Crime

Julius Jones -- the man who Kim Kardashian has fought for -- will have his life spared, but remain behind bars.

Julius, whose case has gained national attention, will NOT be executed as was scheduled today ... instead, Oklahoma's Gov. Kevin Stitt is commuting Jones' death sentence to life without parole.

Stitt says he made the decision "after prayerful consideration and reviewing materials presented by all sides of this case."

The governor's decision falls in line with the recommendation from the Parole Board, who said Julius should not be executed but rather serve out a life sentence behind bars.

As you know ... JJ was charged and convicted for first-degree murder back in 2002, with prosecutors pinning him to the shooting death of 45-year-old Paul Howell.

Julius always maintained his innocence ... and there's been a lot made of the weak evidence in the case linking him to the murder, as well as racially charged undertones.

Kim's lobbied and advocated on Julius' behalf for a while, most recently reaching out to the Jones fam and shedding light on where things stood on his case.

Now, Julius is having his life spared.

New video shows Young Dolph in his final moments ... just down the street from the cookie store where he would be gunned down and killed.

As you know, Dolph was rolling around his hometown of Memphis Wednesday in his Corvette Stingray. It's a pretty distinct ride as it's camo-wrapped, and before he hit up Makeda's cookie store ... he stopped to fill up at a nearby gas station.

The video, shot by someone at a neighboring pump, momentarily shows Dolph in a yellow t-shirt, jeans and a ball cap.

Witnesses say the rapper went straight from the gas station to Makeda's where the gunmen opened fire with a pistol and an AK-47 ... killing Dolph.

As we first reported ... his next stop was supposed to be at his annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway in his old neighborhood.

Former NFL running back Zac Stacy brutally attacked the mother of his child, punching her in the head before slamming her into a television as their 5-month-old son sat feet away ... and the terrifying incident was captured on video.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the disturbing altercation happened at 30-year-old Stacy's ex-girlfriend's home in Florida on Saturday.

We're told Stacy became furious and aggressive with his ex during an argument ... and that's when video shows the former 5th-round pick swinging at her head before yanking her off a couch, tossing her across the room and into the TV.

The TV then falls on top of the woman as she tries to calm Stacy down ... but he throws an object at her and storms into a corner.

Throughout the video, you can hear the woman begging Stacy to stop.

We're told the woman called cops immediately after the altercation, but Stacy fled the scene before law enforcement was able to arrive.

We're also told the woman filed for a restraining order Monday -- for her and her son. In those docs, Stacy's ex claims the football player came over to her house around 2 PM on Saturday ... to see his son.

While there, she claims he flew into a jealous, violent rage.

"He punched me several times in the head! I begged him to stop because the baby was on the couch just a few feet from where he punched me," the woman wrote in the restraining order application.

She continued ... "He then picked me up and threw me into my TV. The TV began to fall and he turned to make sure I wasn't getting up. As I laid on the floor he began to yell at me, telling me I'm destructive. He then picked me up off the floor and off my feet and body slammed me into our son's bouncy seat."

That's when she says Stacy said "I love you" to their baby boy, and bolted. In the restraining order docs, the woman adds, "I fear for my life and my children's lives."

She says she went to the hospital, where she was treated for a possible head wound, as well as bumps and bruises.

Stacy was drafted out of Vanderbilt by St. Louis in 2013 ... and played 2 seasons for the Rams. He joined the New York Jets in 2015 ... and has been out of the league ever since.

The TransPerfect Music City Bowl has cut ties with Zac Stacy ... dropping the former NFL player from his role as a youth football ambassador after he was seen on video brutally attacking his ex-girlfriend.

The bowl -- which is set to go down on Dec. 30 in Nashville, Tenn. -- had partnered with the former Vanderbilt running back to promote the game as well as giving back to the local youth football community in the leadup to the matchup.

But, following his attack on his ex over the weekend, officials announced they're terminating all links to Stacy moving forward.

"Based on the video and domestic violence report regarding Zac Stacy," officials said in a statement, "the TransPerfect Music City Bowl has terminated the relationship with Zac Stacy effective immediately."

Stacy -- who won the 2012 Music City Bowl MVP when he played at Vandy -- had been hired by the bowl earlier this year.

As we previously reported, the former St. Louis Rams player violently attacked the mother of his 5-month-old son in her Florida home on Saturday -- right in front of their child.

The terrifying video of Zac Stacy attacking his ex-GF has the sports world outraged ... with players like NFL star Davante Adams calling for him to rot behind bars.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Stacy brutalized the mother of his child, punching her in the head before slamming her into a television as their 5-month-old son sat feet away during an incident over the weekend.

The Green Bay Packers receiver reacted to the story in a fiery tweet Thursday ... saying, "ZAC STACY NEED TO BE THROWN UNDER THE JAIL."

"Any man that puts his hands on a woman is a coward," he added. "Can’t believe what I just saw."

Chris Long -- who was Stacy's teammate with the St. Louis Rams -- expressed his disbelief ... saying, "Woke up to the Zac Stacy video. Made my stomach turn."

"Crazy to play w someone for a couple years & you have no idea what kind of bulls**t they do at home."

MMA star Uriah Hall was so upset over the vid, he even hinted at retaliating with violence of his own.

"Looking for a wife beater Zac Stacy anyone seen him?," Hall tweeted. "Looking to give an ass whooping on site !!!"

The gunmen who allegedly opened fire on Young Dolph, striking and killing the rapper at a Memphis cookie shop were brazen in their attack ... as shown in new images from the murder.

TMZ has obtained surveillance stills from Wednesday's shooting showing two men, with almost their entire bodies covered -- grey sweatpants, jackets, hat/hood and masks -- gunning Dolph down. One man appears to have a pistol and the other a Draco AK-47 pistol.

Cops were quick to the scene, blocking it off, but an employee at the cookie shop tells us the men immediately sped away in what is believed to be a lighter colored Mercedes after opening fire.

About an hour after Dolph's murder, more patrol cars and officers with weapons out stood guard outside Prive, a nearby restaurant owned by Yo Gotti. While Gotti has yet to be tied to the murder in any way, he and Dolph have beef that stems back several years.

Law enforcement sources told us employees at Prive called, concerned there may be some sort of retaliation against Gotti for Dolph's killing.

As of this post, police have still not named the suspects or made any arrests in connection to Dolph's murder.

Dolph's attorney and friend, Scott Hall, tells us the rapper was supposed to attend a charity turkey giveaway later in the day on Wednesday.

He was just 36.

Jacob Blake says race is absolutely at play in Kyle Rittenhouse's trial, arguing ... if the guy was not white, he'd very likely be thrown in prison without a second thought.

The man whose police-involved shooting sparked the Kenosha protests where Rittenhouse opened fire spoke to TMZ about the case -- and like many observing the trial, he believes the 18-year-old is about to skate due to white privilege.

We'll let JB speak for himself here, but the bottom line is ... if Rittenhouse were a POC, he'd swiftly be found guilty and wouldn't be hailed a hero.

As for why Blake thinks race is a factor -- he points to the now-infamous photo of Rittenhouse posing with guys in a bar after he'd posted bond, and flashing what many perceived as a white supremacy sign.

You gotta watch how he characterizes this because he's not labeling Rittenhouse as good or bad, but more as someone who had no business inserting himself in the Kenosha protests.

According to Jacob, all the aftermath following his shooting -- Kyle's saga, as well as the destruction in Kenosha -- is an unfortunate byproduct of what he considers the larger, unresolved, issues between police and POC.

Regardless of the jury's verdict for Rittenhouse ... Jacob says he hopes people will refrain from more rioting.

One final thing ... Jacob gave us an update on how he's doing personally, with his health, and otherwise. Sounds like he's getting unsolicited attention and celebrity, but in reality, he says he doesn't wanna be the poster child for any of this.

Police are apparently ready for any possible retaliation that may come in the wake of Young Dolph's murder ... standing outside the Memphis restaurant owned by Yo Gotti, one of Dolph's rivals.

Dolph was gunned down Wednesday outside a Memphis cookie store, and just a couple hours later, swarms of police cars were stationed outside Prive restaurant -- about 10 miles from where Dolph was killed.

It's currently unclear if there was an actual threat made against the restaurant, or if cops are just being proactive in preventing any possible payback. Dolph's killer is also unknown at this time, and there have been no public connections to Yo Gotti surrounding his murder.

A source at the cookie store where Dolph was shot told us a vehicle pulled up and opened fire, striking and killing the rapper.

As for their beef, the feud between Young Dolph and Yo Gotti has been percolating for years, including a tweet Dolph rattled off in 2016 saying, "Bra went from bein my #1 fan and wanting to sign me to bein my BIGGEST HATER." He also referred to Yo Gotti as "lame" multiple times during an interview with "The Breakfast Club."

Dolph's attorney and friend, Scott Hall, told us the rapper was scheduled to hand out turkeys Wednesday and stopped at the cookie store where he was killed before the charity event.

Henry Ruggs was just ordered to show up in court next Monday ... after a judge said the former Las Vegas Raiders star missed a required breath test.

The NFL player's attorneys were in court Wednesday over a separate matter in the DUI crash case ... when the judge presiding over the hearing said Ruggs did not properly submit a breath test earlier this month.

As part of the conditions of Ruggs' release ... the 22-year-old must submit to alcohol testing several times a day -- but the judge said he missed one of his required check-ins.

Ruggs' attorney, David Chesnoff, acknowledged the missed test ... but added that Ruggs had "self-tested" just minutes later.

"He's been dutiful," Chesnoff said. "Completely dutiful."

The judge didn't seem to care much though ... responding, "It doesn't matter. He still missed it so I would like to see your client."

The proceedings next Monday will be the first time Ruggs has been seen in public since he was in court on Nov. 3 -- the day after he crashed his Corvette into another car in Las Vegas, killing a woman and her dog.

At that hearing, in which Ruggs posted bond and was released from custody, the football player showed up in a wheelchair while wearing a neck brace.

As we previously reported, Ruggs has been hit with 5 charges -- including four felonies -- after authorities say he was drunk and speeding just before the fatal crash.

The so-called "QAnon Shaman" will be in prison for a while for his part in the Capitol riot from Jan. 6 -- the guy just got sentenced, and he's looking at a few years behind bars.

Jacob Chansley was handed 41 months Wednesday during sentencing, which comes out to about 3 years and change. The guy's been in federal custody this entire time.

Prosecutors were gunning for a lengthy prison stint here, as they wanted to set an example for those charged with felonies over this matter -- and now that Chansley's fate has been determined, it could be a sign of what's to come for others whose cases are still pending.

As we previously reported, Chansley struck a plea deal with prosecutors, who laid out a window of 41 to 51 months they said they'd recommend. The judge sentenced him on the lighter end of that bench.

As we reported ... Chansley -- who was one of the hundreds of people who stormed the Capitol, dressed in a bizarre Viking-style outfit -- pled guilty to obstructing an official proceeding before Congress ... this after initially being arrested for knowingly entering/remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, among other counts.

Chansley has griped about his living conditions while in jail ... including an alleged crappy diet, which he claimed was affecting his health. Nevertheless, he was never released on bond ... despite his repeated pleas.

Kim Kardashian has been a godsend to Julius Jones' family as they wait to hear from the Governor on if he'll live or die -- and even as the day grows closer, she's still checking in ... so says the man's own sibling.

Julius' sister, Antoinette Jones, tells TMZ ... Kim has been in touch with the family in recent days to see how they're holding up -- but more importantly, to get a pulse on how JJ himself is handling the dire situation.

She's even posted Instagram updates of late, shedding light on where things stand with Julius' case ... and, again, calling on Oklahoma's Gov. Kevin Stitt to do the right thing.

While it may come off as mere lip-service for some ... Antoinette tells us Kim's lobbying and advocating on her brother's behalf has meant the world to their family behind the scenes -- insisting she's a "real one" and actually cares about what happens here.

Not just that ... but Antoinette says Kim knows her stuff too, legally speaking -- and she's impressed the Joneses by her breadth of knowledge on the facts of the case and beyond.

Most influential, though, is Kim's massive cultural influence ... which Antoinette tells us has been immeasurable in putting a spotlight on Julius' story -- and which she says she and the rest of the fam are beyond grateful for ... regardless of what happens on Thursday when Julius is scheduled to be executed.

Quick note about that ... the Parole Board has recommended Julius should not be executed but rather serve out a life sentence behind bars ... but the ball has been in Governor Stitt's court with no movement ... and now, it's almost at the point of no return.

Considering the Gov. can still grant clemency in the 11th hour ... Antoinette is asking anybody with a following and some pull to lean in and help them get the word out about what they call a travesty of justice.

As you may know by now ... Julius was charged and convicted for first-degree murder way back in 2002 -- with prosecutors pinning him to the shooting death of 45-year-old Paul Howell. Julius has always maintained his innocence ... and much has been made about weak evidence in the case linking him to the crime, not to mention racially charged undertones.

Tamar Braxton is the latest victim of brazen burglars -- but instead of vowing vengeance ... she's actually sending them prayers.

The singer broke the startling news early Wednesday morning, saying ... "A few hours ago, this broken, bum ass man (one that I know) broke into my home and stole my safe only."

In her post, Tamar notes nothing else was taken -- including valuables like a Birkin bag or a computer or gaming systems -- and that the safe seemed to be the only item sought.

She also had a message for the perp ... "I want you to know first hand that I'm not angry. You did not break me. You did not violate me. What your broken ass don't realize that God gave me that home and every single thing in it during a pandemic, & also during the time when I was all of those things. God personally put the pieces of my life back together again."

She adds, "So pumpkin, you did not steal from me. Those things you took, he will give back to me a million times fold!!! You took from God!!!"

Tamar then got seriously Biblical, saying the crook isn't ready for the kind of vengeance God is about to drop on them. She closed with, "Father, have your way -- Amen."

Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic -- 2 of the greatest tennis players alive -- are speaking out on the disappearance of tennis player Peng Shuai ... who suddenly vanished after accusing a powerful Chinese politician of sexual assault.

"Hey everyone, not sure if you've been following the news but I was recently informed of a fellow tennis player that has gone missing shortly after revealing that she has been sexually abused," the 4x Grand Slam winner wrote on social media.

"Censorship is never ok at any cost, I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and ok. I'm in shock of the current situation and I'm sending love and light her way. #whereispengshuai"

The case is disturbing. Shuai -- formerly the #1 ranked doubles player in the world -- hasn't been seen in nearly 2 weeks after she claimed Zhang Gaoli, a powerful, retired politician sexually assaulted her around 3 years ago.

Gaoli was at one time the vice premier of the People's Republic of China ... making him essentially 2nd in command of all of China.

In Peng's post, the former Wimbledon and French Open winner accused Gaoli -- with who she admits to previously having a sexual relationship -- of inviting her to Beijing to play tennis with him and his wife. However, after the game, Shuai claims the situation took a frightening turn, alleging the 70-something-year-old politician pressured her into sex.

The disturbing post was removed shortly after it was posted by Peng. She has not been heard from since.

Stars from across the tennis world, including Billie Jean King and Chris Evert, have raised concerns over Peng's whereabouts.

Even Novak Djokovic, the world's #1 ranked tennis player spoke out, saying, "When I heard the story of Peng Shuai I was shocked. I hope she is well and that we can find her as soon as possible."

George Clooney is speaking his piece on the fatal shooting that claimed Halyna Hutchins' life -- and he's torching the entire "Rust" crew over the tragedy, especially the assistant director.

The legendary actor weighed in while he was on Marc Maron's 'WTF' podcast and he didn't hold back one bit ... lighting up AD Dave Halls, armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and the producers at large, who he says clearly skimped.

GC's biggest gripe is the gun that was handed to Alec should never have been handled by Halls ... but rather, Hannah herself or the head prop master.

George says there's been strict protocol for gun use on every set he's been on, and notes ... the protocol was grossly violated on "Rust," going on to say he's never even heard of the term "cold gun" -- while labeling the whole saga "insane" and "infuriating."

Now, while Mr. Clooney stops short of criticizing Alec Baldwin directly -- whom he says he doesn't know well -- he does make a stark comparison in how he's dealt with guns on set, and how AB apparently did.

George explains that anytime he's used a gun on camera, he's always checked it himself -- and does so extensively too ... saying he opens it, examines the chamber, shows it to whoever he's pointing it too and even fires six times at the ground as a final safeguard.

According to Santa Fe authorities, Alec didn't do any of that -- and ended up pointing the gun at Halyna and director Joel Souza during a blocking setup, and firing.

There's more George touches on -- including the producers of this film allegedly cutting crucial corners that allowed for an unsafe environment to fester, which is unfathomable to him considering the tragedy that killed Brandon Lee in the '90s.

Clippers center Ivica Zubac's Los Angeles area home was burglarized Friday night ... and the 7-foot tall big man interrupted the burglary, TMZ Sports has learned.

Unfortunately, the 2 assailants were able to escape ... according to our law enforcement sources.

The 24-year-old, 7-foot tall Croatian hoops player -- who's averaging nearly 10 points and 8 boards a game with LAC -- left his home around 8 PM Friday night ... before returning around midnight.

When he arrived back at the crib, Zubac -- the 32nd overall pick of the Lakers in 2016 -- noticed a ladder was placed against his home, leading to a second-floor balcony.

Ivica then witnessed two men bolt from the area, hopping a fence and booking it from the property.

The big man called the police ... and the cops responded and cleared the home, ensuring there were no more bad guys inside.

We're told Zubac's place -- which was locked and had a working alarm system -- was ransacked and at least one piece of expensive jewelry, a Rolex watch worth over $20K was gone.

Yella Beezy allegedly forced himself on a woman during a first date -- and even after she told him to stop, proceeded to rape her ... this according to what cops in Texas say the woman told officers.

TMZ has obtained the arrest warrant and probable cause affidavit from Yella's sexual assault case out of Collin County -- and the story's pretty straightforward. According to the docs, an unidentified woman came to the ER to report an alleged rape in April.

Per the docs, the woman says Yella contacted her on Instagram in late April ... asking if she was looking for a new friend. After some back and forth, she says he asked her out -- and they eventually made plans to grab a bite in Dallas, and for some bowling afterward.

The alleged victim told police everything was going smoothly ... that is, until she says he invited her back to his apartment while they waited for their bowling reservations at 10 PM -- a two-hour window after they'd wrapped dinner. She agreed, and they went back to his pad.

Once there, the woman claims they played cards and talked ... until she says Yella asked for a massage while he was shirtless, which she says she gave him. Once she finished, she says she sat down next to him -- and that's when she claims he pounced on her.

The woman claims Yella started forcibly kissing her and pulling up her dress. She claims, despite her saying "no" repeatedly, Yella inserted his penis into her vagina.

Eventually, the woman says she was able to break free and make a run for it. She claims Yella essentially tried to gaslight her into making her think she'd initiated the sex by kissing him. The next day, she went to the hospital ... which is when the authorities got involved.

As we reported ... Yella was booked on not just the sexual assault charge, but others too ... including felony abandoned endangered child and misdemeanor unlawful carrying a weapon.

Unclear how those charges came about -- but the affidavit obviously sheds light on the sexual assault charge.

We reached out to Yella Beezy's team ... so far, no word back.