Fairly Legal

The City of Richmond, CA and a handful of their police officers are being hauled into court over an incident that reeks of police brutality ... and it's all on video.

According to court docs -- obtained by TMZ -- two black men will sue the city, along with three to four cops who were involved in detaining and eventually arresting these guys over a weed bust back in late April. The body cam video tells the story.

Per the lawsuits -- filed by attorney Daniel Horowitz -- Dejon Brown and Johnathan Spragan claim they were roughed up bad and wrongfully arrested for something they never should have been hassled for in the first place.

Long story short ... cops responded to a call for someone sitting in a car and possibly smoking weed in a residential neighborhood, and when they arrived, they came with a bunch of squad cars ... which was met with curious/outraged neighbors watching it unfold.

As the officers dealt with the two men in the car, another man from the sidewalk starts to call them out for bothering them at all. He gets into a shouting match with one of the officers, ID'd in the suit as Ahmed Khalfan, and eventually turned his back on the officer.

Apparently, the cop didn't like that -- or what Dejon said -- and proceeded to rush over and throw him on the ground as more of his fellow officers came over to help detain Dejon. We're told Dejon's brother, Dareron, tried pushing some of the officers off his brother, and then ran away ... which led to a brief chase and eventual tasing, all caught on camera.

Enter Johnathan, a bystander watching this all unfold, who tried intervening to deescalate the situation, per his attorney, Dan Horowitz. You can see what happened to him when he wouldn't back down. He, too, was manhandled and arrested.

What's crazy ...  before they jump on Johnathan, you can hear a couple cops apparently discussing what they could possibly arrest him for ... and bring up not wearing a mask.

Faith Evans is off the hook in her felony domestic violence case ... TMZ has learned she won't be prosecuted for allegedly attacking Stevie J.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office tells TMZ ... they are declining to prosecute the singer because the alleged victim, her husband, declined to testify against her.

We broke the story ... Faith was arrested last month after she allegedly got into a heated argument with Stevie at their L.A.-area home, which at some point turned violent.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Stevie was the one who called cops to their home the night of the fight. We're told he just wanted her out of the house, and never wanted her arrested or prosecuted in the first place.

Our sources also tell us cops had no choice but to arrest Faith for domestic violence because Stevie had visible scratches on his face when officers arrived at the scene.

You'll remember ... it was just last year when rumors started that their marriage was in trouble. As we first reported ... there was palpable tension after our camera guy got the couple leaving the Essence Festival in New Orleans.

However, things seem to be OK -- even after this arrest -- the couple is still together and Stevie recently told The Shade Room he's not going anywhere.

Matt Alexander, who survived 21 days on "Naked and Afraid," is now accused of beating his girlfriend and holding her against her will in a car.

The former reality show contestant was arrested in Louisiana on a warrant for domestic battery and false imprisonment, after Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's deputies spoke with his GF about an alleged fight she and Matt had last Sunday.

According to law enforcement ... the couple was driving down Interstate 10 when they started arguing, and Alexander allegedly struck her in the face several times. She told cops Matt kept her in the car for 40 minutes before she was finally able to escape.

Deputies who spoke to the woman said they saw bruises on her face and busted blood vessels in her left eye. They found Alexander at his home the next day and arrested him. He's since been released after posting a $3,500 bond.

Rep. Eric Swalwell says District Attorneys across the country should not prosecute cops they normally work with on cases -- there are just too many conflicts of interest, perceived and real.

The Congressman from CA joined us Friday on "TMZ Live" to talk about the police reform bill Democrats are proposing, and he said the challenges of prosecuting has to be addressed. Swalwell, a former prosecutor himself, says D.A.s and cops are partners who develop bonds over time.

As you know ... the D.A.s in nearly every major city are the ones tasked with investigating officer-involved shootings and police brutality incidents ... like we've seen in Minneapolis, Atlanta and Buffalo.

Swalwell's thought about this problem, and you have to hear his solution. He laid it out for us ... describing a system that would greatly reduce, if not eliminate, all conflict of interests when putting bad cops on trial.

Eric thinks the tide is turning after George Floyd's death, and believes it's time for the country to make major changes and reforms that could go a long way toward ensuring justice for all.

Jay-Z and his social justice team are going after the Charleston PD, claiming officers violated the constitutional rights of a peaceful protester by hauling him off in handcuffs.

Jay's Team, ROC, is outraged over the arrest of Givionne "Gee" Jordan Jr., who told police he loves and respects them during a May 31 peaceful protest. Givionne wasn't even in the faces of the cops while speaking to them ... he was a good 20-feet away.

Still, they arrested him for disobeying a lawful order, and although he was released on $465 bond ... Team ROC says Gee is still facing charges, and has an upcoming court date. That doesn't sit well with Jay-Z and co.

Right after the arrest, attorney Jordan Siev sent a letter to the Charleston PD calling it “unconstitutional,” and demanded discipline for the officers responsible and a dismissal of the charges ... but to no avail.

Instead, an attorney for the PD wrote back ... "The City is continuing to navigate through the unprecedented and violent attack by rioters on the City and its citizens on Saturday May 30, 2020, and continues to hold the safety and security of citizens and visitors as a top priority."

Team ROC calls that response "lackluster," and say it deflects from Jordan Jr.'s case and the request to dismiss it.

Dania Diaz, Director of Philanthropy, says ... "We are outraged by the Charleston police department’s reprehensible arrest of Givionne Jordan Jr. -- not to mention their dismissive response to our concerns about their conduct. Giovionne’s arrest was unlawful and the Charleston police clearly violated his Constitutional right to peacefully protest. We applaud Givionne and demand that his charges are immediately dismissed."

Antonio Brown entered a Florida courtroom Friday and pled no contest in his moving truck driver battery case.

Brown was accused of attacking the driver in front of his Hollywood, FL home back in January 2020. The moving truck driver claimed Brown got violent after a dispute over payment.

Brown was initially hit with three criminal charges including burglary with assault, burglary conveyance and criminal mischief.

But, the 31-year-old wide receiver cut a deal with prosecutors this week in which he changed his plea to no contest ... and in exchange, he was sentenced to 2 years probation, a 13-week anger management course and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation.

Brown must also complete 100 hours of community service. The judge also ordered Brown to stay away from the two victims in the cases.

Brown appeared in court wearing a slick grey suit and a black facemask ... but left the building without speaking to reporters.

This is important ... Brown is allowed to travel throughout the country under the terms of his probation -- which means no travel restrictions if he returns to the NFL.

Ryan Guettler -- a BMX star and former X Games medalist -- was arrested after he was accused of firing off a shotgun while naked outside a North Carolina home.

Cops say they responded to a call accusing Guettler of roaming the streets nude with a firearm Wednesday afternoon in Wilmington, N.C.

When they arrived, officers say the 36-year-old ran into a garage and barricaded himself ... and refused to come out.

The scene appeared to be pretty intense, the Wilmington P.D. even tweeted about it at the time, saying, "Police responding to a barricaded subject with a gun just minutes ago off Covenant Lane. More details to come."

Cops say SWAT and negotiators arrived on the scene to help extract Guettler ... and, fortunately, he complied with nobody getting hurt.

Cops say they took Guettler to a nearby medical center for assessment ... before they ultimately arrested him and booked him on several charges, including felony "breaking or entering" and "going armed to terror people."

According to jail records, he's still in custody.

Donald Trump trampled the constitutional rights of protesters when he ordered law enforcement to unleash tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets on them ... this according to a new lawsuit.

The President is being sued by 3 protesters who claim they were demonstrating outside the White House at Lafayette Park on June 1 -- the day POTUS took his now-infamous church photo-op.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, the protesters claim they were part of a peaceful demonstration and the dispersal warnings to the crowd were not clear or intelligible. They say all of a sudden officers in riot gear charged them with their batons, firing rubber bullets and using pepper spray.

In the docs, the protesters claim the crowd-clearing tactics violated their constitutional rights, including freedom of assembly under the First Amendment and their right to be free from excessive force under the Fourth Amendment.

In fact, they invoke the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt saying June 1 is "a day that will live in infamy."

The protesters also claim the Trump Administration later lied about the amount and kinds of force used to disperse the crowd.

According to the suit, the protesters want an injunction allowing them to exercise their right to protest without fear of retribution and to restore access to Lafayette Park, which has since been closed off by fences.

The protesters also want a finding that the use of tear gas, flash-bang grenades, smoke bombs and rubber bullets was unconstitutional.

Oh, and in addition to President Trump, they are also suing Attorney General Bill Barr, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and D.C. National Guard Commander General William Walker ... and they want damages for injuries.

Donald Trump's return to campaign rallies is already controversial for the date and location, and now his supporters have to promise not to sue him if they get COVID-19 while attending.

Here's the deal ... the President's 2020 reelection campaign just announced details behind his highly-controversial move to host a rally next Friday in Tulsa -- and it includes a disclaimer: By registering to attend you are automatically agreeing NOT to sue if you contract the coronavirus. Always read the fine print.

The rally is going down June 19 at the BOK Center ... an arena that holds more than 19,000 people. Not the best idea in the middle of the pandemic -- as cases and hospitalizations are spiking in many places, including Oklahoma.

The Trump campaign website has a legal notice for anyone thinking about registering to attend, and it reads ... "By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present."

The notice continues ... "By attending the Rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; BOK Center; ASM Global; or any of their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury."

Trump's rally was already under heavy criticism for the fact it's being held on Juneteenth -- the holiday commemorating the end of slavery -- Tulsa was the site of a 1921 massacre of America's wealthiest Black community.

White mobs killed an estimated 300 people that day -- which is why Trump critics have called his rally an absolute "slap in the face" to Black America.

Kelly Clarkson is heading to splitsville after nearly 7 years of marriage to Brandon Blackstock.

The singer filed divorce docs exactly one week ago in L.A. County Superior Court to end her marriage to the talent manager. The soon-to-be-exes tied the knot in October 2013 in Blackberry Farms, Tennessee and have 2 children together -- 5-year-old River Rose and 4-year-old Remington. Brandon has 2 children from a previous relationship.

Kelly's filing comes a little over a month after the couple put their L.A. home on the market for $10 million -- a listing that now seems pretty clearly tied to the split.

They're also still trying to unload a Nashville mansion -- but that one's been on the market for nearly 2 years now, so probably not related to their divorce.

Kelly and Brandon reportedly met in 2012 at Super Bowl XLVI courtesy of Brandon's dad ... Narvel Blackstock, who managed Kelly.

After 10 months of dating, Brandon popped the question and Kelly confirmed the news in December 2012 while announcing it to her fans on social media.

George Floyd's name could be worth a lot of money in the entertainment business ... and now one man is looking to lock up the rights to his name for movies and TV shows.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a man named Munemo Mushonga filed a trademark application to use the name George Floyd in the "production and distribution of television shows and movies."

It seems Mushonga is looking to capitalize on the Black Lives Matter movement that sprouted up in the wake of Floyd's killing, because he has no known connection to George's family and wouldn't tell us his grand plans.

Mushonga was mum when we asked him what he hoped to gain from the trademark, if approved, and refused to divulge why he filed the application or the inspiration behind it.

The guy could be facing an uphill battle in his quest to lock up the rights to George Floyd's name ... the United States Patent and Trademark Office generally doesn't allow trademarks for people's names unless certain conditions are met, such as getting the consent of the person, the name being very unique, or the name being part of a unique and widely recognized brand.

Confederacy President Jefferson Davis just suffered his second biggest defeat ... a statue honoring him in the former Confederate capital is no longer standing.

A crowd cheered as the Davis statue was toppled late Wednesday night, and left it in the middle of an intersection -- continuing a trend that started last weekend of protesters taking matters into their own hands when it comes to problematic historical figures.

The Davis statue -- which stood in the former Confederate capital since 1907 -- was eventually picked up by a flatbed tow truck as protesters chanted "F**k that statue!"

Even that was a classier send off than Christopher Columbus got. As we reported, 2 of his monuments were beheaded this week -- one of which got dumped in a lake -- and in the UK, slave trader Edward Colton's statue was tossed into a river. All of this is the result of worldwide protests of the killing of George Floyd.

Ol' Prez Davis could be the first domino to fall in Richmond which also has statues honoring Generals Robert E. Lee and "Stonewall" Jackson.

Fun Fact: tennis great Arthur Ashe also has a statue on Richmond's Monument Avenue. Pretty sure that one will be alright.

Eric Garner's mother says George Floyd's death is largely responsible for an anti-chokehold bill finally getting passed in NY -- making it a bittersweet victory for her after years of fighting for it.

Gwen Carr spoke to us a few days after New York lawmakers passed the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act -- which Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already said he'll sign into law -- and said it's a step in the right direction.

Gwen's been pushing for this bill since 2014, when Eric was killed -- and it will make it illegal for cops to use a chokehold or a similar restraining move, resulting in serious injury or death. Similar language has been in the NYPD rule book since 1993, but now it's on its way to becoming state law.

Gwen told us she feels George's death was the last straw that finally got local politicians to commit to passing the legislation -- as, she notes, his killing has reverberated even beyond Eric's story.

It's heartbreaking, because Gwen says she felt like she was hearing her own son from the grave listening to George plead with officers that he couldn't breathe. New York's State Assembly was also moved, because it passed the bill just 2 weeks after George was killed -- even though Ms. Carr had been lobbying for it for nearly 6 years.

Ya can't say Anson Williams and his wife didn't give it the ol' college try, but the "Happy Days" star is filing divorce docs for the 2nd time in less than a year.

Anson, who played Potsie on "Happy Days," filed in L.A. last Friday ... and we're guessing all he really had to do was change the date from the docs he filed last September.

Anson and Jackie Williams have been together more than 30 years now, and have 5 kids together -- but things have clearly been rocky since at least last year when they broke up, but pretty quickly decided to try again.

As we reported, Anson first went down divorce road last year on 9/11. However, by October 1 he was back in court, filing to dismiss that divorce.

Fast forward 9 months and they're back in splitsville. Unclear what led to their parting of ways this time around. Last year, Anson told us "sometimes you have to do what's best for everyone."

We've reached out to his rep. No word back yet.

Thomas Lane, the rookie ex-cop charged in George Floyd's murder case is out of jail after posting his $750k bail.

According to Hennepin County Jail records ... Lane will be conditionally released on bond Wednesday. Lane's attorney, Earl Gray, would only say, "It's pretty good news" when we asked about how his client raised the necessary funds.

TMZ broke the story ... Lane's family was seeking donations via a website they set up to raise money for his legal defense after he and 2 other ex-cops were arrested and charged with aiding and abetting 2nd-degree murder, and aiding and abetting 2nd-degree manslaughter.

If convicted, Lane faces a maximum sentence of up to 40 years in prison. As we reported, Lane's attorney claims the ex-cop did everything he could to help George Floyd. Lane's family argued the same ... pointing out Lane suggested rolling Floyd on his side ... which they -- and prosecutors -- say Derek Chauvin refused to do.

Jussie Smollett isn't out of the metaphorical woods regarding his alleged hoax "attack" in Chicago, but he's heading into actual woods for a hike with an old friend.

The ex-"Empire" star ventured out Wednesday morning in L.A. with Taraji P. Henson and his sister, Jurnee Smollett. It was kinda hard for the trio to keep a low profile with Taraji's bright red hair. She's been rockin' that 'do recently.

Anyway, all three looked pretty chummy as they walked the hiking path, and kept things Fauci-friendly during the trek with their face coverings.

If you're doing a double-take at seeing Taraji with Jussie -- who was written out of the show in 2019 -- you shouldn't be. TPH has been very vocal in her continued support for him ... even after show execs gave him the heave-ho.

Sure, he's still fighting the City of Chicago in a civil case, as well as Cook County in another criminal case after a special prosecutor re-charged him. But, Jussie's got himself a ride or die in Taraji, who played his TV mom.