Crime

A guy was caught on camera choking his ex-girlfriend's dog -- and now ... he's facing criminal charges for the sickeningly evil deed.

30-year-old Shane Mitchell allegedly took his ex's pup -- a Doberman named Rubyjean -- without permission, and when he showed up at the owner's front door with Rubyjean, the owner threatened him with a call to the cops. That set Mitchell off, and what happened next is disturbing.

While his ex remained behind her front door during the argument, her Ring doorbell cam recorded Mitchell angrily reaching down and yanking up the dog by its leash, suffocating it, and letting it dangle in front of the camera. The owner shrieks from inside, pleading for him to stop -- then, the video ends.

Cops in Slidell, Louisiana say Mitchell was eventually arrested and booked on animal cruelty charges after the clip made the rounds online, and even better news ... Rubyjean is okay.

She's back in her home and doesn't seem to have suffered any permanent damage as a result of the choking. The city's police chief issued a strong statement of the heinous act, saying ... "I was sick to my stomach watching that video." He added, "How someone can hurt a defenseless animal is beyond me."

Ahmaud Arbery's mother believes his murder shows more than the existence of racism in America -- she feels it's spreading like wildfire in small towns ... where people think they can get away with it.

Wanda Cooper-Jones tells TMZ ... her son's death is shining a light on a huge problem in the U.S., particularly in smaller towns in the south that she claims are racist and riddled with corruption.

She says what happened to her son in Glynn County, Georgia is Exhibit A right now. As you know ... Ahmaud was ambushed and killed by Gregory and Travis McMichael back in February, but no arrests were made until last week after video of the slaying leaked, and the case drew national attention and outrage.

Wanda tells us during the gap between her son's death and the arrests, she felt hopeless and feared there would be no justice ... but she's encouraged things are heading in the right direction now.

Still, she feels there's a long way to go. As we first told you, Ahmaud's family and legal team want everyone involved in his death to be convicted and "appropriately sentenced." For the McMichaels, at least, Wanda believes that means the death penalty.

Ahmaud Arbery's mother says, since her son was killed, the people who took his life also deserve to lose theirs ... at the hands of the State of Georgia.

Wanda Cooper-Jones tells TMZ ... she would like prosecutors to seek death penalty sentences for Travis and Gregory McMichael ... the two men charged with Ahmaud's murder.

We spoke to Wanda Tuesday afternoon for TMZ Live ... and asked her if capital punishment was appropriate in this case. As Wanda put it, "Coming from my point of view, my son died, so they should die as well."

There may be several circumstances in this case that would allow the prosecutor to seek the death penalty, including this provision of Georgia law ... the death penalty can be sought if "the capital offense was outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible, or inhuman in that it involved torture, depravity of mind or an aggravated battery to the victim."

Wanda told us she's already spoken to the newly appointed prosecutor, Joyette Holmes. During our interview, Wanda's attorney, Lee Merritt, didn't want her to disclose too much about her conversation with Holmes.

Ahmaud Arbery's family and legal team know who they want punished for the killing of Ahmaud ... they want everyone involved with the case, from the accused murderers to law enforcement held accountable ... and they have specific punishments in mind.

Ahmaud's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, tells TMZ ... "We want all parties involved to go to prison for life." She says this includes the 2 current murder suspects -- Gregory and Travis McMichael -- along with the man who recorded Arbery's slaying, William "Roddie" Bryan.

Wanda tells us she and Ahmaud's legal team believe Bryan was involved in the fatal incident, but as we reported ... he claims he had nothing to do with it. However, he has not explained why he was recording.

For his part, Ahmaud's family's attorney, Lee Merritt, wants everyone involved in Arbery's death convicted and "appropriately sentenced."

Merritt believes Bryan should be prosecuted along with the McMichaels ... "because he actively participated in the ambush according to previous statements by the McMichaels” and “because our forensic expert says that he was likely holding and brandishing a firearm."

Merritt adds that for justice to be done, members of the Glynn County Police Department who initially failed to investigate Arbery's killing and make any arrests need to be held accountable.

He's also going after Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill, district attorneys involved in the case, for allegedly mishandling it at best ... or committing prosecutorial misconduct at worst.

Merritt tells us he believes Barnhill specifically should be disbarred by the Georgia State Bar, as well as removed from his position as District Attorney ... because of his role in both withholding information and actively attempting to taint the jury pool.

A new lead prosecutor has been appointed to the case by the Georgia Attorney General -- Joyette Holmes, the district attorney of the Cobb County Judicial Circuit.

Ahmaud's mom tells us Holmes called her to introduce herself and let her know she is taking over. Clearly, the expectations for her from Arbery's family are high.

The man who recorded the video of Ahmaud Arbery's slaying says he had zero involvement in what went down and is now in fear for his life.

William "Roddie" Bryan and his fiancee spoke to Action News in Jacksonville, and he says he and his family have been receiving death threats since the video leaked online last week.

Bryan, who was speaking out for the first time, doesn't explain why he was recording the vid ... which shows Travis McMichael -- with his father Gregory in tow -- shoot Ahmaud during a struggle back in February. Bryan says he's in "complete shock" because he's "never been involved in anything like that before."

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Bryan and his video are under investigation. He was initially named in the police report as trying to block Ahmaud during the controversial chase but Bryan claims he had no involvement. As we've reported ... Georgia's Attorney General is asking the Justice Department to step in and help get to the bottom of all of this.

Bryan told Action News, “I had nothing to do with it. I'm trying to get my life back to normal, and it’s been smeared for the last week. I was told I was a witness and I’m not sure what I am, other than receiving a bunch of threats.”

TMZ Sports has obtained the police report from the Alberto Del Rio arrest ... and it's very disturbing.

The accuser told police Del Rio exploded on her on May 3 in San Antonio, Texas -- accusing her of cheating on him with other men.

The accuser -- who cops say only speaks Spanish -- says Del Rio smashed her cell phone, her laptop and attempted to burn her passport in an attack that started at around 10 p.m. on May 3 and lasted until around 2:30 p.m. on May 4.

The woman also claims Del Rio attacked her, causing multiple injuries and left her, "feeling woozy and dizzy from the hits to her head."

There's more ... the accuser also claims Del Rio choked her and at one point "shoved a sock into her mouth, to keep [her] quiet."

The woman says, "When the sock was in her mouth, she could not breathe."

During the incident, the woman claims Del Rio also sexually assaulted her with his penis and other body parts. The woman is adamant she did NOT consent to sexual activity with Del Rio.

The woman told police that she is afraid of Del Rio and had planned on leaving the city as soon as possible.

The responding officer says he saw "multiple bruises" on the accuser's face, arms, legs and neck.

Del Rio -- real name Jose Rodriguez Chucuan -- was arrested for domestic violence and aggravated sexual assault. According to his booking sheet, the 42-year-old is listed at 6'4", 240 pounds. The accuser is 5'5", 132 pounds.

Del Rio was a WWE superstar from 2009 until 2016, winning the WWE championship, the 2011 Royal Rumble, and more. He's also an MMA fighter, who recently lost to Tito Ortiz in December 2019.

Georgia's top prosecutor says something's fishy about the Ahmaud Arbery case -- beyond the killing itself -- and he's asking the feds to step in to figure out who knew what ... and when.

Attorney General Chris Carr formally requested the U.S. Department of Justice -- led by the lead U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia -- to conduct its own investigation of how Ahmaud's case was handled internally by lower-level officials early on.

In an open letter, Carr spells out major inconsistencies in what his office was told about the case in February, March and April -- long after Ahmaud was shot to death in cold blood by Travis McMichael, while accompanied by his father, Gregory, in late February.

He writes, "The request to the U.S. Department of Justice includes, but is not limited to, investigation of the communications and discussions by and between the Office of the District Attorney of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit and the Office of the District Attorney of the Waycross Judicial Circuit related to this case." Those departments' leaders, respectively, are Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill. Carr's got questions about Barnhill, especially.

Carr says correspondence between his office and Barnhill's office back in early April -- about a month or so after Carr's office formally assigned Barnhill and his team to investigate/prosecute the case -- appears to show Barnhill was not being forthright in how he was handling things up to the point he asked to be taken off, due to a conflict of interest.

Long story short, Barnhill told the AG that his own son -- who's a prosecutor in a neighboring district -- had handled a previous prosecution of Ahmaud, and that one of the defendants -- the elder McMichaels, per reports -- served as an investigator in that old case. Carr says Barnhill told him he learned of this development 3-4 weeks before his dated letter to the AG on April 7. Carr says Barnhill offered no reason why he didn't notify them sooner.

That's not the biggest issue, per Carr. He also says in that April 7 letter, Barnhill did not reveal that he had already been calling shots in the case, including the crucial decision to NOT make any arrests after he reviewed the evidence himself and decided against it.

Chaka Khan and Luenell have had it with mothers in their community continuing to lose their children -- so, in their honor, they held a peaceful protest on an important holiday.

The singer and comedian got together in L.A. Sunday with a bunch of other women of color -- who have lost their own kids or relatives to violence ... be it from the police or at the hands of someone else. The purpose of the rally was to speak out against the killing of these children -- minors or adults, alike -- and to offer support to their grieving mothers.

We talked to Luenell about it, and she tells us the time to voice concern about this issue is more pressing than ever ... and they want the public and people in power, especially, to know #EnoughIsEnough, which also happens to be the official name for their viral campaign.

Now, while Luenell insists the issue of black children being murdered goes beyond law enforcement -- hers and Chaka's movement comes at a moment where, once again, we're seeing excessive violence being exacted upon men of color -- specifically, black men -- by cops and/or rogue vigilantes -- encounters that often lead to their deaths as a result.

Of course, we're referring to two recent cases of this in Ahmaud Arbery -- who was gunned down after a man and his son claim he fit the profile of a burglary suspect -- and Sean Reed, who live streamed his own death after cops gunned him down during a chase.

We've seen it before ... the list of black/brown people being killed by the authorities is long and well-documented. But, for Luenell and co., they're truly pissed and demanding structural change. Watch ... she's incredibly passionate about the cause and for good reason.

Jay-Z, Meek Mill and others over at Roc Nation are speaking out publicly to demand justice for the slaying of Ahmaud Arbery -- asking for a speedy trial and conviction of his killers.

Jigga, Meek and other Roc Nation artists -- including Alicia Keys and Yo Gotti -- have signed an open letter they're releasing this weekend, which is made out to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia AG Christopher Darr and District Attorney Tom Durden.

It says in no uncertain terms ... try Gregory and Travis McMichael fairly, but swiftly, so that felony convictions can fall on them. Also, they want another man arrested and tried as an accomplice.

The team writes, "By now, we’ve all seen the crime’s disturbing video, so the facts here are not in doubt: He was unarmed and innocent and the victim of a hate crime. Which is why we call upon you today, as official leaders of the Great State of Georgia, and with the entire world watching, to ensure that a fair trial is conducted, as that can only lead to the appropriate felony convictions of both McMichaels. We also implore you to charge William Bryan as an armed accomplice to the crime." Bryan was the guy who filmed the video.

They go on to say that D.A. Durden must recuse himself from the case because of a conflict of interest -- namely, the elder McMichaels is a former cop and they know each other.

The Roc Nation squad also makes a point that the first necessary step for healing has taken place in the arrest of both McMichaels. They say, "We truly appreciate that you have arrested and charged these men with Ahmaud’s murder, and are hopeful that a trial and conviction will show that, in the state that gave us Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and has been the site of the best and worst of the Civil Rights movement, Dr. King’s words do ring true: 'The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.'"

Tekashi 6ix9ine isn't in the witness protection program, but he'd be smart if he started acting like he is -- which is exactly what he ISN'T doing by showing off his new digs.

The rainbow-haired rapper has a new pic up on IG, and there's a lot happening here ... including a potential road map to his whereabouts while he's under house arrest and (seemingly) trying to lay low from gang members ... who are almost certainly out to get him.

T69 isn't helping his own cause by posting this, showing himself posing on a balcony of some sort with a couple big stacks of cash. The money and goofy attire isn't even the problem here ... it's what's all around him that's concerning, and possibly even dangerous.

Basically, you can kinda see where Tekashi's hiding out right now -- and while he doesn't show off a full exterior ... there's more than enough here for digital snoops to get an idea of where he's at -- obviously not something he probably wants as a notorious snitch.

Now, we won't speculate as to where he is or what this setting looks like to us -- not trying to dime the guy out -- BUT we will say ... if we can take a wild guess, others can too.

Be smart, kid. For your sake ... and for the sake of others.

NFL star Malcolm Jenkins wants justice for murdered Georgia man Ahmaud Arbery -- who would have turned 26 today -- and he's doing his part by going on a jog to show support for Maud's family.

"Happy birthday to Ahmaud Arbery," Jenkins said while out on a 2.23-mile jog ... "Rest in peace, King."

Malcolm's workout is all part of the #RunWithMaud movement -- which is encouraging people to go on a jog to honor Maud -- while his family continues to push for justice.

The 2.23-mile run represents the date Arbery was shot and killed while jogging on Feb. 23.

Two men -- Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory -- have been arrested for the shooting and are facing murder charges.

"Doing my job for you," Jenkins added while encouraging others to follow his lead. "Even though they arrested those two men, we gotta make sure they don't forget his face and that he gets his justice in court."

"Y'all continue to support my brother, uplift his name, show his face, stay diligent. Love y'all."

Ex-NFL wideout Torrey Smith also participated in the run -- saying, "I hate distance running but I hate our justice system and racism more."

Other athletes, including LeBron James, Reggie Bush and more, have voiced their outrage over the incident ... with the Lakers superstar saying, "We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes!"

Moments before Ahmaud Arbery was shot, someone called 911, claiming they'd seen the young man running down the street after allegedly looking into a house under construction.

It's unclear who the male caller is, but he said he was watching a black male in a white t-shirt looking into the home. The caller claimed, "He's been caught on camera a bunch before at night. It's kind of an ongoing thing out here."

There had allegedly been a series of break-ins in the Brunswick, GA neighborhood prior to the February 23 shooting. The caller said, "He's running right now. There he goes right now" ... and the 911 dispatcher said she was sending police to the scene.

A second call was made to 911, apparently by Gregory McMichael ... the father of Travis McMichael, the man who confronted Ahmaud with a shotgun. The elder McMichael was out of breath during the call, and told the operator there was a "black male running down the street."

Gregory then yelled, apparently to his son, "Stop that damn it, stop! Travis!!"

It's unclear if the second call was made before or after the fatal shots that took 25-year-old Ahmaud's life.

As we reported, video of the incident shows the McMichaels in a white pickup truck blocking the road down which Ahmaud was running. That's what led to the confrontation and a brief wrestling match between Travis and Ahmaud. Seconds later, at least 2 shots were fired and Ahmaud fell to the ground. He died from the gunshot wounds.

The Arbery family attorney, Lee Merritt, told us a third man was involved in chasing down Ahmaud -- he says the person recording the video was trailing the chase in his own vehicle ... allegedly to block Ahmaud from escaping.

Neither of the McMichaels have been arrested or charged in Ahmaud's death. The release of the video this week has sparked national outrage and demonstrations.

The Georgia man who shot and killed Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old unarmed black man, is still walking free -- but the Arbery family attorney is trying to change that immediately.

The video of Ahmaud's killing -- released Tuesday -- is sparking national outrage and local protests near Brunswick, GA ... where he was gunned down in February. His family has hired Lee Merritt to get justice for Ahmaud by cutting through what he calls corruption in the Glynn County D.A.'s office.

Merritt joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to discuss the gut-wrenching video. Lee says the first version of the story cops told Ahmaud's family was that he was shot by a homeowner while committing a burglary.

That's obvious BS, as Ahmaud was jogging down a road when Greg and Travis McMichael, both armed, cut him off with their pickup truck ... leading to the physical altercation and the fatal shots.

As for why they were tracking Ahmaud -- Merritt tells us the men are hiding behind a pretty wild GA statute about citizen's arrests.

While Ahmaud's family says he was just out for a jog, the McMichaels claim he was casing an unoccupied home and matched the description of a potential suspect in neighborhood break-ins.

Merritt says it's time for the McMichaels to be taken into custody -- but the D.A. wants to get a grand jury to decide if they should be arrested and charged.