Crime

Steve Harvey is showing incredibly strong support for Jussie Smollett -- particularly as a black man, but he seems to be dismissing one major part of the alleged attack.

Steve posted this video undoubtedly to make it clear how much support Jussie is getting around the country. As he put it, "I don't have all that eloquent stuff to say. As a black man in this country, I'm down with you."

He also made a point of saying, "This ain't about sexual preference or nothing."

You know Jussie says his attackers used a homophobic slur, as well as the n-word -- and we know the threatening letter sent to him at Fox Studios also used a homophobic slur. Seems Jussie's sexual preference is definitely relevant to the alleged attack.

But, Steve says very strongly, for him ... "This is about coming to the aid of another brother that has tasted the brutality of hatred, racism and bigotry."

On that ... almost all of us would agree.

Originally Published -- 7:19 AM PT

8:51 AM PT -- "Empire" star Taraji P. Henson also voiced her support for Jussie and outrage at the alleged crime by posting a powerful music video of Jussie with a message, stating, "HATE WILL NOT WIN!!!!"

Charles Dion McDowell -- better known as Wide Neck -- is back behind bars after a judge revoked his bond ... TMZ has learned.

The viral sensation was arrested in Pensacola, FL Tuesday ... but isn't facing any new charges. Instead, his bond was revoked in a previous case. We're not sure why the judge made this call at this point, but it looks like Neck will have to sit in a cell 'til it gets sorted out.

McDowell's been arrested a few times the past few months, but he blew up on social media thanks to a mug shot featuring his massive neck when he was busted in Florida in early November. During that arrest, he was booked for eluding, possession of cocaine, meth and marijuana.

He was arrested again a week later in Lee County, Alabama for allegedly eluding law enforcement, reckless driving, driving with a revoked license, improper lane usage and a 2nd-degree possession of marijuana charge. And yes, there was another necky mug shot.

1/30 -- The man, Arka Sangbarani Oroojian, turned himself into cops Tuesday night and was booked for assault with a deadly weapon. His bail is set at $90,000.

The Los Angeles Police Department is asking the public to help them identify a scumbag who punched two women in the face multiple times and is still on the run.

LAPD released this brutal footage of a muscular man assaulting two women on Saturday in DTLA. In the video you can see him flee on foot, and we're told he's still at large. Warning ... the video is pretty graphic, showing him repeatedly striking the women.

Law enforcement sources tell us the guy was arguing with a hot dog street vendor that night and holding up a line. One of the women asked if he could wrap it up so other people could order ... and the man turned around and socked her right in the face.

We're told her female friend tried to intervene, and was quickly struck as well. He then went off on both of them before bolting.

Cops are asking anyone who knows this guy or his whereabouts to contact LAPD at (213) 486-6606.

Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are understandably enraged by the brutal attack of Jussie Smollett.

We got the famed Hollywood director and producer in Bev Hills Tuesday afternoon, and their reactions to the racist and homophobic beating of the "Empire" star were visceral.

Grazer, who produces the hit Fox show, struggles to compose himself ... and then Howard unloads.

Both men want justice ... as in, throw the book at the monsters who committed the hate crime.

We broke the story ... Smollett was attacked by 2 men around 2 AM Tuesday shortly after leaving a Subway sandwich shop. The men beat him up, tied a noose around his neck, poured bleach over him and yelled, "MAGA country."

The attack came just 8 days after Fox Studios in Chicago received a threatening letter addressed to Smollett containing homophobic and racist slurs.

Juliette Lewis isn't down with the notion that Ted Bundy was a "sexy" serial killer ... and she's weirded out by anyone -- especially women -- who thinks that.

The actress and singer was at LAX Tuesday when we asked her about the "hot" buzz around Bundy -- due to the fact that Zac Efron is playing him in the new film, "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile."

Juliette thinks it's very gross, though she's got no problem with casting the stupidly handsome Efron as the infamous murderer. Her beef's with "weirdo women" who fall for a killer who happens to be charming and good looking -- when his heinous crimes are common knowledge.

As we've told you ... one of Ted Bundy's survivors, Kathy Kleiner Rubin, is fine with the hot take on Bundy in the new movie, as long as people learn a lesson about his evil ways.

7:28 AM PT -- The accuser's attorney tells us his client is suing for $8 million.

The woman who claims she was attacked by boxing superstar Sergey Kovalev has now filed a lawsuit against the Russian ... claiming the 35-year-old also brutalized her dog.

It's all in court docs obtained by TMZ Sports ... Jamie Frontz (who has identified herself publicly) claims she met Sergey at the grand opening of a boxing gym in Big Bear, CA back in June.

Frontz -- a model and actress -- claims Sergey and a friend followed her home from the party and Kovalev aggressively tried to have sex with her.

"At one point, Kovalev pinned Jamie to the couch, leaning over her with his hands on either side of her shoulders, such that she could not move away."

Jamie claims her dog sensed the danger and tried to intervene -- but Kovalev shoved the dog away and then kicked it in the chest.

While tending to her dog, Jamie claims, "Kovalev turned to [her] and punched her with full force directly in the face one time with a closed fist."

In her suit, Jamie claims Sergey fled the scene -- so, she called the cops.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... cops tracked down Kovalev and arrested him. He's been charged with felony assault and faces up to 4 years in prison. Kovalev has pleaded not guilty.

In her suit, Jamie claims she went to the emergency room where she was treated for a broken nose, head injuries and a concussion. She also suffered severe back and neck injuries.

The next morning, Jamie claims she saw Kovalev crawl out of the bushes near her cabin, and he yelled her name -- so, she called 911 and later got a restraining order against him.

Jamie is suing for more than $3 million in damages.

We reached out to Kovalev for comment -- so far, no word back.

Sergey is due back in court in March to face the criminal charge. He's also set to fight Eleider Alvarez this Saturday, in a rematch of an August bout that he shockingly lost.

4:00 PM PT -- Chicago PD confirms to TMZ Jussie told them, in a follow-up interview, about the attackers yelling, "MAGA country."

They add Jussie still had the rope around his neck when he made contact with cops at 2:42 AM. Remember, the attack happened around 2 AM.

12:43 PM PT -- Sources connected to production tell us Jussie and the rest of the main "Empire" cast members will have armed security going forward while they continue shooting in Chicago.

Lee Daniels briefly posted, but then deleted, a screen grab from a FaceTime he had with Jussie while he was in the hospital.

11:10 AM PT -- "Empire" creator Lee Daniels just expressed his outrage and horror over the attack.

11:18 AM PT -- We're told cops recently visited a Target Department Store close to where the incident happened and obtained surveillance footage. Our source says the video shows one person -- presumably Jussie -- walking down the street. Officers also visited a nearby apartment building to ask for video.

11:20 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell us the FBI was already investigating the letter sent to Jussie last week containing racist and homophobic slurs.

11:10 AM PT -- Fox just issued this statement ... "We are deeply saddened and outraged to learn that a member of our EMPIRE family, Jussie Smollett, was viciously attacked last night. We send our love to Jussie, who is resilient and strong, and we will work with law enforcement to bring these perpetrators to justice. The entire studio, network and production stands united in the face of any despicable act of violence and hate -- and especially against one of our own."

10:30 AM PT -- "Empire" staff held an emergency meeting Tuesday morning in Chicago to tell everyone what happened to Jussie. We're told the cast and crew were extremely upset. Several actors were already in their trailers getting ready to shoot when they got the news.

We're told there was a discussion about getting extra security on set while shooting. They have a handful of episodes left to shoot for the current season.

"Empire" star Jussie Smollett was brutally attacked by 2 men who beat him up, put his head in a noose and screamed, "This is MAGA country."

Sources directly connected to Jussie tell TMZ, the actor arrived in Chicago from New York late Monday, and at around 2 AM he was hungry and went to a Subway. We're told when shortly after he walked out on his way home, someone yelled, "Aren't you that f***ot 'Empire' n*****?"

The 2 men -- both white and wearing ski masks -- viciously attacked Jussie as he fought back, but they beat him badly and fractured a rib. They put a rope around his neck, poured bleach on him and as they left they yelled, "This is MAGA country."

Jussie took himself to Northwestern Memorial where he was treated. He was discharged later Tuesday morning.

ThatGrapeJuice.Net first posted this letter which was sent to Fox Studios in Chicago with cut out letters spelling, "You will die black f**." Our sources say the letter was sent 8 days ago.

The envelope the letter arrived in appears to say MAGA in the upper left corner.

Chicago PD tells us they are investigating the attack as a possible hate crime, and they are canvasing the area for any video.

Jerry O'Connell wants to play Billy McFarland in the worst way ... and his impression of B.M. makes him more than worthy.

We got Jerry and his wife, Rebecca Romijn, Tuesday at LAX and asked how they'd feel about a scripted reimagining of the "the best party that never happened" hitting the big screen.

Turns out Jerry and Rebecca are Fyre nuts, who've watched both the Hulu and Netflix documentaries.

We talked to McFarland shortly after his would-be music fest came crashing down, and at the time he explained how he and his team tried hard to make it work.

As for whether the models who were involved in promoting the Fyre Fest -- some of whom are still being indirectly roped in to the story, even now -- should feel bad about their role in all this ... Rebecca -- a former model -- actually comes to their defense.

One thing's for sure ... these two definitely know their Fyre Festival history!

R. Kelly won't face charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a Long Island hotel room ... TMZ has learned.

We broke the story ... Faith Rodgers sued the singer last May, claiming he initiated "unwanted sexual contact" and had "abusive sex" with her in a Long Island hotel room after flying her to his concert in NY. She also reportedly filed a criminal report with Suffolk County PD in June.

But, according to an August 2018 supplemental police report -- obtained by TMZ -- Rodgers told cops that although they engaged in oral sex and sexual intercourse ... it was "without any verbal or physical resistance."

Cops say based on this -- along with the absence of any video or photo evidence of the incident from the hotel, law enforcement found the allegations to be "unprosecutable due to a lack of criminality."

R. Kelly's been off the hook for months, really ... we're told the case was never referred to the Suffolk County D.A.'s office for prosecution, so it had been closed last year.

As we reported, Rodgers secretly recorded R. Kelly in an attempt to get him to confess to sexually abusing her when she was 19 ... as well as plying her with drugs and alcohol and giving her an STD.

She also filed a criminal complaint in Dallas, but that case was recently closed for jurisdiction issues.

Here's a tip for Jordan Peele ... DON'T MAKE THIS WOMAN ANGRY!!

The lady in the photo is Lorena Bobbitt -- who infamously sliced off her husband's penis back in 1993.

No, Peele's not making a new horror flick -- he's actually the executive producer of a 4-episode documentary series about her life called "Lorena."

The two are promoting the series at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah -- and everyone seems to be having a good time.

The real-life story of Lorena and John Wayne Bobbitt is intense -- she claimed she cut off his junk after he had raped her, allegations John adamantly denied.

Lorena later drove away with the severed penis and threw it into a field before calling 911.

Officials found the penis and it was surgically reattached. John later showed off his surgically repaired wiener in a series of porno videos ... claiming it was back to normal.

The case went to trial and John was found not guilty of sexually assaulting his wife.

Lorena was charged with malicious wounding -- but was found not guilty of due to temporary insanity.

There's an eye in the sky over Bill Cosby, and Pennsylvania Prison officials are pissed about it ... TMZ has learned.

Cosby got an uninvited visitor last week when a drone was flown over his home away from home -- State Correctional Institute Phoenix. Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the drone made the pass while Cosby was being escorted around the yard. He gets an escort due to his blindness.

We're told prison security measures detected the drone and SCI Phoenix was immediately placed under lockdown for a full day. Prison officials believe a media outlet sent the drone to get a shot of 81-year-old Cosby ... who's doing 3 to 10 years for sexual assault.

It's unclear if the mission was a success. Our sources say Cosby's attorneys were notified of the breach.

For the record, all Pennsylvania prisons got drone detection systems last year as part of sweeping security upgrades.

Caelynn Miller-Keyes -- one of the remaining contestants on "The Bachelor" vying for Colton Underwood's love -- became the first to ever share her #MeToo story on the show ... and it was extremely emotional.

Caelynn was on a one-on-one date with Colton on Monday night's episode when she decided to open up ... telling him she was sexually assaulted when she was a sophomore in college in 2014, after attending a frat party with 3 girlfriends.

She said ... "They drugged our wine. I woke up the next morning and I was completely naked in my bed and had no memory of the night before. And, I had like a small vision of a guy in my bed, and I just had this pit in my stomach like something really bad happened last night."

The former Miss USA runner-up added that her friend called her the next day and told her all 3 of them were sexually assaulted by various men ... and they all got away with it except for one student who was expelled.

Colton expressed his deep sympathy, calling what happened to Caelynn "devastating."

Caelynn, who was crowned Miss North Carolina 2018, opened up about being a sexual assault survivor last year ... but Monday's convo with Colton was the first time he learned about it.

Miller-Keyes added the aftermath of the assault was horrible, as she was initially denied a rape kit by a hospital and had to go to another one. She said the whole experience was "so painful and it screws up every ounce of you."

Caelynn is one of 13 women remaining on Colton's season.

Zac Efron starring as Ted Bundy is pissing off a lot of people who think a full-on heartthrob shouldn't be playing a serial killer -- but, one rare survivor of Bundy's killing spree thinks Zac's a perfect fit.

We spoke with Kathy Kleiner Rubin -- who was brutalized by Bundy at Florida State University's Chi Omega house in '78 -- and she tells us she doesn't really mind Efron's "hot take" as Bundy, or the trailer for "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile." It plays more like a fast-paced action flick than a dark portrayal of a serial killer.

Kathy concedes that the movie might treat its subject matter too lightly -- but, what's most important to her is that people realize Ted's true nature: charming and handsome on the outside, and a monster on the inside.

Kathy also has a warning for women everywhere ... BE AWARE!!!

She hopes Zac's Bundy movie and the new Netflix documentary teach people to be wary when dealing with a seemingly trustworthy face.

Blac Chyna's Hawaiian holiday went to hell fast, after paramedics and cops showed up at her hotel because of a physical fight between Chyna and her new boyfriend ... TMZ has learned.

We're told at around 5 AM, Chyna and Kid Buu were in their hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton in Honolulu when they got in a heated argument. We're told Chyna accused Kid Buu of cheating, and just before 7 AM it turned violent.

We're told Chyna scratched Kid Buu, and our sources say he then slammed her against the wall several times and choked her.

Someone called 911, and cops and paramedics arrived on scene.

Chyna was not taken to the hospital and, as far as we know, no one was seriously hurt.

As for Kid Buu, he left the hotel and posted in Spanish ... translation -- "Don't f**k with me, I'm a grown man." He followed it up with a homophobic slur.

Tisha Campbell-Martin claims her estranged husband has been abusive for years ... alleging he flew into a violent rage as recently as last month.

The "Martin" star filed for a restraining order against Duane Martin ... alleging he once punched her in the chest with a closed fist. In the docs, she says in December, Duane "grabbed me by my arm to try to get me in the bedroom." She claims she filed a police report in January about multiple alleged physical altercations.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Duane started physically, emotionally and mentally abusing Tisha at the start of their marriage in 1996. She says he berated her about her weight and inability to land roles because of it.

As for why she's speaking now ... Tisha says, "I can no longer live in fear of retaliation ... the need [to] press criminal charges for his acts overshadows the embarrassment of making his crimes against me public through this report."

Roger Stone touched down in D.C. looking fly ahead of his arraignment on federal charges, and he definitely had jumpsuit fashion on the brain -- but it ain't what you think.

We got President Trump's former campaign adviser at Reagan National Airport Monday, the day before he'll appear in front of a judge, and asked how he thought prison garb would suit him -- especially compared to his usual snazzy outfits.

Stone scoffed at the idea that he'd be wearing orange anytime soon, but he is embracing stripes.

As we reported ... Roger's homes in Florida and New York were raided by authorities last week when he was arrested and indicted on a slew of charges related to Robert Mueller's Russia investigation -- including false statements, witness tampering and obstruction.

He doesn't seem too concerned with those allegations, telling us he will plead not guilty and he has nothing to hide. As for whether he'll turn against Trump ... check out his answer.