Crime

Julius Jones has another shot at freedom, which is why Vic Mensa is trying to get maximum attention on the death row case ... and setting up a face-to-face meeting with him.

We spoke to the Chicago rapper about his newest song, 'SHELTER,' which references Julius directly ... while also touching on police shootings in the Black community. He said it was important for him to get the message out now, because there's a lot on the line in March.

Not too long from now, Julius will have another hearing with the parole board in Oklahoma, which has the power to grant him clemency and save his life. Vic tells us he's actually heading down to the state penitentiary to speak with Julius, and lift his spirits.

Vic says his plan is to raise awareness and put pressure on Oklahoma government officials, including Gov. Kevin Stitt. He's open to meeting with Kim K too ... who also went down to death row to visit Julius last year, and has been advocating for his freedom.

BTW, check out Vic's anecdote about how he became aware of Julius' case ... in what sounds like true fate. Apparently, Julius was well aware of Vic before the latter took up his cause.

In case you hadn't heard, Julius was arrested at age 19 in 1999 in connection to the shooting death of a white man ... for which he was ultimately tried and convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death, but Julius has maintained his innocence since day 1.

YFN Lucci is back on the outside after being arrested for murder -- but a judge is imposing limitations to keep him from booking it outta town, or hurting anyone.

Photos and video emerged Monday of the Atlanta rapper getting sprung from jail -- where he'd been in custody since turning himself in last month. He seems happy to be free, for now, but he had to drop a bundle ... a $500k bond to get released.

Once the money was posted, a jail rep says Lucci was cut loose around 4 PM ET -- and he left with a long list of rules he must abide by until his next hearing.

For starters, he has to surrender his passport and wear an ankle monitor while living in an undisclosed location -- and he needs to be at that place between 7 PM and 7 AM.

Outside of those hours, the only thing he can do is meet up with legal counsel for his case, take care of medical appointments and see his kids.

Lucci's also not allowed to have contact with any alleged victims, witnesses or co-defendants in the case ... nor can he associate with any known gang members or convicted felons. He can't even post on social media, although his pals made sure to get video of his release on the Internet.

Lucci's attorney, Drew Findling, tells us, "The bond was negotiated last week and finalized today. He was released just before 4 pm. There are a variety of conditions which is somewhat consistent with these cases, which included surrendering his passport."

Kodak Black is extending his charitable streak by reaching out to the families of the FBI agents killed in the line of duty this week in Florida.

TMZ has learned the Florida rapper -- fresh out of prison after his Presidential pardon -- had his attorney, Bradford Cohen, send a letter to the FBI Miami Division offering to pay college tuition for the children of the 2 agents fatally shot in Sunrise, FL.

In the letter, obtained by TMZ, Cohen says Kodak knows what it's like to lose loved ones and grow up in a single-parent home, and he wants to make sure the mourning families don't ever have to worry about sending their kids to college.

Kodak's attorney says he has a friend in the FBI's Miami office who told him special agents Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger each have minor children -- and Cohen relayed that to KB.

The agents were serving search warrants Tuesday when they were killed and 3 other agents were injured.

Alfin is survived by a 3-year-old child and Schwartzenberger is survived by a 4-year-old and a 9-year-old.

We don't know if the families will accept Kodak's offer -- we've reached out to the FBI, but no word back.

A cop in Ontario, Canada viciously attacked a skateboarder who was begging for help, and it's all on video.

20-year-old Skyler Kent had apparently run a red light in front of police, so they pulled him over and he was given a ticket. The officers then went after Kent for a second time, and he was tackled by one of the cops, and that's where the video starts.

You hear Skyler repeatedly scream, "Get off of me!" as he is smothered in cop. The officer implores Skyler to stop resisting, to which he responds ... he's not resisting.

The cop orders Skyler to put his hands behind his back and then puts a taser to his head and warns, "You want this? I'll light you up!"

As bystanders plead for the cop to stop hurting the skateboarder, the cop screams, "Roll on your stomach!" The officer appears to slam the taser at Skyler's head. Another officer then comes and flips Skyler over. The first cop then grabs Skyler's hair and slams his face into the pavement. It's just brutal.

Now get this ... Skyler was charged with causing a disturbance and assault with attempt to resist arrest.

The Police Chief said the cop in question has been "reassigned to alternate duties" pending the outcome of an investigation, adding the video is "concerning."

Rapper Casanova is in even more trouble after busting a move behind bars.

The 34-year-old rapper is in Westchester County Jail in New York in connection with a gang-related racketeering case.

A woman recorded him accepting the "Junebug Challenge" during a video visit. Gotta say, the TikTok challenge is to do a dance in strange locations, so Casanova clearly checked that box.

Jail officials didn't see it that way, and now he's facing discipline. Westchester County Correction Commissioner Joseph Spano says Casanova's video visitation privileges have been yanked ... turns out recording videos and taking pics during a visit are prohibited.

That's not Casanova's only problem ... he faces another disciplinary charge for not wearing a mask during the video visit.

Casanova has pled not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and firearms possession.

The SoulCycle instructor who described herself as an "educator" in order to get the COVID-19 vaccine may have committed a crime ... but we've learned it's unlikely she'll be charged.

Stacey Griffith's looking at a possible perjury charge -- or a charge of offering a false instrument for filing -- if it's shown she knowingly submitted a false statement on the vaccine eligibility form ... this according to the New York State Dept. of Health.

Both charges are misdemeanors, and if convicted ... she'd face up to 1 year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.

A law enforcement source connected to the matter tells TMZ ... it would be rare for prosecutors to charge someone with a crime under these circumstances.

Our source says Griffith could easily make the case she thought she legitimately qualified for the vaccine. In other words, she is a teacher ... and although her conduct clearly violates the spirit of the rules ... it probably falls short of criminality.

As we reported ... Griffith caught flak after sharing a since-deleted photo of herself getting the first dose of the Moderna vaccine, while most school teachers have still not been vaccinated in NY.

She apologized afterward, claiming to have made a "terrible error in judgment."

Some guy allegedly lost it over his chicken dinner -- holding up L.A.'s most famous chicken and waffles joint because he was refused service when he refused to wear a mask.

The guy hit up Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles in Pasadena Wednesday evening, and surveillance video captured the moment he pulled out a gun, cocked it ... and demanded they hand over fried chicken and waffles in a bag. Cops say he left without taking any money or physically injuring anyone.

We're told he'd initially walked in without a mask, and got into an argument with staff when they asked him to put on one. Cops say he refused, and did leave when the staff asked him to do so.

But, when he returned armed ... he walked through the back kitchen and demanded the cook put the food in a bag. And, get this ... on his way out the door, the suspect allegedly grabbed extra syrup for his meal.

Cops tell us they have solid leads on the suspect ... whose face is, ironically, totally visible on camera due to his refusal to wear a face mask.

Kyle Rittenhouse, the teen charged with homicide in the Kenosha, WI killings, isn't complying with his bond ... according to prosecutors, who want him to pay $200k more.

The State of Wisconsin claims Rittenhouse is no longer living at the address listed with the court, and has failed to update it within 48 hours of moving ... which violates the conditions of his bond.

Prosecutors claim Rittenhouse has not lived where he claims he's living since at least mid-December -- based on an investigation by Kenosha PD -- and has failed to provide the court with his current address for weeks.

According to legal docs ... this means the court can't effectively monitor his whereabouts.

Further, the State claims Rittenhouse has no incentive to comply with his bond conditions because neither he nor his family had to come up with his $2 million bond ... rather the money came from a "dubious Internet fundraising campaign."

Prosecutors claim Rittenhouse, therefore, has no financial stake, and doesn't care to follow the rules ... which they say he demonstrated by hitting up a bar last month, allegedly hanging with Proud Boys members and flashing white supremacy hand signs.

The State of Wisconsin's asking the judge to increase Rittenhouse's bond by another $200k in an attempt to get him to take it more seriously.

As you'll recall ... Rittenhouse is charged over the killing of 2 protesters and wounding a 3rd during the civil unrest in Kenosha that exploded following Jacob Blake's shooting. Video allegedly shows him shooting 2 of the 3 people before walking right past police.

Vince Young is back in Austin!!!

The 37-year-old college football legend is back in business with his beloved Texas Longhorns ... after he was fired from his role with the school back in 2019.

This time around, the former Heisman Trophy finalist will serve as a special assistant to athletic director Chris Del Conte.

The University has not said what Young's responsibilities will be. It also did not reveal his salary.

But Vince -- who famously led UT to a National Championship in 2005 -- is stoked about the move ... tweeting he's "so happy" about his new gig.

Young says he plans to "share my knowledge and experiences, reach out in the community and serve the school I love! You know I Bleed Orange!"

Young had previously worked for UT as a part-time Neighborhood Longhorns development officer -- a fundraising gig -- but he was fired in 2019, months after a second drunk driving arrest.

At the time, the UT officials said Young failed to "maintain standards of conduct suitable and acceptable to the University."

Young's off the field struggles are well-documented -- from multiple drunk driving arrests to financial issues. But in 2019, the ex-QB vowed to get help and turn his life around.

Maybe the hiring is a sign he's making process.

Young is considered one of the greatest players in Texas Longhorns history -- famously leading the team to a National Championship in 2005.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says a past trauma -- as a sexual assault victim -- is compounding her current trauma from a near-death experience during the Capitol insurrection.

AOC choked up Monday evening as she said, "I'm a survivor of sexual assault, and I haven't told many people that in my life." She only made the revelation to provide context for what she's clearly going through now.

The Congresswoman talked about the cumulative effect of multiple traumas  ... and how it gets more difficult to recover after each event. She was clearly referring to the events of Jan. 6 as a trigger for her PTSD.

She took a pointed jab at Republicans, and others, who suggest it's best to "move on" or forget Jan. 6 -- accusing them of using the same tactics abusers use on their victims.

As we reported ... AOC had previously said she felt like she "was going to die" during the Capitol evacuation in a "very specific way." Monday night, she provided much more detail ... describing the moment she was hiding behind a door and heard someone enter the room, repeatedly yelling, "Where is she?!?"

She also said she was already on edge on Jan. 6, because she'd gotten numerous text messages from colleagues that week warning they'd heard something might happen -- in general, at the Capitol, and specifically to her.

AOC was online for more than 90 minutes as she poured out everything she's been feeling about that day, including a scary moment with a Capitol police officer.

Famed P.I. Jack Palladino has died from the grave injuries he suffered during an attempted robbery in his San Francisco neighborhood.

Palladino never regained consciousness after being attacked by 2 would-be robbers Friday and falling and hitting his head on the pavement. His attorney, Mel Honowitz, says Jack died Monday around noon after being taken off life support the day before.

As we reported ... Jack's family says he went outside Friday evening to snap photos of people he believed were making trouble in his neighborhood, and they attacked him and tried to steal his camera.

Palladino's family says he refused to let go, but fell in the process. However, his photographs may have helped police track down the 2 suspects it arrested Sunday for his attack -- 23-year-old Tyjone Flournoy and 24-year-old Lawrence Thomas.

Flournoy and Thomas were booked for attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, but now that Palladino has died ... they may be facing a felony murder charge.

Jack started his career as a P.I. in the '70s, but became one of the premier names in the biz in the '80s ... and worked a bunch of high-profile cases in the '90s.

Those included investigating the extra-marital affair allegations against Bill Clinton in 1992, the cause of death of Kurt Cobain in 1994, and repping a 14-year-old boy in his civil, molestation lawsuit against Michael Jackson.

Jack was 76.

RIP

Rochester Police are under fire for detaining and pepper spraying a child who'd been reported as suicidal, and body cam video of the incident is disturbing.

Officers had handcuffed the 9-year-old girl during the Friday domestic violence call. Police say her mother was worried the girl would harm herself or others. While walking the child to a patrol car, she fell to the snowy ground, began flailing arms and screaming she wanted to see her dad.

A nearly 10-minute struggle ensued ... as the girl resisted, 2 officers put the cuffs on her and attempted to put her in their car. The girl continued screaming and said she wouldn't get in until she saw her dad.

A female officer stepped in, trying to convince her to get in the backseat. A male officer, who was trying to pull the girl in from the other side yelled, "Sit up! You're acting like a child, stop" -- to which she responded, "I am a child!! What the f***?"

The female officer eventually warned the child the cops were getting impatient, and she would be pepper sprayed if she didn't get in the car. Less than a minute later, a male officer said, "Just spray her at this point" ... and that's what happened.

The full arrest video includes a disturbing interaction with the child's mother, and you hear the girl accuse her mother of stabbing the father ... which the mother denied.

Rochester PD initially said it was "required" to deploy pepper spray -- but over the weekend Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said, "This video, as a mother, is not anything you want to see."

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has taken notice of how police treated the 9-year-old, saying, "You cannot justify this!"

Police announced an internal investigation, but haven't said if any of the involved officers have been suspended. The child was treated at a hospital and released to her family.

Famous P.I. Jack Palladino -- who worked on a slew of cases from Bill Clinton to Kurt Cobain -- is on life support and not expected to survive after getting gravely injured during a robbery.

The 70-year-old was outside his home in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco Thursday, testing a new camera he got when a car drove by, a man jumped out and attempted to steal it.

The robber yanked the camera away from Palladino, causing him to fall ... hitting his head on the pavement and rendering him unconscious with grave injuries.

Palladino underwent surgery to stop the massive bleeding and was placed on life support.  He is not expected to survive.

He has been one of the premier P.I.'s since the '80s and continued to work on cases until he suffered his injury.

Palladino was hired by the Clinton campaign in 1992 to investigate the extra-marital affair allegations against the then-Presidential candidate. He was also hired to determine the cause of the 1994 death of Kurt Cobain. And, he was involved in investigating the circumstances surrounding the Jonestown mass suicides.

The P.I. had many other cases ... he repped the 14-year-old boy in his civil, molestation lawsuit against Michael Jackson. The child eventually got a $20 million settlement. He was also hired by John DeLorean, who was charged and acquitted of cocaine trafficking.

A suspect has been arrested in the robbery.

The United Nations is calling out Indonesia following the public flogging of 2 men accused of having gay sex ... and demanding the release of everyone detained on the basis of their sexual orientation.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric tells TMZ ... "We are concerned by the detention, public humiliation and ill-treatment of men perceived to be gay in Indonesia."

Dujarric says there are troubling reports of violent attacks against LGBTQ+ people in the country, perpetuated by the media and some religious groups ... and the caning of the 2 men this week by Sharia police in the country's conservative Aceh province is just the latest example.

The UN says international law is clear -- "all people, without exception, are entitled to protection of their human rights – and that includes LGBT individuals."

Dujarric says the public punishment for the men "violates multiple human rights standards including those on liberty, fair trial, integrity, privacy, dignity, equality before the law, non-discrimination and the absolute prohibition on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment."

Therefore, the UN is calling for Indonesian authorities to "release all individuals detained on the basis of their sexual orientation, provide those subjected to abuses with effective remedy and review legislation that contravenes Indonesia’s legal obligations, including local criminal legislation in Aceh."

As we reported ... the 2 men who were publicly caned -- 77 times each -- were arrested in November after reportedly being turned in by locals for having sex. They also served 3 months in prison.

Kevin Nealon's a victim in a home burglary that saw crooks get away clean with six figures worth of jewelry and other valuables.

The thieves broke into the "Weeds" and 'SNL' alum's place recently ... according to law enforcement sources, who tell us it looks like Kevin had been away for a few days.

We're told Kevin came home to discover the break-in, and that more than $100,000 worth of bling and handbags were gone.

Our sources say it doesn't appear the burglars specifically targeted Kevin ... and this was more likely a random hit. Cops still don't know exactly how the perpetrators managed to get inside the house.

Taylor Bracey, the FL high school student a deputy hurled onto concrete, is suffering serious medical consequences ... according to her mother and her family's attorney, Ben Crump.

Jamesha Bracey -- mom of 16-year-old Taylor -- and Crump joined us Friday on "TMZ Live" and told us Taylor's been suffering severe headaches and memory loss since the violent incident at Liberty High School in Osceola County.

Jamesha explained why she was so shocked to get a phone call Tuesday from the school saying Taylor was getting medical treatment. She says her daughter had told her some girls wanted to fight, but she had advised her to contact the Dean, and thought everything was handled.

As we've reported ... deputy Ethan Fournier is the school resource officer, seen in the video slamming Taylor on her head. The Sheriff's Office claims Fournier was breaking up a fight, but Jamesha says there was no physical fight at all -- and the students were only arguing.

Crump, who's been retained by Taylor's family, says the teen is now dealing with cognitive function issues as a result of the body slam ... and doesn't remember much after the deputy grabbed her from behind.