Crime

TMZ has learned ABC is pulling the plug on Taylor Frankie Paul's season of "The Bachelorette" amid fresh claims of domestic abuse, and the 2023 video of her fighting with her baby daddy.

A Disney Entertainment spokesperson tells us ... “In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of 'The Bachelorette' at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family.”

The network dropped the hammer Thursday on the upcoming season of the reality TV dating show ... only hours after TMZ published video of Taylor's brutal 2023 fight with Dakota Mortensen.

A source connected to "The Bachelorette" tells us no one at ABC had seen the video before TMZ posted it Thursday morning.

As we first reported, Taylor and Dakota have been ordered to undergo psych exams amid a fresh batch of spousal abuse claims ... and the Utah Division of Children and Family Services is investigating ongoing allegations of violence between them.

The newest season of "The Bachelorette" is toast, and ABC is turning to one of its other staples to fill the time slot after Taylor Frankie Paul's crash out ... at least for this Sunday.

Our sources confirmed a rerun of "American Idol" will play in place of "The Bachelorette" on March 22, but that's just the plan for this week. We're told the network brass hasn't yet figured out a permanent replacement for the remainder of the canned season.

TMZ broke the news ... Taylor's 'Bachelorette' season was canceled hours after we posted the 2023 video of her fighting with her baby daddy, Dakota Mortensen.

Taylor Frankie Paul repeatedly attacked Dakota Mortensen during the 2023 incident in which she pled guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault, and the video shows that one of her children was struck during the fight.

TMZ has obtained the video -- a copy of which was evidence in the case -- and it's hard to watch. Dakota struggles to record the altercation with his cellphone as Taylor puts him in a headlock. She backs off ... but then charges and tries to kick him.

The struggle turns violent as Taylor grabs a metal barstool and hurls it at Dakota. He screams at her -- "your daughter is sitting right there" -- but she persists, throwing 2 more stools at him. At that moment, you hear her child, who was curled up on the couch, begin crying.

The police report says the 5-year-old girl was hit and later had a "goose egg on her head."

Longtime Bachelor Nation authority Reality Steve is weighing in on 'Bachelorette' Taylor Frankie Paul's ongoing drama, giving a blunt take ... stay off TV!

We had Reality Steve on "TMZ Live" Thursday as developments were breaking ... and in his opinion, "She needs to not be in front of cameras for a while ... She needs help. I don't think she needs more cameras in her face."

Well, that's happening, Steve! "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" has already halted filming on Season 5 amid fallout from Taylor's legal issues with baby daddy Dakota Mortensen. And this season's 'Bachelorette' has now officially been canceled.

Florida State University sophomore Conor McAneney, a kicker for the school's football team, was arrested early Wednesday morning in South Florida, where he posed for a mugshot ... and it looks like he went through a 12-round fight.

Fort Lauderdale police tell TMZ Sports that McAneney was arrested around 2:30 AM, taking him into custody after a "trespassing incident" near the popular Elbo Room Beach Bar ... where a minor incident that took a nasty turn, according to cops.

"While FLPD officers were attempting to detain McAneney, he became uncooperative and violent. He was arrested and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting with violence and trespassing."

Over the years, we've seen a variety of Mystikal's mug shots, but one flew under the radar ... and now we've got our hands on it, and we think it's a perfect time to trot it out after the rapper recently pleaded guilty to rape.

Check out this never-before-seen 2010 photo of Mystikal -- real name Michael Tyler -- snapped by the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana. In the pic, Mystikal looks clean-shaven and baby-faced ... unlike his gritty appearance these days.

A rep for the sheriff's office tells us ... Mystikal was convicted of sexual battery of the infirm in June 2003 and incarcerated for several years until his release from prison in January 2010. After leaving prison, Mystikal registered as a lifetime sex offender, but his current status is "inactive" since he's once again incarcerated and not a danger to the community, the rep says.

A driver has been charged in the collision that killed "Marvelous Ms. Maisel" actor Wenne Alton Davis in New York last year.

According to the WPIX-TV, MD Abdul Shomuz was booked Monday and charged with a misdemeanor -- failure to yield to a pedestrian.

As we reported, cops say Wenne -- who used they/them pronouns -- was crossing Broadway on foot at West 53rd Street when Shomuz took a left, hitting them. Shomuz, who wasn’t injured, stayed at the scene.

Wenne suffered severe head trauma after being struck by the 2023 Cadillac XT6 authorities say Shomuz was driving. The actor was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital but succumbed to their injuries.

In addition to playing a cop on “Marvelous Ms. Maisel,” Wenne also had credits on “Girls5Eva,” “New Amersterdam” and “Blind Spot.”

Wenne was 60.

A wallet belonging to James "Jimmy" Gracey -- the University of Alabama student who went missing in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday -- was reportedly found in the ocean near where he vanished.

A Catalan Police aquatic unit scoured the water in search of the 20-year-old American spring breaker and came up with James' wallet off Somorrostro beach -- just a few hundred feet from the popular nightclub Shôko, where James was reportedly last seen -- according to Alabama's WBMA-TV.

As we told you, James' mother, Therese Gracey, asked for help finding James in a Facebook post, writing that James "didn't make it back to the Airbnb" but cops have his phone.

Kevin Spacey has reportedly reached a settlement with three men who filed civil sexual assault cases against him in London in 2023.

The Oscar winner avoided trial by coming to an undisclosed agreement with the three men, according to multiple reports, who accused Spacey of sexually assaulting them between 2000 and 2013, in Britain.

As you know ... Spacey has always denied any wrongdoing and a London court cleared him of nine sexual assault charges during a 2023 criminal trial. This followed a 2020 civil suit brought by former child actor Anthony Rapp which ended in Spacey being found not liable. But even with the courts deciding in Spacey's favor, his legal woes have taken their toll ...

"19 Kids and Counting" star Joseph Duggar -- the brother of Josh Duggar -- is looking serious in his newly released mug shot for his arrest for alleged child sex abuse.

TMZ obtained his booking photo from his arrest in Arkansas Wednesday -- he's got no expression on his face -- a stark contrast to his brother's fully smiling 2021 mugshot taken after he was found guilty of receiving and possessing child pornography.

But now Josh is no longer the only Duggar offspring to be booked for child-related crimes ... we told you all about it -- a 14-year-old made authorities aware of "several incidents" with Duggar that she said occurred during a family vacation in Panama City Beach, FL in 2020 when she was 9 years old, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators say the victim accused Duggar of repeatedly asking her to sit on his lap and sit next to him on a couch. At one point on the couch, he placed a blanket over them and allegedly "manipulated the victim's underwear and grazed her genitals" and rubbed his hand on her thighs.

The girl's father confronted Duggar about these allegations on Tuesday, and according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office, he admitted his actions and was subsequently arrested.

He is charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older.

More legal issues for "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kelli Ferrell's ex-husband ... he's been arrested on a theft charge ... and it's a felony.

Kelli's ex, Mark Ferrell, was arrested Tuesday and taken into custody in Georgia on a felony charge of theft by taking ... according to online records.

It looks like the alleged incident happened back in November … but we are still working on the details.

For the first time since being arraigned on a second-degree attempted murder charge ... TMZ Sports has learned that Antonio Brown is set to leave the state of Florida ... with the former NFL star heading out west to California.

According to court documents, AB's lawyer -- Mark Eiglarsh -- filed the motion on Tuesday. It asks the court to allow Brown to travel to Southern California "for a medical examination."

"Since his release, he has been fully compliant and has adhered to all terms and
conditions imposed by the Court," Eiglarsh said in the request.

A University of Alabama student on spring break in Barcelona, Spain has been reported missing when he didn't come home after a night out on Tuesday ... this according to multiple news outlets.

According to Chicago's WMAQ-TV, James "Jimmy" Gracey was at the popular nightclub Shôko when he disappeared. His mother -- Therese Gracey -- asked for help finding him in a Facebook post, writing the 20-year-old "didn’t make it back to the air bnb" but the cops have his phone.

In a statement to WVUA-TV in Alabama, the family says Jimmy was last seen hanging out at the beachfront club around 3 AM and was wearing a white T-shirt, dark pants and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross.

They say he was abroad visiting friends for spring break, which a U of A spokesperson confirmed in a statement to NBC Chicago … saying Jimmy was on a "personal trip" but staff are "in touch with the family" to provide assistance and support.

The Catalonia Police say they’re investigating, telling NBC News in a statement … "A call was received early yesterday morning, around 1:00 AM, reporting a possible disappearance. The disappearance was reported to have occurred on March 17, 2026, at 3:00 AM, in the Port Olímpic area."

'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ star Taylor Frankie Paul told a counselor she didn't recall much after drinking vodka during her alleged 2023 attack on her ex, Dakota Mortensen, and that counselor determined she was a "problem drinker" ... at least temporarily.

TMZ obtained a 2023 substance abuse and mental health assessment filed as part of Taylor’s criminal case. The counselor who interviewed the reality TV star said Taylor showed up on time and was “smiling and friendly.” The report said Taylor was willing to share information “about the event that brought her in for the assessment.”

Taylor denied having any past or present drug use or prescription drug abuse. The counselor noted, however, that Taylor’s score on an alcohol screening test indicated she was an “intermediate problem drinker.”

Jesse James' wife Bonnie Rotten received what she may view as a rotten bunch of bail conditions that'll keep her under tight restrictions, requiring her not to threaten or attack her husband -- according to new court documents.

TMZ obtained the docs from Hays County Court in Texas, and they lay out the conditions while Bonnie is out of custody on $3,000 bond ... which she must fully comply with if she wants to stay out of the clink.

In the docs, Jesse is listed as a "protected individual" -- and Bonnie is expressly prohibited from committing any "family violence, indecent assault or abuse, stalking or trafficking against [him]." There's more.

Neo had nothing to hide when he appeared before the L.A. County grand jury, which is hearing evidence on the death of Celeste Rivas ... we've learned he never pled the 5th.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Neo answered all the questions posed by L.A. County D.A. Beth Silverman, who is presenting evidence to the grand jury.

TBH ... it seemed to us he took the 5th, because he only appeared for 40 minutes. And remember, Silverman had him arrested in Montana and hauled back to L.A. because he had failed to appear and testify. In addition to that, law enforcement sources were suspicious that Neo may have accompanied D4vd on that mysterious, middle-of-the-night trip to a remote area of Santa Barbara last Spring. Our sources now say Neo was not in the car. And there's more ...