Crime

"Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" star Miss Robbie is dealing with a new family shocker tied to the murder of her grandson -- cops have arrested her own son for an alleged murder-for-hire plot straight outta "Dateline."

Miss Robbie's son, and costar on the OWN show, James Timothy Norman was busted by feds for his alleged role in the 2016 shooting death of Andre Montgomery ... his nephew and Miss Robbie's grandchild.

According to docs, prosecutors say Norman -- who owns Sweetie Pie's restaurant -- took out a $450k life insurance policy on his nephew back in 2014 ... and then worked with a woman named Terica Ellis to allegedly pull off the murder. The feds claim they communicated on burner phones in the days leading up to the killing in St. Louis.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors claim Ellis got Andre's location the day of the murder ... then placed a call to Norman. Shortly after that, on March 14, 2016 ... Montgomery was shot at killed, and the feds claim they ping'd Ellis' phone near the scene of the crime.

Immediately after Montgomery's murder ... Ellis allegedly called Norman, left town and deposited $9k in cash into various bank accounts. Prosecutors say Norman then contacted the life insurance company in an attempt to collect on the policy.

Ellis is facing the same murder-for-hire conspiracy charge as Norman.

One of the men convicted in the murder of Michael Jordan's father, James Sr., in 1993 will walk free in 2023 ... after he was granted parole on Tuesday.

MJ's dad was shot to death in July 1993 while sleeping in his car at a rest stop in North Carolina. His body was dumped off a bridge in South Carolina and recovered 11 days later.

One of the men -- 45-year-old Larry Demery -- pled guilty to first-degree murder, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery in 1996.

On Tuesday, the North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission announced that it has granted Demery parole as part of the Mutual Agreement Parole Program.

Demery is set to be released on August 6, 2023.

In a letter explaining Demery's release, the MAPP is described as a scholastic and vocational program that is a three-way agreement between the Commission, the Division of Prisons and the offender.

Cuba Gooding Jr. allegedly coerced a woman to his hotel room and raped her before falling asleep and allowing her to escape ... this according to an explosive new lawsuit.

The suit's been filed by a Jane Doe ... who claims Gooding raped her in 2013 at The Mercer hotel in NYC. According to the legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the woman and her friend met Gooding at a restaurant's VIP lounge on the evening of August 24, and he invited them for drinks back at the hotel.

The woman claims Gooding arranged for a cab to take him and her to the hotel -- and says she planned to meet her friend at the hotel bar -- but once they got to The Mercer ... he asked her to go to his room so he could change.

According to the suit ... the woman was hesitant but Gooding said it would be quick, but once inside the room, she claims he turned on music, blocked the door and began to undress.

Jane Doe says she tried to leave, but Gooding stopped her and forcibly began to sexually assault her with his hands. She alleges she resisted and said "no" several times, but Gooding became physically aggressive and threw her on the bed.

Then, according to the docs, Gooding "aggressively removed Plaintiff’s underwear" and vaginally raped her. She alleges he did not wear a condom and raped her until he ejaculated.

In the suit, she says Gooding went to the bathroom afterward, but as she was attempting to get out of the bed, he returned and raped her again ... this time anally.

She says they both laid in the bed after this as she feared he would rape her a third time, but he fell asleep ... allowing her to leave his hotel room.

Jane Doe is suing Gooding for a "crime of violence" based on gender and seeking damages.

Cuba's attorney, Mark Heller, tells TMZ ..."Clearly, this is a fabricated accusation that was never reported to the police -- and forms no basis for any claim at this point with 7 years having passed."

Kim Kardashian could be just what the doctor ordered in Master P's quest to free his famous sibling, C-Murder ... but he knows it's not gonna be easy.

Master P told us it's a blessing to have Kim K on his side as he continues his decades-long fight to free rapper C-Murder from the Louisiana State Penitentiary, and he's hoping her celebrity can be the difference-maker.

Although Kim's on board now, Master P and his family have poured time and energy into this for years -- they lobbied President Obama, trying to get a new trial ... and C-Murder went on a hunger strike. Some supporters fear Kim's involvement might overshadow those efforts, but Master P says she might be the missing piece.

As we reported ... Kim's vowing to put her resources towards freeing C-Murder, who is serving a life sentence after being convicted in the 2002 fatal shooting of a 16-year-old at a Louisiana nightclub.

Remember ... the evidence in the case has recently been questioned and eyewitness have since recanted testimony pinning C-Murder to the crime. Jurors were also allegedly pressured to vote guilty.

Kim's joining forces with C-Murder's ex-girlfriend, Monica, and Master P tells us he appreciates them both coming forward to help his brother, as long as it's for all the right reasons. MP says it's important for the case to be dealt with respectfully, because it's near and dear to his family's heart.

Master P knows Kim has a pretty good track record with freeing prisoners -- take Alice Marie Johnson for starters -- but he tells us why Louisiana is an entirely different beast.

C-Murder is singing Kim Kardashian's praises now that she's pledged to help get him outta prison ... the incarcerated rapper says she's an angel who gives him hope.

C-Murder just broke his silence on Kim joining his fight for freedom, saying KK and his ex-girlfriend, Monica, are angels sent by God.

In a message from behind the walls of the Louisiana State Penitentiary, where C-Murder is serving a life sentence after being convicted in the 2002 fatal shooting of a 16-year-old fan at a Louisiana nightclub, CM says he's focusing on his blessings ... namely, Kim devoting resources to try and get his 2009 conviction overturned.

C-Murder says he called his ex 7 months ago and that's when Monica started to get Kim involved, unbeknownst to him. C-Murder says he can finally sleep knowing Kim and Monica are fighting for his freedom.

Master P's been fighting for his brother ... lobbying President Obama and trying to get a new jury to look at the case ... but now KK is trying to do for C-Murder what she did for Alice Marie Johnson.

As we reported ... Kim pledged to get involved with C-Murder's case Sunday, noting evidence is now in question and eyewitnesses have recanted testimony pinning him to the crime he was convicted of committing. Jurors were also allegedly pressured to vote guilty.

Here's something Wendy's workers don't see everyday -- a customer going so HAM at the drive-thru, he climbed right through the window ... and now he's a wanted man.

The bizarre incident went down earlier this month at a Wendy's in Tampa and surveillance footage shows a man forcing his way through the drive-thru window and wreaking havoc.

As you can see, the guy leaned halfway through the window and started tossing cups and hurling trays. He even briefly had a hold of the cash drawer, but it slipped through his fingers as the Wendy's cavalry arrived to force him back outside.

The guy was still pissed, though, and continued pounding on the glass as friends tried to calm him down before he drove away ... pretty damn hangry, we're willing to bet.

The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office says a Wendy's employee told deputies the man and his passengers became belligerent while placing their order. They've already figured out he was in a rental car, and cops say the rental company's filed a failure-to-return complaint.

One Australian cop can now say he does his own stunts -- because that's exactly what it looked like as he went flying through the air trying to stop a guy who allegedly jacked a car.

A Victoria police officer got roped into an action movie scene late last week in Melbourne, while attempting to detain a man who cops say was making an escape in a stolen car -- allegedly, because he was breaking the country's stage four lockdown restrictions.

The man didn't wanna talk though, and according to authorities ... hopped into this whip and tried driving off. This one cop wasn't about to let him off easy, as he tried yanking the dude out through the driver side, but things went left when they started going in reverse.

Because of his position on the door, the officer was flung back when the car hit another one behind it on impact. His body was thrown at least 10 feet or so, and he hits a parked car incredibly hard before springing back up and continuing to give chase to the getaway driver.

Cops have thwarted an apparent kidnapping attempt at the home of WWE superstar Sonya Deville -- claiming the suspect is an obsessed fan who was armed with a knife, zip ties and duct tape.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Lutz, Florida arrested 24-year-old Philip A. Thomas on Sunday ... saying he had been planning his move for 8 months.

Officials say Thomas parked his car at a nearby church late Saturday night and walked to Deville's home -- where he cut a hole in a patio screen, waited for several hours and then entered the residence around 2:45 AM.

Thomas set off a house alarm, which startled Deville -- and once she realized there was an intruder, she fled the home with another person and called 911.

Cops arrived and found Thomas still inside the home. He was arrested for attempted armed kidnapping, armed burglary, aggravated stalking and misdemeanor criminal mischief.

Cops say he's an obsessed fan who was on a mission to "inflict harm."

"Our deputies are unveiling the suspect's disturbing obsession with this homeowner who he had never met, but stalked on social media for years," the HCSO said in a statement.

"It's frightening to think of all the ways this incident could have played out had the home alarm not gone off and alerted the homeowner of an intruder. Our deputies arrived within minutes and arrested this man who was clearly on a mission to inflict harm."

26-year-old Deville -- real name Daria Berenato -- later commented on Twitter, thanking cops.

"Thank you everyone for your love and concern. A very frightening experience but thankfully everyone is safe," Deville said.

"A special thank you to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for their response and assistance."

Kim Kardashian has her sights set on her next prison case -- saying she's going to put her resources toward helping free a famous rapper who's Master P's sibling ... AKA, C-Murder.

She made the announcement Sunday, noting evidence has been questioned in the case and that eyewitnesses have since recanted their testimony about pinning him to the crime he was convicted of committing, not to mention jurors allegedly being pressured to vote guilty.

Kim writes, "On January 18, 2002 a tragedy occurred when a young man was killed. The next day Corey Miller was arrested for the murder." She went on to say he was convicted on a ruling of 10-2, and that if his trial happened today ... it would have to be unanimous.

She says true justice means catching the actual killer -- C-Murder was accused of fatally shooting a 16-year-old at a Louisiana club -- and that in light of these new developments over the past several years, it's time to get him out, or have him retried at the very least.

Right now, C-Murder is serving a life sentence at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

Kim also says she's teaming up with C-Murder's ex-girlfriend, Monica, in the effort to free him. Monica's been outspoken about the cause for a while -- and now, she has a powerful ally in KK to actually get some movement. Kim's bringing on some high-leverage attorneys.

It looks like C-Murder himself is incredibly appreciative of the love and dedication Monica's shown over the years ... 'cause he shouted her out in a new IG post in light of the news.

He writes, "Moses when they took me I told you go live your life because you didn’t deserve what the system was about to do to me. You still stood for me, without me asking created a team that could change the outcome of a very unfair fate! You been Forever Tru , One in a Lifetime!! @monicadenise got em saying #FreeCoreyMiller."

R. Kelly's alleged manager is facing more legal fallout over what the feds claim are efforts to run interference for the disgraced singer.

Donnell Russell has just been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice for an alleged threat to shoot up an NYC theater in December 2018 when the Lifetime documentary, "Surviving R. Kelly," was being screened there.

The feds claim Russell admitted to first sending a cease-and-desist letter trying to end the screening -- but when that failed, prosecutors allege he phoned in the shooting threat ... and successfully nixed the event, which was being attended by a number of Kelly's alleged victims.

TMZ broke the story ... law enforcement sources told us an R. Kelly associate was a person of interest over an alleged threat that came in just 20 minutes before the start of the screening. Russell was charged with 1 count of conspiracy to threaten physical harm and 1 count of threatening physical harm. Each charge carries a max sentence of 5 years in prison. This, of course, is just the tip of the legal iceberg for Russell.

George Floyd had at least 8 civilian onlookers, including a Minneapolis firefighter, pleading for his life ... and this newly released police body cam shows the panic and horror they all felt.

The footage comes from the body cam of now ex-officer Tou Thao -- he's the one who was doing crowd control during Floyd's arrest. The video shows the initial attempt to put Floyd into a patrol car and, seconds later, the 3 officers -- including Derek Chauvin -- taking him down onto the pavement.

As soon as George was on the street, with Chauvin's knee on his neck, Thao went straight to the curb where a handful of onlookers could immediately tell Floyd was in life-threatening distress.

While one young woman, Darnella Frazier, recorded the original video the world saw of Floyd's killing ... the most vocal citizen on the curbside was a black man who repeatedly asked Thao if he was just going to watch the other officers "choke him like that?"

Another onlooker, who identified herself as a Minneapolis firefighter, made multiple attempts to get a closer look ... and yelled at Thao, "Does he have a pulse? Show me his pulse!"

What's most interesting about this angle of the incident is you can see and feel the crowd's worry increase with every minute the officers are on top of George. It was painfully obvious to them a man was dying, and they got more and more agitated as the clock ticked through the 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

As you know, Thao and 2 other ex-officers, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Keung, are charged with aiding and abetting murder ... while Chauvin's been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, as well as an additional count of second-degree murder.

A rideshare driver's lucky to be alive after surviving a drive-by shooting ... as he tried to drop off some late-night passengers ... and it was all caught on video.

The incident went down Wednesday around 1 AM in Louisville, Kentucky where Patrick Hemmerle was on his way to drop off some of his passengers when, out of nowhere, a Ford Fusion pulled up and opened fire.

Check out the video ... the footage comes from Patrick's own dash-cam which shows bullets, glass and shrapnel flying across his dashboard as he and his passengers desperately try taking cover. You also see the moment the Ford sedan pulled up ahead of Patrick's Toyota SUV and someone inside starts firing away.

Patrick, a local real estate agent who drives Uber and Lyft to make extra cash, told WDRB cops told him these guys have been driving around shooting at random people.

Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin is "vehemently" denying domestic violence allegations made by his ex-wife ... saying they're simply NOT TRUE.

Audrey Griffin posted a long message on Twitter Thursday ... claiming she experienced several incidents of violence from Adrian -- including when she was pregnant.

"How can someone continuously get away with abuse, almost take a life choking them while on the floor and almost passes out, throw them into a wall making a hole as big as their body, drag them across a lawn while pregnant ..." part of Audrey's message says.

Audrey continued ... "One thing I have realized is that I have been quiet and accepting of abusive behavior for far too long. And me staying silent has allowed sin to thrive. I can’t be quiet anymore. It’s too much to bear."

Adrian -- who starred at Seton Hall University and played 9 years in the NBA -- just released a statement through the Raptors ... saying his ex-wife is flat-out lying.

"This morning, accusations were made against me on social media by my former wife that I vehemently deny," Adrian says.

"We are involved in a longstanding legal dispute over alimony and child support arrangements. I am disappointed to have to address false accusations in this way, and I apologize for any distraction this has potentially caused for our team at this important time."

The Raptors added ... "When we saw these allegations this morning, we were dismayed -- Adrian is a valuable member of our team."

Former All-Pro linebacker Chip Banks -- the #3 overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft -- is fighting for his life after he was shot in an apparent targeted attack in Georgia ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Cops tell us officers responded to a call about a shooting in the Atlanta area around noon on Wednesday and arrived to find 3 victims -- including Banks -- suffering from gunshot wounds.

One of the men, cops say, was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

The other two men -- including Banks -- were "alert, conscious and breathing" and transported to a local hospital for treatment, officials added.

We're told 60-year-old Banks, the 1982 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, is currently in "serious condition."

As for how the shooting went down ... cops told local media outlets Wednesday they believe a group of 5 or 6 men with masks on rolled up to the residence, shot a man in the driveway and then went inside and shot the other two men before running off.

Cops told local outlets they do not believe the shooting was random -- in other words, it appears at least one of the men was the target of a hit.

"Detectives are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident," a spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Dept. tells us. "The investigation continues."

Banks was a pretty big star in the NFL in the 1980s and early 1990s ... playing for the Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts.

Breonna Taylor's family had a momentous meeting this week with Kentucky's Attorney General, and for the first time since her death, Breonna's family is hopeful justice will be served.

The attorney who reps Breonna's family, Sam Aguiar, tells TMZ AG Daniel Cameron did not play his hand and say if he'll charge the cops in her death, but he showed a real interest in Breonna and her mom, Tamika Palmer, says they walked out of the meeting feeling good about the case.

We're told Cameron was well versed on the case and asked a lot of questions about Breonna. He wanted to know about her life and promised an open line of communication as the review process continues.

Cameron said during the meeting, which lasted 45 minutes, he's waiting on the FBI's ballistic report. He believes the conclusions may unlock some of the mystery surrounding her death and will give him the information he needs to interview new witnesses and re-interview old ones.

Breonna's family has been met by radio silence for months, and their frustration grew to a fever pitch. Now, for the first time, Tamika feels optimistic Breonna's case is getting a fair review.

It's a far cry from the family's outrage after Cameron posted pics of his engagement party.

This could be a bad look for R. Kelly -- 3 of his alleged acquaintances have been charged with harassing witnesses in his criminal case ... but the singer claims he had no involvement.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday Richard Arline, Donnell Russell and Michael Williams were arrested and charged for allegedly intimidating witnesses in the disgraced singer's racketeering case in NYC.

Prosecutors allege Arline -- a self-proclaimed friend of R. Kelly -- offered $500k to an alleged victim in exchange for her to NOT cooperate with prosecutors. Russell -- a self-described manager, advisor and friend of Kelly -- allegedly threatened to reveal sexually explicit pics of an alleged victim and publicly reveal her sexual history if she didn't withdraw her civil suit.

And get this, prosecutors claim Williams -- a relative of someone who once served as Kelly's publicist -- set fire to an SUV parked outside the Florida residence where an alleged victim was staying back in June.

Acting Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Seth D. DuCharme released a statement, saying...“The defendants are separately charged with engaging in multiple crimes that were intended to undermine and subvert the integrity of the criminal justice system and victimize the women who have come forward with serious allegations of criminal conduct against the defendant R. Kelly."

Kelly's attorney, Steven Greenberg, tells TMZ ... his team just learned about these charges against Kelly's so-called "associates." He says, "Without question, Robert Kelly had nothing to do with any of these alleged acts by those charged. He has not attempted to intimidate anyone, or encouraged anyone else to do so. No involvement whatsoever."