP is being treated like a convicted criminal, sitting in a Swedish jail for weeks and authorities haven't even charged him with a crime. He's under investigation for aggravated assault where the alleged victim is a man who was harassing and physically attacking A$AP and his crew before the incident that landed the rapper in jail.

The State Dept. is now involved, trying to get A$AP out of custody while he awaits the decision of Swedish prosecutors.

R. Kelly isn't the only man who can put a roof over the head of his alleged victims ... Azriel Clary's father is also dangling free rent, if she opens up communication with her family.

Angelo Clary tells TMZ ... he's ready and willing to put his daughter up in her own place in Chicago, as long as she moves out of Kelly's Trump Tower condo and makes contact with her relatives.

Azriel's dad says the deal even extends to Kelly's other live-in "girlfriend," Joycelyn Savage ... if that's what it takes to get the women away from the embattled singer's clutches.

With Kelly in jail for the foreseeable future after the judge denied bond during Tuesday's hearing ... Angelo is making an impassioned plea for his daughter and Joycelyn to finally cut ties with Kelly, and he's trying to sweeten the pot anyway he can.

We broke the story ... Azriel and Joycelyn claim they've recently been cut off from Kelly's funding, but also say they're still living in his high-rise condo, and plan to stay there. We're told Kelly paid rent through the end of the year.

A$AP Rocky's human rights are being violated by Swedish officials who have been holding the rapper in jail for nearly 2 weeks ... so say members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Members of the Caucus, including Hakeem Jeffries and Andre Carson, along with Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who is part of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, will stand on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Wednesday and demand A$AP's release from a Swedish jail.

As TMZ reported, A$AP is being held while prosecutors decide whether to charge him for aggravated assault. A$AP and his crew did indeed attack a man on the streets July 1, but only after the man harassed and physically attacked A$AP and a bodyguard and allegedly grabbed a woman's butt. In fact, A$AP tried to diffuse the situation, to no avail.

TMZ broke the story ... A$AP was being held in horrid conditions. A U.S. Embassy official said the jail smelled like a toilet. It's unclear if A$AP has been moved since our report.  

Rep Jeffries says the detention is proof the hip-hop police is not just a U.S. phenomenon.

WNBA All-Star Riquna Williams has been suspended 10 games without pay following a domestic violence incident with her ex-GF back in December ... the league announced on Tuesday.

The story behind the arrest is crazy -- Williams allegedly showed up at her ex's Florida home, destroyed her car with a skateboard, forced her way into the house, hit her in the head several times and pulled her hair out.

The 29-year-old is also accused of getting a firearm out of her car and pointing it at her ex's friend ... saying "you'll get all 18" before leaving the home.

The L.A. Sparks guard is facing 2 felony charges -- burglary with assault or battery and aggravated assault with a firearm.

Williams has been playing all season while the league conducted an internal investigation ... and now she's gotten her punishment.

"Based on the investigation, consultation, and a careful weighing of all the facts and circumstances, the WNBA determined that a ten-game suspension was appropriate," the statement says.

"Among other factors, the WNBA took into account the nature and seriousness of the conduct at issue, including the involvement of a firearm. The WNBA will also require Williams to participate in counseling."

A World's Strongest Man competitor is calling for bodybuilding star Shawn Rhoden to be locked away in a pen if rape allegations are true ... with Robert Oberst telling TMZ Sports, "It pisses me off!"

"If it's f*cking true, I hope he gets his due justice," Oberst says.

Rhoden -- the 2018 Mr. Olympia -- has been accused of raping a female bodybuilder at a Utah hotel on October 12, 2018 after she had just completed a photo shoot.

Details of the incident are graphic, with officials saying the woman suffered a laceration to her genitals as a result of Rhoden's alleged actions.

Oberst -- who's shared a stage at fitness shows with Rhoden in the past -- tells us Shawn didn't seem like a guy who would commit that kind of crime ... but says if Rhoden did it, he should be punished heavily.

"That type of sh*t, it makes me feel bad and it also pisses me off," Oberst tells us, saying if the allegations are true, "Put him in a pen and let other people -- let him know how it feels, man."

"That's what he deserves. Honestly, that's the truth."

A warrant for Rhoden's arrest has been issued ... with the 44-year-old facing $750,000 bail once he's arrested.

Meek Mill is back in court trying to get his conviction overturned from over a decade ago -- and he might have a shot based on who's on the bench ... a whole new set of judges.

The Philly-bred rapper is appearing Tuesday in Pennsylvania Superior Court, asking for his 2008 conviction on gun and drug charges to be tossed out based on shoddy evidence that was initially used by a cop who has since been revealed to be crooked.

Not only that, but even state prosecutors have recommended he get a new trial ... and did NOT oppose his release on bail after he got thrown back in prison for a few months in late 2017.

You'll recall ... Genece Brinkley, the judge who initially sent Meek to prison all those years ago, sent him back to the slammer in November 2017 after she found he'd violated his probation -- sentencing him to 2-4 years behind bars ... an incredibly harsh punishment.

Meek's legal team believes this stemmed from a long-standing vendetta the judge has against the rapper ... partly because he laughed at her prior suggestion of him doing a remake of Boyz II Men's "On Bended Knee" and giving her a shout-out.

After a lot of public outcry and petitioning by movers and shakers in and around the city ... Meek was finally released, much to the chagrin of Judge Brinkley.

Luckily for him, she isn't hearing his request this time around -- Meek is coming face-to-face with a panel of judges, who will decide whether the OG case from 2008 was legit or not.

Stay tuned ...

The criminal investigation into Ezekiel Elliott over his Las Vegas altercation with a security guard is officially underway, TMZ Sports has learned. 

A rep for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. tells us ... they were contacted by Kyle Johnson, who claims he was the victim of a battery committed by the NFL star. 

"This incident is under investigation," the spokesperson confirmed. 

We reached out to Zeke's camp and a rep told us, "No comment."

As we previously reported, 19-year-old Johnson has stated he was going to file a police report over the May 19 incident at the Electric Daisy Carnival when Elliott knocked Johnson to the ground during a dispute in the parking lot. 

At the time, police officers working at the event detained the Dallas Cowboys running back and placed him in handcuffs -- but he was NOT arrested because Johnson told them he did not want to press charges. 

At the time, cops described the incident as a "battery" -- since Ezekiel clearly used his body to push Johnson into a metal gate, ultimately knocking him to the ground. 

Johnson publicly demanded a "sincere" apology from Zeke -- and said if he didn't get it, he would explore his legal options. 

Elliott and his reps have accused Johnson of running an extortion scheme -- implying Johnson was more interested in getting money from Zeke than getting justice. 

R. Kelly didn't buy an acquittal in 2008 by paying off the alleged child victim and her family ... so says that family.

Attorney Christopher Brown, who represents the family, tells TMZ ... the claims made by Michael Avenatti suggesting the victim did not testify in the trial because the family received a $2 million payoff for their silence are "false and have no basis in reality."

Brown adds ... "The victim and her family have been contacted by the United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago and are cooperating with the investigation of R. Kelly."

As we reported ... Kelly is due in court Tuesday for a bond hearing in his federal sex crimes case. On Monday, Avenatti -- who says he reps 3 of the alleged victims in the new federal indictments -- alleged Kelly got off in his 2008 child porn case by paying the family off.

Avenatti called the 2008 acquittal bogus, saying ... "R. Kelly bought his acquittal. He bought this victim and their parents and ensured that the truth was never told to that jury in 2008."

The family clearly refutes these allegations.

As we reported ... Kelly was arrested last week in Chicago and is facing federal charges for multiple sex crimes including child pornography, racketeering and obstruction of justice.

Nipsey Hussle was praised by the LAPD as a peacemaker in the wake of his death -- a hero of sorts in his community for trying to stem gang violence -- but it turns out the very same police department was secretly investigating Nipsey for possible criminal prosecution for alleged gang activity.

The probe was centered around Nipsey's Marathon Clothing store in South L.A., as a possible hub for gang activity ... this according to The New York Times.

It's a stunning development, because the LAPD was both investigating Nipsey and embracing him at the same time. He was set to meet the LAPD Police Chief the day after he was murdered, to discuss gang violence.

What's more ... a few years before his death, the City of Los Angeles was trying to pressure Hussle's landlords to evict Nipsey from Marathon Clothing ... this according to The NYT. As it turned out, Nipsey bought the building with some investors.

Although the City can no longer prosecute Nipsey, the City continues to investigate Nipsey's business partners.

Nipsey was a member of the Rollin' 60s Crips back in the day, but disavowed gang life and worked heroically to stem gang violence and even worked with former gang members who got out of prison to help get them back up on their feet.

The outlet reports that city officials suspected the strip mall where his clothing store was located -- which Nipsey owned along with a bevy of investors -- was a hotbed for gang members, and that the exact type of violence that took the MC's life was rampant there.

You'll recall the LAPD Commissioner Steve Soboroff stood shoulder to shoulder with Mayor Eric Garcetti, Chief of Police Michel Moore and other L.A. City Officials to discuss a planned summit Nipsey had coordinated with them to curb gang violence.

R. Kelly's alleged sex slaves or, as they would say, girlfriends, are setting the record straight on where the hell they've been since the singer was arrested -- and they say ... nothing's changed.

A rep for Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary tells TMZ ... the women were sitting comfortably in R. Kelly's Chicago apartment inside Trump Tower on Sunday afternoon when they recorded this video ... addressing claims they'd been evicted from the premises following Kelly's arrest for 2 federal indictments.

In the clip -- obtained by TMZ -- Azriel does most of the talking and says they're fine and dandy, and living comfortably inside R. Kelly's pad.

They even give a glimpse of the view from the high-rise, showing off the Chicago skyline. Azriel says they're at the "Trump" ... and adds it's the same place they've been for years.

However, she insists they move freely and come and go as they like, attempting to knock down the notion they're being held against their will. This part seems to be a direct message to their parents -- who've been vocally and publicly concerned for years now.

They go on to thank R. Kelly's fans for the ongoing support amid his new legal battles.

The video comes on the heels of Kelly's rearrest in Chicago on new federal charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. Of course, that's on top of the state charges he's been facing in Cook County, IL.

Joycelyn and Azriel's parents relayed that they were concerned for their daughters, whose whereabouts since Kelly's arrest had been unknown until now. There had been reports they were kicked out of Kelly's place ... but they claim they've always been there through the whole ordeal.

As we reported, Joycelyn's father confronted Kelly's spokesperson during a news conference, demanding to know his daughter's whereabouts. We're told Joycelyn and Azriel are denying the alleged suicide pact some family members thought had been formed.

Soulja Boy skipping a gig might prove costly ... 'cause he's now being sued.

William Hicks claims Soulja was a no-show after he booked the rapper to perform back in April in Birmingham, AL. According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... promoter Hicks says he paid Soulja a deposit of nearly $9k up front.

Hicks, however, claims moments before Soulja was supposed to perform, the rapper's manager texted him saying he wasn't gonna make it 'cause he missed his flight. According to docs ... Hicks wasn't buying the excuse, claiming Soulja was partying in Vegas and performing there instead.

As we first reported ... Hicks fired off a legal letter to Soulja's team back in April demanding repayment or face a lawsuit. Hicks never got his money so he called out Soulja on social media, prompting this response from the rapper:

According to the lawsuit ... Hicks says Soulja sent him a video apologizing for skipping out on the gig but Hicks wanted the rapper to publicly apologize. Hicks says Soulja refused, which is odd since an apology video can be found on YouTube.

For his part, sources close to Soulja say he was in negotiations with Hicks, and they were trying to work out an agreement. However, communication stopped when Soulja was arrested, and was sentenced to 240 days behind bars.

Nevertheless ... Hicks is suing for breach of contract and the money he's out ... to the tune of $13,487.85. As we reported, Soulja got out of jail on Sunday -- so ya win some, ya lose some.

Peter North -- one of the biggest male performers in adult film history -- keeps getting arrested for beating the hell out of his wife, and now she's getting court ordered protection from him. 

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the porn legend was arrested TWICE for domestic violence -- first on June 5 and again on the 15th -- after cops say he roughed up his wife in their Newport Beach, CA home.

North's wife filed for a restraining order and according to the docs ... he tossed her into a wall, leaving her with a concussion in the most recent alleged attack. He was arrested, but released after his bail was set at $50k. 

She claims he attacked again 10 days later ... throwing her to the ground, choking her and slamming her head against the floor.  

Sadly, this is nothing new according to North's spouse, who claims she's been the victim of approximately 20 instances of domestic violence -- suffering concussions, broken bones, cuts, memory loss and ongoing emotional and physical trauma.   

The two women who have been living with R. Kelly have not been seen since the singer's most recent arrest, and the parents of Joycelyn Savage fear the women may have made a suicide pact.

The women, who were living with the singer at Trump Tower Chicago are no longer there, after the feds raided his apartment Thursday night and sealed it off.

The Savage family lawyer, Gerald Griggs, tells TMZ, he believes Joycelyn and Azriel Clary are with R. Kelly's people at an undisclosed location in Chicago.

Griggs says the Savages are concerned the 2 women may see the handwriting on the wall for R. Kelly and have hatched a plan to kill themselves if it looks like he's not coming back.

So far, Griggs says, attempts to locate the 2 women have proven futile.

We're told if the parents can't find Joycelyn they are considering getting police involved by filing a missing person's report.

Azriel's parents, however, say they know where the 2 girls are ... they're in the apartment in question that was raided in Trump Tower. They say R. Kelly had 1 unit in the building, which was in Azriel's name, and that the girls were temporarily kicked out during ... but have since returned. Azriel's parents do not believe the 2 women have a suicide pact.