CELEBRITY JUSTICE ™

Taylor Swift's sexual assault lawsuit -- in which she only demanded $1 for punishment, and won -- became a talking point in the highest court in the land ... and it could actually help a guy keep his case alive.

T-Swift was name-dropped Tuesday during oral arguments on a Supreme Court freedom of speech case dating back to 2016 ... when college student Chike Uzuegbunam sued Georgia Gwinnett College for allegedly telling him to shut his yap over Jesus while on campus.

The school changed its policy the year after, and asked that the case be dismissed -- which it was in a lower court -- that is, until Uzuegbunam appealed to SCOTUS, where it's currently being debated.

The guy is asking for nominal damages, and the college's attorneys say it's a waste of time and resources to keep this going for such a low amount just to make a point.

That's where Tay-Tay comes in ... Justice Elena Kagan mentioned Taylor's 2015 suit against radio host David Mueller, whom she claimed groped her at a backstage meet-and-greet in 2013. Remember, all she wanted as far as relief was one measly dollar, simply to make a point ... and she won in the end.

Kagan thinks the same thinking could apply here. She said, "A few years ago, [Swift] brought a suit against a radio host for sexually assaulting her, and she said, 'I'm not really interested in your money, I just want $1. And, that dollar is going to represent something both to me and to the world of women who have experienced what I've experienced."

Kagan added, "That's what happened: The jury gave her $1. And, it was an unquestionable physical harm. But, she just asked for this $1 to say that she had been harmed. Why not?"

The guy who was wearing animal fur and parading around with a policeman's shield inside the Capitol building during last week's riot is the son of a prominent judge in Brooklyn ... who now has to watch his boy go through the criminal justice system.

34-year-old Aaron Mostofsky was arrested Tuesday and brought before a Brooklyn judge -- not his father, Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge, Shlomo Mostofsky -- this judge is federal. He was released on $100k bail with strict conditions.

Mostofsky faces four counts -- theft of government property, illegal entry into a restricted area, illegal entry with intent to impede government functions, and disorderly conduct. Aaron was released to the custody of his older brother, and was ordered to stay in NYC (unless given permission) and wear an ankle monitor.

The judge also said Mostofsky's forbidden from communicating with his co-defendants, cannot participate in any political gatherings, and has to steer clear of all state capitals.

Mostofsky's attorney said his client is aware of the seriousness of the charges against him ... but insists he was just "caught up" in the moment.

Granted, he did get his hands on that Capitol Police shield ... and posed for some weird shots without hesitation, even giving on-camera interviews! The one thing he did do since getting back from D.C. to remain low-key, it seems ... get a haircut. The dude's almost unrecognizable now with his new 'do, but those glasses are a dead giveaway.

YFN Lucci is a wanted man in Atlanta -- because cops suspect he's involved in the shooting death of a man.

Atlanta PD's homicide unit tells us they're looking to bring in 29-year-old Rayshawn Bennett -- Lucci's real name -- on multiple charges ... including felony murder, aggravated assault, participation in criminal street gang activity, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

The reason ... he's suspected of being involved in a shooting incident in southwest Atlanta last month, which left one man dead from a gunshot wound to the head and another man injured. Cops say the second victim was shot only minutes after the first.

Cops say the shootings are related and have already made 2 arrests -- 23-year-old Ra'von Boyd and 17-year-old Leroy Pitts were booked for felony murder.

Somebody etched the word "TRUMP" into the back of a manatee ... and now, the feds are looking for the culprit.

Word of the manatee spread this week after a video surfaced showing the creature swimming in the waters of Florida's Homosassa River. Sure enough, somebody had scraped T-R-U-M-P into the algae growing on its skin.

Wildlife officials say the manatee doesn't appear to have been harmed, but that doesn't mean people aren't pissed. Manatees are a protected species in the area, and it's against the law to harass them ... punishable up to a year in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is heading up an investigation into the matter, soliciting any info that might lead to whoever did this ... with a $5,000 reward being offered as well by the Center for Biological Diversity.

The Center's director, Jaclyn Lopez, says it's sickening that somebody would do this to a helpless creature of the sea, adding ... the person is "capable of doing grave violence and needs to be apprehended immediately."

Miya Ponsetto's October DUI (the second such arrest in 4 months) was filmed by bystanders ... and yes, it's about as wild as we've come to expect, ending with this rant to cops: "There are gang members killing people right now and you're arresting a girl?"

TMZ has obtained video of Miya's arrest Oct. 3 in Ventura County -- for which she was charged with DUI, resisting arrest and obstructing/delaying a peace officer or EMT -- and the accusations against her seem pretty solid ... because she was absolutely out of control.

An eyewitness tells us ... the drama started when Miya and her mom, Nicole, stopped on the side of a road ... screaming and cussing at each other while outside of their Range Rover.

The witness says she tried seeing if they needed help, but Miya got back in the car and demanded her mom do the same ... at which point, the witness says they recklessly drove off. The witness called the cops and tailed them, fearing Miya might've been intoxicated by the way she was driving. Eventually, they all pulled into a gas station.

That's where things hit the fan, especially when cops showed up. They attempted to detain Miya, who threw a fit the entire time ... demanding to see a warrant, demanding to know what she'd done wrong, insulting the officers, squirming around to avoid cuffs ... everything.

You can watch for yourself and make up your own mind -- but her actions here are certainly in line with other behavior of hers on camera ... be it at the Arlo Hotel or with Gayle King.

Cops say they eventually were able to get a reading on her blood alcohol level -- .14, nearly twice the legal limit.

Remember, this is Miya's second arrest -- she was hit with the first DUI in Malibu (where she was also allegedly combative) back in May and pled no contest, so she was on probation. Getting arrested and charged with DUI could be enough for her to do jail time ... not to mention her NYC case. BTW ... there's also a pending case where she was charged with being drunk in public at the Peninsula hotel in Bev Hills.

Of course, Miya's now on the East Coast, where she faces a slew of charges for attacking Keyon Harrold's 14-year-old son and accusing him of stealing her phone. She was in Court Saturday for arraignment but did not enter a plea. She was then released from custody.

Miya Ponsetto -- aka SoHo 'Karen' -- isn't going to court kicking and screaming the way she allegedly has when getting arrested ... this time cops made sure it wouldn't happen, with the help of a couple restraints.

Here's Miya being led out of an NYC police precinct in lower Manhattan Saturday by a couple of detectives who are escorting her to a waiting vehicle, which is set to take her to Manhattan Criminal Court ... where she's expected to be arraigned on a slew of charges.

Check out Miya ... she's obviously handcuffed, but her feet are shackled as well. She's also got a face mask on, a beanie, black leggings and Birkenstocks ... similar to what she wore when she attacked 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr. at the Arlo Hotel in SoHo, falsely claiming he stole her iPhone.

As for her feet being bound ... it's interesting. Miya's got a documented history of allegedly resisting arrest -- in fact, cops say she did exactly that when they picked her up most recently and extradited her to NYC. Time after time, she appears to put up a fight.

Miya's been rung up on a ton of charges -- including attempted robbery, grand larceny, acting in a manner injurious to a child and two counts of attempted assault -- but she hasn't been charged with a hate crime, which is telling.

Keyon Jr.'s parents and their attorney, Ben Crump, made it clear this week on 'TMZ Live' ... there are two justice systems in this country, and that Black people often get the short end of the stick when authorities pursue justice on their behalf. They want her charged with a hate crime.

As for Saturday's scheduled arraignment ... we're hearing she should appear before a judge sometime this evening. No word yet on whether Miya plans to enter a plea.

The insurrectionists at the Capitol were out to harm and possibly kill Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the video that has just surfaced makes this all pretty much undeniable.

New video has surfaced from Wednesday's attempted coup, and in one clip you hear a loud, chant ... "Hang Mike Pence, Hang Mike Pence ..."  Of course, Pence had made it clear just hours earlier ... he was going to certify Biden's victory.

The mob had the tools to make their chant a reality ... a full-on gallows scaffold, with a hanging noose attached.

And then, there's this video ... the mob going after Nancy Pelosi with a vengeance, trying to hunt her down in the Capitol, calling her a "bitch," a "traitor," and then they used the c-word. You hear a few mobsters order at Capitol cops, "Tell Pelosi we're coming for that bitch. Tell f***ing Pelosi we're coming for her."

Remember ... they found Pelosi's office in the Capitol maze in a New York minute, and that's one of the pieces of the puzzle the FBI is looking at ... the feds believe this could have been an inside job, where people who work at the building helped the rioters.

Of course, there's also the shot of the guy in tactical gear holding what appears to be a bunch of zip ties in hand. He actually made it onto the Senate floor, and seemed intent on using those things, given the opportunity.

And, there were bombs, guns, etc ... all the stuff killers use to execute their plan.

Shots of Capitol police officers letting pro-Trump rioters easily pass their line and facilitate the storming of the Capitol appears to be a practice that's been in place from sea to shining sea since at least December ... because something similar happened in Oregon.

Republican State Representative Mike Nearman was caught on surveillance video -- which was just released -- opening a side door to the Oregon State Capitol ... and then letting a sea of Trumpers in by allowing the door to slowly close behind, and never looking back.

This happened Dec. 21 during a special legislative session regarding COVID restrictions in the State, where pro-Trump demonstrators had gathered outside to protest shutdowns ... while literally banging on the glass doors trying to break their way in (just like at the U.S. Capitol).

Well, thanks to Rep. Nearman ... he made their breach a whole lot easier, because the guy literally pops open the door to the outside and casually passes the waiting mob -- which then proceed to storm inside. They were quickly met by cops and security, who pushed them back, but it looks like at least a few guys were able to get inside, if only for a bit.

The legislative session continued uninterrupted, and after a few invaders were arrested. Still ... things could've quickly turned left here. As for Nearman, he's been mum thus far about this -- refusing to respond to questions about it.

With a smoking gun as clear as this -- not to mention what we saw with our eyes just a few days ago in D.C. -- it's obvious that some people in power want to unleash mayhem.

The guy most everyone (infamously) remembers as the bare-chested insurrectionist with animal horns and face paint who stormed into the Capitol is now in federal custody.

Jacob Chansley -- more commonly known as Jake Angeli, per prosecutors -- was arrested Saturday in Phoenix on charges of knowingly entering/remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

He was arrested along with two other Arizona men, who officials say also stormed the premise. However, Chansley stands above the rest because of his wild outfit.

BTW, apparently, it was pretty easy to identify him ... prosecutors say they matched the guy's many photos from Wednesday with social media posts, including his YouTube channel. He also appears to have posed with one Rudy Giuliani not too long ago, this past November ... something Twitter users were quick to repost from his purported FB once it was deleted.

Not only that, but he even called the FBI and straight-up confessed to being the horned man everyone saw roaming around with a spear and flag, and desecrating the building.

According to prosecutors, Chansley said he came with other "patriots" because President Trump had instructed them to on Jan. 6 ... plain and simple. Prosecutors went on to say they're considering even more charges against Chansley.

The white police officer who shot Jacob Blake -- an unarmed Black man -- at point-blank range seven times won't be criminally charged ... and neither will any of the other cops involved.

Kenosha County District Attorney Michael D. Graveley announced his decision Tuesday, saying Kenosha PD officer Rusten Sheskey would NOT be charged for shooting Blake in August during an attempted arrest.

Graveley explained his decision, saying that after careful review and investigation ... officials simply couldn't find a law he'd broken under the circumstances. D.A. Graveley basically chalked his decision up to self-defense, and it was necessary for Officer Sheskey to use lethal force to stop Jacob from potentially harming him (Sheskey) or others.

According to Wisconsin law, that decision is based on a reasonable belief that Jacob might've done any of that if Sheskey hadn't acted ... and Graveley explains that in their state, that belief falls under the discretion of said officer, who has to make a snap decision.

Graveley goes on to explain that if prosecutors were to go after Sheskey, the burden would be on them in court to disprove a need for self-defense ... which he suggests would've been a losing battle in this case.

He also mentioned this ... Jacob Blake won't face any new criminal charges stemming from this incident either.

Remember, Sheskey, a 7-year vet, chased Blake down as he walked away from him and refused to obey orders to halt. The officer pursued around the other side of his SUV, and when Blake tried opening the door ... Sheskey opened fire into his back from around two feet away. He unloaded seven shots, and somehow Blake survived.

He wasn't unscathed though ... Blake is now paralyzed from the waist down, and spent a good amount of time recovering in the hospital. He's now undergoing spinal cord rehab and has since gained some upper body strength as he navigates his painful new life situation.

Blake's shooting sparked renewed racial justice protests across the country, and it seems like authorities are ramping up for the second wave of unrest. Just this week, Wisconsin's governor, Tony Evers, mobilized 500 National Guard troops to help local law enforcement.

Kenosha's Common Council passed a resolution to enforce a pre-emptive curfew for up to 8 days after Graveley's announcement. There are other measures going into effect too ... reduced bus service, road closures, designated spaces for demonstrations, concrete barricades and fences going up to protect certain buildings ... and, of course, businesses are boarding up.

Bobby Shmurda's 2021 is off to a good start, because the incarcerated rapper could get sprung early -- as soon as next month -- if he can stay out of trouble.

The Department of Corrections just updated the Miami rapper's conditional release date to February 23, 2021 ... which is about 10 months earlier than when his sentence was expected to end at New York's Clinton Correctional Facility.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... this decision was made by the Time Allowance Committee, which consists of prison staff, but not the parole board. We’re told the Committee reviewed Shmurda's behavior and participation in prison programs and decided to bump up his conditional release date.

If he is released, he'll be under parole supervision, but we're told any mess-ups or bad behavior between now and Feb. 23 could nullify the earlier conditional release date ... and he'd likely have to serve out his full sentence until December 11, 2021.

As we first told you ... Shmurda was denied parole in September due to multiple violations while in prison -- including allegedly having a shank, fighting and drug possession. The possibility of a February release would seem to indicate he's turned things around since the parole board's rejection.

As we reported ... the rapper copped a plea deal back in September 2016 to conspiracy to possess weapons and possession of a weapon.

Miya Ponsetto is doing a really bad job at laying low in her hometown, because she's been out and about ... and not without controversy.

The 22-year-old -- who falsely accused Keyon Harrold's teenage son of stealing her phone -- has surfaced in her SoCal neighborhood, where on Sunday ... her mother called the cops on a few paps who were looking to snap some shots and get interviews with the latest 'Karen.'

Check out these photos ... it's Nicole Ponsetto pulling over on the side of the road and speaking with officers, whom we're told then came over and talked to the paps to figure out what was going on. The cops apparently determined things were on the up and up, so they left.

That's where things get interesting ... one of the paps who spoke to cops said an officer told him Nicole had said they were wasting their time because Miya had left town. Nicole drove off ... alone. Thing is ... around a half-hour later, Miya and her mom pulled up into their driveway. You can see Nicole facing off with paps, who filmed from a distance.

As we reported, the NYPD and the paparazzi, are looking to talk to Miya about her SoHo altercation.

Since leaving NYC, Miya's been spotted in and around Ventura County ... she even had a quick walk-and-a-talk with a photographer a couple days ago on her way outta Mickey D's.

The cameraman asks her point-blank ... does she regret what she did to 14-year-old Keyon Jr. -- namely alleging he'd stolen her phone only to have returned to her from someone else later. Watch ... her answer (or non-answer) is telling -- doesn't sound like she's remorseful.

In fact, Miya even goes so far as to say that she doesn't "know what the problem is here" and adds that she's 22 herself, almost as if that justifies anything. She also points out that she's of Puerto Rican descent without being asked ... again, almost like a cop-out.

She finally ends the interview and slams her car door -- the photog asked all the right questions (including whether she's aware that the NYPD would like a word) but Miya doesn't offer much on that front. She drives off in the same Range Rover as the one Sunday.

In any case ... Miya and her mom are far from out of the woods when it comes to legal woes. As we told you, she and her mother were arrested last year for an incident at the Peninsula in Bev Hills ... one in which her mom allegedly attacked a cop. Both were charged for being drunk in public, while Miya's mother was also charged with battery on an officer.

As if Nashville hasn't had enough chaos descend upon it lately, here's two doofuses causing even more of a panic by jumping off a hotel rooftop bar to ring in the new year.

This wild incident went down Friday at the Grand Hyatt in downtown -- not too far from where Anthony Warner blew himself to smithereens just a few days prior. Two men were spotted standing on a ledge with parachute backpacks on ... then, took a leap of faith.

Check out the video ... you can see worried guests tell them they're not allowed to do that, but these clowns continue on anyway. When it becomes clear they're jumping -- and then actually do it -- people freak out and start screaming, including the camerawoman.

Miraculously, their chutes open ... and the two BASE jumpers glide down above the Nashville streets. They eventually landed safely in a nearby parking lot, where they got into a waiting car and drove off without a trace. Cops are looking to talk to them now.

Now, as for who they might be, it's still a mystery. The hotel has come out and said they were, in fact, guests staying there ... and they've now been banned. Apparently, there's surveillance footage the hotel has turned over to MNPD.

The Nashville bomber, Anthony Warner, was just as out there as people might've suspected -- because authorities now say he sent letters full of kooky ideas days before detonating.

Warner sent a number of letters and videos to friends and acquaintances all over the country on Dec. 23 -- two days before his RV exploded in downtown -- with bizarre writings about everything from aliens to lizard people, 9/11 and the moon landing and everything in between ... this according to CBS News, citing law enforcement officials.

Apparently, Warner sent several packages without return addresses -- which contained upwards of nine pages of typed-out text, plus a couple of thumb drives with videos.

One such letter begins, "Hey Dude, You will never believe what I found in the park." Warner continues, "The knowledge I have gained is immeasurable. I now understand everything, and I mean everything from who/what we really are, to what the known universe really is."

He goes on to say there are too many anomalies to count as it relates to 9/11 and the moon landing, adding a theory about the Earth being under active attack by aliens since at least 2011 ... something he claims the government is covering up.

And, then ... there's the lizard people, whom Warner supposedly thinks walk among us -- and control things. He reportedly writes, "They put a switch into the human brain so they could walk among us and appear human." Warner also signed some of these letters as "Julio."

Friends of his have said that's a name he'd gone by, but neighbors also pointed out that his dog was named Julio. His dog may have died in the explosion, because animal remains were also recovered at the bomb site ... in addition to tissues connected to Warner.

The woman who attacked a black teen after falsely accusing him of stealing her iPhone seems to have a penchant for creating disturbances in hotels, because she was arrested for one back in February.

Miya Ponsetto is now in the crosshairs of authorities for her antics in an NYC hotel, and TMZ has learned she also caused quite a fuss -- allegedly -- at the Peninsula hotel in Bev Hills back in February.

Miya and her mom, Nicole apparently wore out their welcome when Peninsula staff ordered them to leave, but they refused. Law enforcement sources tell us, someone from the hotel called police, told them the women looked drunk and refused to leave ... so Beverly Hills cops showed up to handle the situation.

Our law enforcement sources say when they arrived and tried to get Miya and Nicole to leave, Nicole allegedly pushed and kicked a cop. Both women were arrested ... Nicole for battery on a police officer and being drunk in public. While Miya was arrested for being drunk in public. They have a court hearing later this month.

Now get this ... the L.A. County District Attorney charged both women on May 27, 2020.  The very next day, Miya was arrested again, this time for drunk driving. She pled no contest and was sentenced to 3 years probation, 30 hours of community service and she must take a 9-month alcohol/drug counseling program.

As for the phone incident -- in case you don't know turns out she left her phone in an Uber -- seems Miya has a thing for phones -- her Etsy page is littered with custom phone cases she favors. Even if she's obsessed with phones, it's no reason to flip out on 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr., New York authorities are considering serious charges against her.

The men responsible for Ahmaud Arbery's death have a litany of requests for their murder trial -- notably, they don't want the word "victim" uttered in court while referring to him.

Defense attorneys for Travis and Greg McMichael -- the father and son who chased Ahmaud down with their truck and then proceeded to shoot and kill him in a struggle -- have filed new motions ... which include barring the prosecution from ever referring to Ahmaud as a victim in front of the jury, 'cause they say that's a conclusion that can't be reached before a verdict.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, the McMichaels argue no crime has been committed -- remember, they've pled not guilty and argued self-defense. As a result ... they say "loaded words" like "victim" might prejudice jurors against them from the jump.

The McMichaels want neutral language used for a fair shake, as they haven't conceded to any wrongdoing on their part.

There's more ... the McMichaels also asked that only one "in life" photograph be permitted at trial to depict Ahmaud -- and that that photo show him alone without any family members or friends. Not just that, but the defense asks that no family member of his be able to identify him in court ... they want that done by an unrelated, third party witness, if necessary.

The reason ... they argue too many photos of the guy will create an ingrained bias in the jury's collective mind, and paint Ahmaud as a sympathetic character. They say they don't want his family involved in ID'ing either because of possible emotional outbursts, which may also affect the jurors. So in other words, the McMichaels want this as sterile as possible.

One last thing ... the McMichaels have asked that BLM face masks not be permitted in court, that any jail calls they've made be stricken as usable evidence, but that Ahmaud's criminal record be admissible.