Fairly Legal

One of Jay-Z and Beyonce's songs, "Black Effect," leans heavily on a Jamaican artist, who claims she was never given proper credit or compensation ... despite being the leading voice on the track.

Dr. L'Antoinette Stines says she's renowned in Jamaica for "her artistry and wisdom" -- and to that point, she says the Carters sought her ought in March 2018 to provide dancers for a video promoting their upcoming tour.

According to a lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court, Dr. Stines claims she hooked 'em up with dancers, and then Jay and Bey wanted to record her views on love. She claims she was told the interview would be used in the video ... "for promotional purposes" only.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, she says she was shocked when she heard "Black Effect" -- from The Carters' "Everything Is Love" album -- because the whole first minute of the track is just her voice.

Hearing herself on the song -- uncredited, mind you -- left Dr. Stines feeling "artistically raped" ... according to her lawsuit.

The doc claims a contract for her services was only thrust in front of her on the day of the shoot, and she alleges the Carters' reps told her not to worry ... after all, her interview would only be used for promotion.

So, she signed, but she's pissed she never got a chance to have it reviewed by her own lawyer -- and worst of all, claims she hasn't been paid a dime for her vocal work.

Dr. Stines is suing Jay and Bey for copyright infringement and violation of her right to publicity ... PLUS damages, of course. She also wants a writing credit, and everything that comes with that ... meaning, cash money.

The elderly man who was shoved to the ground by police officers in Buffalo was as badly injured as he appeared on camera -- he has a crack in his skull and, for now ... he can't walk.

Martin Gugino's attorney, Kelly Zarcone, says the 75-year-old suffered a fractured skull from the push and fall. She added that Martin is unable to get up on his own 2 feet for the time being while he recuperates. He was released from ICU last week, but remains hospitalized.

Zarcone also released a statement directly from Martin, who says ... "I think it's very unnecessary to focus on me. There are plenty of other things to think about besides me."

This is the same peaceful protester President Trump recently suggested -- without evidence -- might've been an Antifa-tied provocateur there to cause dissent and chaos. Martin's lawyer shot that down as completely false and incredibly offensive.

Meanwhile, on the legal front, the 2 officers who were charged with second-degree assault charges have pled not guilty, and remain suspended without pay.

Pete Buttigieg says the Supreme Court ruling making workplace discrimination against LGBTQ+ members illegal in the U.S. is a step forward -- but there's way more walking to do.

The ex-Democratic presidential candidate was on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to discuss the historic 6-3 decision SCOTUS handed down on the issue of civil rights at work. Pete says a lot of Americans might be surprised that, before Monday, it was still legal to fire someone based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identification.

He goes on to explain there was a huge sign of progress in that Trump-appointed conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch saw the Civil Rights Act and its workplace protections afforded to citizens naturally extend to gay and trans people too.

BTW, the President's other appointee, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, was one of the 3 dissenting votes.

Pete warned it's not time to fly victory banners just yet, because there are several outstanding issues for the LGBTQ+ community that aren't being addressed, and he detailed some of them.

New York Giants star kicker Aldrick Rosas was arrested Monday after allegedly T-boning a car and fleeing the scene ... and cops believe alcohol was involved, TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement officials say witnesses saw the 25-year-old -- who made the Pro Bowl in 2018 -- going around 100 MPH and driving erratically at around 8:25 a.m. in Chico, Calif., when he allegedly failed to stop at a red light.

Cops say he plowed straight into the side of a pickup at the intersection ... but kept on driving, despite disabling the vehicle he struck.

Cops say Rosas' black Chevrolet SUV broke down shortly after the crash ... but claim witnesses saw the NFL player exit the ride and run.

Law enforcement officials tell us when officers arrived on scene ... they launched an investigation -- and say they eventually found Rosas walking near the crash site.

According to cops, Rosas' hands, legs and bare feet were covered in blood when they stopped him for questioning.

Cops say after Rosas admitted to being the registered owner of the SUV ... they took him to a nearby medical center for evaluation before eventually booking him at the Butte County Jail.

We're told Rosas was booked on a hit-and-run charge, as well as driving on a suspended license.

Cops also say they believe alcohol impairment was a factor in the alleged incident ... and say an investigation is ongoing.

We've reached out to Rosas and the Giants for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Rosas has been a STUD for the G-Men since joining the team in 2017 ... making 62 of his 75 field goal attempts.

The details of Breonna Taylor's killing are being swept under the rug and hidden from public view by top city officials like the mayor ... so says her family's legal team.

Attorneys repping Breonna's fam tell TMZ ... a hard deadline came and went Friday, at which point the Louisville Metro Police Department and the City itself -- at the direction of Mayor Greg Fischer -- were supposed to produce crucial docs pertaining to the investigation.

Specifically, we're told her lawyers asked for an official autopsy report, personnel files for the cops involved in her death, and the Mayor's internal communications about all this too.

Her legal team says NONE of the docs were produced as of Monday -- after over a month of stonewalling and what they characterize as a refusal to comply with their open records requests. The attorneys tell us they believe this is due to an attempt to cover up her death.

They do note the City tried claiming there was a misunderstanding in the back of forth of their requests -- but even after that, the attorneys say they still came up with only a few of the requested documents.

The team writes, "We intend to seek all sanctions available for these blatant and willful violations of CR 45 (a KY subpoena rule). Meanwhile, we present this information so that the public is able to see the lengths that the city will go to in order to withhold the truth and keep Tamika Palmer from learning the facts surrounding her daughter’s murder."

It's interesting ... Breonna's family attorneys are strongly echoing what Beyonce herself said in an open letter to Kentucky's Attorney General -- that the process has stalled, and that his office needed to take over ASAP, while committing to transparency along the way.

Stacey Dash is officially bringing an end to her marriage ... she's filed for divorce.

The "Clueless" star filed her divorce petition Monday in Pasco County, Florida to divorce Jeffrey Marty after nearly 2 years of marriage ... this according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ. Dash lists October 1, 2019 as the date of separation ... the two were married on April 6, 2018. In the docs, Stacey says there is no jointly owned personal property that needs to be divided. As far as her income goes ... Stacey says she brings in $2,500 per month.

The move comes nearly 2 months after Stacey announced she and her lawyer hubby were splitting up. As we reported ... when Stacey went public with the breakup, it sure didn't sound like a conscious uncoupling. As she put it, "After much prayer, I feel this is the right path for both of us." Notice, there was no "we" in that sentence.

Anyway, Jeffrey was Stacey's fourth husband, and the divorce will officially bring an end to a tumultuous marriage.

As we first reported ... Stacey was arrested in Florida back in September -- even though she's the one who called cops -- after allegedly pushing him and slapping him. But, prosecutors dropped the case after a few days.

Elon Musk and Grimes really followed through with their outta this world baby name ... but they had to play a little ball to comply with California law.

According to the newborn's birth certificate, obtained by TMZ, Elon and Grimes named their first child, X AE A-XII Musk. Seriously.

Mom and Dad had to get a little creative -- as if the kid's name wasn't clever enough -- to make their tyke all legal and stuff. As you know ... Elon and Grimes' baby boy was born last month, and they wanted to name him X Æ A-12 Musk.

As it turns out, the aeronautic name didn't fly in Cali, where birth names must be limited to the English alphabet -- no numbers or special signs.

The result, as you can see, is a first name X, middle name AE A-XII ... and last name Musk. See? Roman numerals ARE good for something besides Super Bowls!

If ya missed it, here's a breakdown on little X's handle: X stands for an unknown variable, AE is like artificial intelligence or AI, and A-XII is the name of a 1960s USAF spy plane.

The pronunciation goes like this ... X like the letter, AE is pronounced "Ash" and then your standard A-12. As in, X-ash-A12. Duh!

That'll be fun on the playground.

Audrina Patridge's estranged hubby is jobless thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and he's now asking the court to order her to pay child support.

Corey Bohan filed legal docs in Orange County Superior Court claiming he needs the support because the lockdown orders made him among the millions out of a job ... this according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ.

In docs, Corey says he's a bartender but was laid off back in March due to the lockdown orders. He says being out of a job means his ex has to pony up for their 3-year-old daughter, Kirra, because Audrina “earns significantly higher income than” him. Corey adds, Kirra should have the right to live the same standard of living in each home.

He claims she's earning in excess of $36k per month “while I am currently laid off due to the stay at home orders and have not yet received any unemployment." Corey says even when he does get back to work, his average monthly income is around $2-$3k per month -- so, sounds like he wants support even once he's slinging drinks again.

Corey claims Audrina can afford child support because she “also owns real property, is able to fund a retirement account and has various investments." He also wants the former 'Hills' star to kick in $7,500 towards his legal fees. There's an August hearing set for his request.

Rayshard Brooks' family members are talking about his killing in public for the first time since he was gunned down Friday night ... and we're streaming their remarks live.

The Brooks family is coming to the podium in Atlanta, where they'll discuss losing their loved one needlessly and senselessly at the hands of 2 police officers ... one of whom opened fire on Rayshard, shooting him twice in the back, as he attempted to flee arrest in a Wendy's parking lot.

In the body cam footage, you see Rayshard was cooperative with the officers after they found him sleeping in his car. He explained he'd just come from a relative's birthday party where he admitted to having a drink or two ... which led to field sobriety testing, and the cops attempting to arrest him.

Rayshard was begging the officers to let him go and allow him to walk home, which was no more than a few blocks away. The cops refused though, and insisted on taking him in.

As we reported, while wrestling with the officers, Rayshard took one of their tasers -- a non-lethal weapon -- and seemed to point it at them while running away. That's when the cop open fired 3 times. The autopsy results show he was struck twice in the back, and the medical examiner ruled it a homicide.

Atlanta's mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, decried the killing ... and accepted the resignation of the APD Chief of Police in response. One of the officers involved in the shooting, Garrett Rolfe, has been fired ... the other cop was placed on administrative leave.

A legendary racetrack in NYC allegedly lost $280,000 in a brazen March armed robbery ... but law enforcement officials say they've now caught and arrested 2 suspects in the case.

The robbery, according to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, went down at Aqueduct Racetrack on March 7 ... and officials say it all involved an elaborate scheme with an "inside man" at the track.

Officials in the docs say hours after the venue concluded its huge Gotham Day races ... two men held up three racetrack employees at gunpoint as they were transporting cash to a vault.

In the docs, officials claim the two men -- who were wearing surgical masks -- ordered the employees to hand over money and their phones ... and then demanded they lock themselves in a closet.

Officials say the two alleged criminals were caught on surveillance shortly after, leaving the track with "a garbage bag and duffel bag, both of which appeared to be full."

The twist? Law enforcement officials say in the docs, one of the employees in the alleged robbery was actually in on the crime.

The officials claim the employee -- a security guard -- provided the two alleged thieves with information on the best time and place to steal the cash, and even suggested a good hiding spot for them.

In the docs, officials say they were able to crack the case because the security guard and one of the alleged gunmen were longtime associates -- who, per the docs, had called each other on the days and hours leading up to the alleged crime.

The track employee and one of the alleged robbers were arrested and charged -- the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District Of NY announced Monday.

The second alleged gunman has yet to be arrested.

Bhad Bhabie has one less legal issue on her hands while she's in rehab -- because one of her foes, Skai Jackson, is tearing up her restraining order.

The former Disney star just filed to have the order against Bhabie dismissed, and we're told a judge has signed off on it ... so it's official. There's no question ... this move comes as a direct result of Danielle seeking treatment.

Skai tells TMZ ... "Because Danielle stopped threatening me after the Court ordered her to do so, and now that she's made the decision to work on herself through rehab and therapy, I’m pleased that I don’t need to extend my restraining order." Now, she left a window for herself ... because Skai's dismissal was granted without prejudice, meaning she can refile if things heat up again.

On that point, Skai adds, “If she goes back to her old ways, of course, we’ll have to change that, but I hope and believe that it won’t be necessary. I think it’s great that Danielle is getting the help she feels she needs. I wish her nothing but the best on her road to recovery."

You'll recall ... Skai got the restraining order against Bhabie in February after a squabble over NBA YoungBoy turned nasty.

Ray J and Princess Love are pinching pennies when it comes to their once lost, but now found pooch ... this according to a new lawsuit.

The estranged couple is being sued by Eddie Macione, who claims he found their lost dog, Boogati, but hasn't seen a dime of the $20,000 reward he says they were offering.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Macione claims he found the pup wandering Woodland Hills in early April 2019 with no identification tags. Macione says he cared for the dog for weeks until he saw our story about Ray J and Princess dangling $20K for Boogati's return, no questions asked. The next day he says he called the number listed on the reward postings and returned the pooch.

In the docs, Macione says Ray J and Princess have refused to fork over any dough and are using their fame to "frighten" him from pursuing the reward. The lawsuit doesn't specify what they allegedly did to scare Macione.

Now, the guy's going after Ray and Princess for the full $20,000 plus damages.

The Supreme Court just handed a massive win for the LGBTQ+ community ... after ruling federal law protects gay and transgender people from workplace discrimination.

The Justices announced the landmark ruling Monday morning, and it's really significant. The court ruled the 1964 Civil Rights Act -- which prohibits discrimination, among other things, based on race, sex, national origin -- also applies to sexual orientation and gender discrimination.

What's more ... the vote was 6-3, and Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee, wrote the majority opinion.

Gorsuch wrote ... "Today, we must decide whether an employer can fire someone simply for being homosexual or transgender. The answer is clear. An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex. Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids."

Translation -- by prohibiting sex discrimination, the law also covers sexual orientation.

The Supreme Court combined 2 cases ... a man in Clayton County, GA who claimed he was fired as a social worker after he became more open about being gay, and a man fired as a skydiving instructor.

The transgender case involved Aimee Stephens, who was fired after telling the owners at the funeral home she worked at about her gender transition. She died in May.

The Trump administration sided with employers, despite the fact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission decided in 2015 gay and transgender individuals were federally protected. This has been a hot-button issue for years because many lower courts have held that sexual orientation discrimination and gender identity discrimination are not included in the protections under the Civil Rights Act.

Now, the justices have ruled that these types of discrimination ARE sex discrimination, so gay and transgender people are protected.

Just last week the Trump administration announced it would erase protections for transgender patients seeking medical care, by narrowing the legal definition of sex discrimination so as not to include transgender people -- a big departure from the Obama administration. Unclear at this point if the SCOTUS ruling would torpedo Trump's effort.

One of Jussie Smollett's alleged attackers has a need for speed ... at least according to cops, who arrested him for flying ... more than 30 MPH OVER the limit.

Ola Osundairo got busted in the Chicago suburb of Orland Park, and we got the video of his failed attempt to talk his way out of it with the cops. Hey, everybody tries ... can't knock him for that.

Law enforcement sources tell us the cops got Ola on radar last Sunday doing 81 MPH in a 45 MPH zone. In Illinois, like many states, 25 MPH over the limit can get you a pair of handcuffs and a trip to jail ... and that's what happened to Ola.

Ola's telling a different story though ... he claims he was driving the posted speed limit, in his girlfriend's Jeep, and the officer had no grounds to arrest him.

It's kinda funny ... according to the police report, Ola tried to pull the ol' "don't you know who I am?" card, but it backfired when the cop didn't know who he was. That alleged interaction is not in the video and Ola's attorney, Gloria Schmidt, tells us Ola denies it even happened.

In any event, Ola was taken to the Orland Park Police Station and booked for a Class A misdemeanor for speeding 35+ over the posted limit. He bailed out later that night.

Ola's attorney also says he will file a complaint against the officers because they towed the Jeep instead of releasing it to his girlfriend, whose name is on the Jeep's insurance card.

Best part of the video? His 4th gear theory, which cops didn't buy at all. As they say ... tell it to the judge.

San Bernardino Police gunned down what's been described as a homeless man, who they say waved what might have been a handgun at them ... but it's not clear if he was actually armed.

The shooting occurred Saturday night at a gas station, where cops were responding to reports of a man brandishing a gun on the premises. When they showed up, cops say the guy was still carrying what appeared to them to be a firearm, and refused to put it down.

In bystander video, you can hear the officers giving the order ... and seconds later, they fire multiple rounds. The man was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead. It's unclear what made the cops shoot, but SBPD released an image seemingly hinting at the reason.

They put up this photo, which they say shows the suspect pointing what was perceived as a possible weapon at the officers. Interestingly, though, SBPD has not yet confirmed if a gun was in fact found.

Witnesses on scene told the L.A. Times they'd seen the guy there earlier in the day rummaging through trash cans and panhandling. A cashier at the Circle K across the street says she believes the police mistook a flashlight he had as a gun, adding he was harmless.

Beyonce is shining a light on Breonna Taylor's case ... calling on Kentucky's top prosecutor to bring charges against the cops who killed her during a "no-knock" search warrant in March.

The pop star penned and posted an open letter on her site Sunday to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, highlighting the fact that while a new law has been passed in her name banning the use of no-knock warrants ... her family has still not received true justice.

She says it plainly, writing ... "Three months have passed -- and zero arrests have been made, and no officers have been fired. The LMPD's investigation was turned over to your office, and yet all of the officers involved in the shooting remain employed by the LMPD."

Beyonce adds, "Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officers Myles Cosgrove and Brett Hankison must be held accountable for their actions." They're the ones who busted into her apartment -- believing it was being used to house drugs -- and opened fire upon her and her boyfriend inside ... unloading 20 rounds, eight of which struck and ultimately killed Breonna.

The three officers were put on administrative leave -- the case is still under investigation.

Bey ends her letter with a list of demands for AG Cameron, saying she and the community want to see criminal charges brought against the three men, transparency in the investigation and subsequent prosecution of them, and then calls for a separate investigation into the Louisville Metro Police Department's handling of the case from the jump.

Beyonce caps it off with a heartfelt plea ... "Don't let this case fall into the pattern of no action after a terrible tragedy. With every death of a Black person at the hands of the police, there are two real tragedies: the death itself, and the inaction and delays that follow it. This is your chance to end that pattern. Take swift and decisive action in charging the officers."