Nate Diaz Jokes About Choke-Out Incident ... Laughs With Jake Paul
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Nate Diaz clearly ain't sweatin' his criminal case down in Louisiana ... the former UFC star actually had a laugh about it all with Jake Paul on Tuesday.
Paul was the one who brought up the choke-out incident to Diaz during a news conference to hype up their August boxing match ... wondering if the MMA fighter thought he was scrapping with his brother, Logan Paul, when he choked out a guy on Bourbon St. during an April 22 melee.
Diaz smiled and then pretended to truly believe it was Logan who he put to sleep on the popular New Orleans roadway.
4/22/23
"You're going to act like that wasn't Logan?" Nate said with a grin. "Come on, man!"
"You thought it was Logan?" Jake asked again ... before Diaz responded with a giggle, "It is Logan, what are you talking about?"
Of course, the case shouldn't be much of a laughing matter for Diaz ... officials have charged him with second-degree battery after they allege he caused the man to suffer a head wound during the incident. Diaz is now facing time behind bars if ultimately convicted.
Nate Diaz Posts Bond After Surrendering In New Orleans Choke Out Case
Diaz, though, did get serious about it all for at least a few seconds during the presser ... appearing to say he took it easy on the guy by choking him instead of throwing hands.
"You don't want to just hit people out there," Nate said. "That's f****** dangerous. You know what I'm saying? Give him a little nap."
Diaz didn't elaborate on it all further ... but he's been adamant since the incident went down that he did nothing wrong -- and was simply acting in self-defense.
A court hearing on the case in Louisiana, meanwhile, has been set for late June.
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Kim Zolciak & Kroy Biermann Divorce War Dog Fight Over Child Custody & Finances
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Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann's divorce has telltale signs it's already super nasty ... with a war brewing over the estranged couple's children and broken finances.
We've now obtained Kroy's petition for divorce, and he wants sole legal and physical custody of the pair's 4 minor children. That in itself is an aggressive move, essentially cutting his estranged wife out of the child-rearing process.
Kim's legal docs also reveal things are not kumbaya. She's asking for sole physical custody with visitation for Kroy. When couples get along, they typically ask for joint legal and physical custody, but neither seems to want that.
There's also the couple's home -- which went into foreclosure earlier this year. Kroy's asking for possession of the home ... and that Kim be forced to vacate the property. Again, super aggressive.
'Real Housewives' Star Kim Zolciak Files For Divorce From Kroy Biermann
TMZ broke the story, Kim and Kroy owe more than $1 million in taxes, dating back to 2013.
Kroy puts Kim on notice in his divorce petition, saying she must maintain all financial documents ... including all income records, tax records, expense records and more. This suggests a deep conflict over who was responsible for their financial woes.
Interestingly enough, both Kim and Kroy filed separate petitions for divorce, Kroy's was stamped on Monday ... and we're told Kim filed hers over the weekend. In other words, it was a race to the courthouse so each could say they filed first to end the marriage.
Buckle up.
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Selena Gomez Organ Donor Francia Called Her Out For Drinking ... After Kidney Transplant
Francia Raisa stopped talking to Selena Gomez because SG wouldn't stop drinking after she had given her a kidney ... at least, according to her ex-friend's dad, El Cucuy.
El Cucuy -- the famous Spanish radio host and father of Francia -- went on a Spanish news show called "Primer Impacto" about 5 months ago and wound up giving more context about what went down between the 2 ex-best friends.
December 2022
During the interview he was asked why his daughter wasn't included in Selena's highly-anticipated doc, "Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me." He told the outlet, it was no secret what happened between them, and added ... that's just what happens with love, money, and fame.
He then explains Selena and Francia had a disagreement when SG was drinking. Apparently, FR told her she didn't give her a kidney, so she could go out and drink ... causing stress on the organ.
BTW, they used to be thick as thieves, having met when they were child actors. So much so, Francia donated her kidney to Selena in 2017 after hers failed due to her battle with lupus. However, things soon went left.
Francia recently fielded a bunch of questions, from a pap, about Selena ... but she dodged almost every single question ... which came off a little shady to some Selena fans.
As a result, FR later said she'd been dragged through the mud online and wanted it all to stop.
Now, we have a better idea of what went down, at least on Raisa's side. We've reached out to Selena's reps ... no word back yet.
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Ex-Suns GM Lance Blanks Died By Suicide ... Daughter Says
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Former Phoenix Suns general manager Lance Blanks died by suicide ... his daughter revealed.
In an emotional piece that Riley Blanks Reed penned for ESPN on Tuesday morning ... she announced Lance killed himself last Wednesday.
"People will want more information," Blanks Reed said of her father's death. "But the fact is we will never truly know why. And we don't need to. All we need to do is remember him, honor him, celebrate him, and pour our love into the family that made him happy."
Lance was 56 years old.
In her letter, Blanks Reed reminisced on all the good times she had with her father ... remembering him as "my person, my idol, my teacher, my best friend and my confidant."
"He encompassed everything to me," she said.
Lance starred at the Univ. of Texas from 1988 through 1989 -- and had such a great two seasons there, he was inducted into the school's Hall of Honor in 2007.
Following his Longhorns days, Lance went on to have careers as a player and an exec in the NBA -- ultimately working for the Suns as their GM from 2010 to 2013 -- before he signed on to be an analyst for the Longhorn Network.
Blanks Reed said while all of his career accomplishments were incredible ... she knew him best for being "a leader and a guardian angel."
"In the darkness of my worst nights," she wrote, "he always picked up the phone."
Andrew Jones tied his career-high 20 points while going 6-of-8 from beyond the arc last night. He spoke to Lance Blanks after the game. pic.twitter.com/HwmIgnaWiX
— Longhorn Network (@LonghornNetwork) December 4, 2019 @LonghornNetwork
Blanks Reed added, "Daddy, Lance, LB, my forever hero, has left a void that cannot be filled. And yet, I find solace in the promise to honor him with everything he left us. In the loving embrace of my sister, Bryn, I will remember that we are both forever connected to the remarkable man who was our world."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
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Jerry Springer Gravesite Unveiled ... Wife's Burial Plot Ready Next to His
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Jerry Springer's gravesite can now be seen for the first time ... and right off the bat, you might notice an adjacent plot for his wife -- although she's still very much alive.
TMZ has obtained photos of the late talk show host's final resting place -- which marks where he was buried a little over a week ago in a Chicago suburb. As you see, it's a relatively modest scene, with a large headstone and bench with his surname, "SPRINGER."
There's a separate slab with his first and middle name inscribed -- Gerald Norman. Right next to that is another space with a different headstone designated for Margaret 'Micki' Velton ... his wife of nearly 50 years.
We're calling Micki his wife because -- as sources with direct knowledge have explained to us -- all the reports of them having divorced in the '90s are complete BS. We're told they were never apart, and there weren't any marital issues as had been widely speculated.
As for why Micki's been labeled his ex-wife all these years without any correction from Jerry -- our sources say he was a very private person and didn't feel the need to address it publicly. In other words, they've been together as man and wife this whole time.
Now that that's cleared up ... let us clear up another thing in light of Micki's own headstone already being in the ground next to Jerry's -- there's nothing looming ... she's fine.
There's a larger 'SPRINGER' headstone that covers both plots -- the whole space is marked for Jerry and Micki. So, in other words ... he's just waiting for her.
As we reported, there are plans in place for a much larger public service/celebration of life on June 9 at a Memorial Hall in downtown Cincinnati. We're told organizers are anticipating a big turnout ... and they're planning to let around 500 people inside the venue.
Jerry died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, which he kept under wraps.
Jerry was 79. RIP
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Lil Durk Family Got Me 'Almost Healed' And NBA Who? Morgan Wallen's My Dawg!!!
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Lil Durk is all set to drop his new album "Almost Healed" on Friday, a therapeutic journey he says that couldn't have happened without the love of his family.
TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Durk out in Beverly Hills and asked about the clinical connotation of the project's title.
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The Chicago rap star has endured some heavy times ... his brother OTF DThang and artist King Von were both killed by gun violence in recent years.
However, Durk tells us that his kids and girlfriend India Royale — who he affectionately refers to as his "wife" — have been his rock throughout it all and got him to the brink of a full recovery.
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Durk also publicly feuded with NBA YoungBoy's camp following King Von's death ... with Akademiks recently reporting a truce on that beef, claiming to have integral knowledge.
DJ Akademiks said NBA YoungBoy and Lil Durk has Officially Squashed their Beef 😳‼️pic.twitter.com/u3DM4SW0uX
— Youngboy Updates ⚜️ (@YbUpdate) May 4, 2023 @YbUpdate
We asked Durk about squashing things with YoungBoy and it was like he got hit with a neuralyzer from 'MIB' ... he had no clue who we were talking about!!!
He did, however, make sure to shout out his "Broadway Girls" collaborator Morgan Wallen.
Maybe they'll go for collab #2 on the new album!!!
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Derek Jeter, Wife Surprise, We Had Another Baby ... It's A Boy!!!
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Somebody get a pinstriped onesie -- Derek and Hannah Jeter just welcomed their fourth child together ... and it's a boy!!
The couple shared the news on Monday ... announcing Kaius Green Jeter was born on May 5.
"Welcome to the world lil man!!!" the Yankees legend said on Instagram.
The new arrival comes as a surprise to pretty much everyone -- the two kept the whole thing a secret throughout the pregnancy, which the Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model has done in the past.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Derek and Hannah -- who got engaged in 2015 and tied the knot a year later -- also have three other children together ... Bella (5), Story (4) and River (1).
It's an amazing time for the happy couple ... and we're sure Derek can't wait 'til Kaius gets old enough to play catch in the backyard.
Of course, the kid can be a quantum physicist if he wants ... but new Yankees shortstop coming in a couple decades?!?!
No pressure.
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'RHOA' Kim Zolciak, Kroy Biermann Way Behind on Taxes ... Owe The IRS Over $1,000,000!!!
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Kim Zolciak of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" fame and her former NFL-star husband Kroy Biermann are deep in the hole ... owing a TON in unpaid taxes -- some of which has built up from a decade ago.
According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the couple owes a whopping $1.1M to the IRS for unpaid taxes, interest, and penalties from 2013, 2017, and 2018 -- they also owe the state of Georgia $15K for unpaid taxes for 2018.
As we reported, this news comes after their massive country club mansion in Alpharetta, GA -- which was heavily featured on 'RHOA' -- entered foreclosure in February ... with Truist Bank hiring a law firm to handle the process.
Kim's daughters, Brielle and Ariana, denied their swanky pad was heading to the auction block ... saying they were still hunkered down in the estate with no plans to get out of there.
It appears the family's still posting on social media from inside the GA home, so it looks like authorities haven't yet moved in to secure the property.
We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Kim & Kanye Continue to Co-Parent Kids ... Hit Up Saint's Soccer Game
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Kanye West and Kim Kardashian continue to be the modern example of co-parenting in the public eye -- as the two of them were once again in the same vicinity for their kids.
The exes came together Sunday to watch their son Saint's soccer game, which went down in Tarzana. In these photos, obtained by TMZ, you can see Kim seated in a chair with Saint plopped down in her lap and cheesing hard. Ye is standing behind them ... fully attentive.
As you can see, Kanye isn't keeping too much distance from Kim here -- he's within mere feet of her, and there doesn't seem to be any sign of animosity or friction ... a good sign.
An eyewitness tells us they actually made small talk here and there, and interacted a bit whenever Saint made a play in the field. In other words, it sounds like they're on pretty decent terms at the moment ... despite a bumpy divorce last year that dragged on.
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Of course, this has come to be the status quo for Kim and Kanye -- they often show up to watch their children's events ... which are usually sports-related. Last time we saw this, Kanye brought along his partner, Bianca Censori, but she was nowhere to be seen here.
At one point, we're told the family -- who were accompanied by others -- hit up a food cart that rolled through ... and our eyewitnesses say Ye paid for everyone's treats.
As they say, the kids are alright.
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Kevin Costner Takin' Swings At Utah Golf Range ... Good Spirits Amid Divorce
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Kevin Costner is shooting his shot in the middle of his divorce drama ... he was spotted taking some solid swings at a driving range in Utah while he shoots his latest movie project.
The actor was at BigShots Golf in St. George Tuesday night, just hours after TMZ broke the story his wife Christine's calling it quits after 18 years of marriage ... and those at the range tell us he was having a great time.
He's in the Beehive State for his new western epic, "Horizon: An American Saga," so the group he was with was likely part of the cast and crew. Kev had a pretty great swing and even appeared to be doing some coaching.
As we reported, sources familiar told us Kevin was completely blindsided by Christine's filing ... and it was devastating for him. There were internet rumors Kevin got a woman pregnant on the set of "Yellowstone," but sources close to the actor called it "total BS."
Kevin was golfing hours after he filed his response to Christine's divorce petition. As we reported, there's a prenup, he owns all of their 3 houses, and she must vacate according to the document. They have 3 kids and both want joint custody.
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Honey Boo Boo Time Flies ... She's Headed Off to College!!!
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Alana Thompson, AKA Honey Boo Boo, has grown up right before our very eyes ... and now Mama June is getting ready to send her youngest kid off to college!
MAY 2023
We caught up with the reality TV star in NYC and she gave us an update on a few of her daughters ... touching on Alana's plans now that she's reached the end of her high school years.
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Mama June tells us, Honey Boo Boo will most definitely be going to college, however, she kept the school under wraps over privacy concerns.
Alana went all out for prom last month in Georgia ... posing with her date, 21-year-old BF Dralin Carswell. They made a grand entrance with the help of a horse and buggy. It's now the preferred mode of transportation ... Dralin was arrested for DUI a month before following a police chase in her car.
Mama June supports her daughter's choices whether it be college or boyfriends ... she can date as she pleases since she's not a kid anymore.
As far as June's other daughter, Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell, who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer .... MJ says she's going for her third round of chemo soon but for now, she's taking it day by day. June adds, they both have had some really hard days.
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TikTok Dad Bobby Moudy Bank Foreclosed on House Just Before Suicide ... Family Devastated
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We're learning more about the financial pressures TikTok dad Bobby Moudy was experiencing in the weeks leading up to his suicide -- the father of 3 had just lost his house.
A rep for Rankin County, Mississippi tells us the Moudy home was recently sold at auction after going into foreclosure. What's more, Moudy's wife, Jennifer, tells us she had no idea about the issues with the house ... making his death, and the fallout from it, even more challenging.
Not only that, we're told no one around Bobby had any idea he was struggling, and the suicide has everyone stunned -- it just wasn't something they thought he'd ever do. The family also understands Bobby was battling more than just financial issues, and was clearly struggling mentally as well.
Jennifer tells us Bobby never wanted to be a burden, and the family is really relying on their community for support. Next steps will be grief counseling for both Jennifer and the couple's 3 kids -- ages 10, 12 and 19.
She says despite the family's newfound financial struggles, their daughter Kaytlin will still be able to go to college in the fall. As we reported, there's been a GoFundMe set up to benefit the Moudys.
As for Bobby's popular TikTok account, Jennifer says she and Kaytlin will take it over, in the near future, with the same fun vibe. Jennifer tells us the profile will also be used to bring awareness to suicide and people who might be suffering in silence.
Jennifer says it gave Bobby joy to showcase his family through TikTok and he loved making people laugh. She says he was proud of his family, and he got enjoyment from giving others enjoyment.
TMZ broke the story ... Moudy took his own life in the family home April 28. A family rep said "Bobby was full of life and laughs, but also weighed down by financial pressures. His wife, Jennifer and their three children are in an emotional and financial crisis as he was their rock."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
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NYC SUBWAY RIDER DEATH Jordan Neely Family Calls For Action ... Prosecute Man Who Fatally Choked Him
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4:55 PM PT -- Daniel Penny's legal team, the law firm Raiser & Kenniff, tells TMZ ... "We would first like to express, on behalf of Daniel Penny, our condolences to those close to Mr. Neely."
Penny's attorneys continue ... "Mr. Neely had a documented history of violent and erratic behavior, the apparent result of ongoing and untreated mental illness. When Mr. Neely began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and the other passengers, Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves, until help arrived."
They add ... "Daniel never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death."
The family of the NYC subway rider who was choked to death wants prosecutors to go after the marine vet who put Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold ... and they wonder why he hasn't even been arrested yet.
Lennon Edwards, one of the attorneys representing Jordan's family, joined us Friday on "TMZ Live," and we asked what justice looks like for the Neelys.
Lennon says Jordan's family is outraged and feels like the justice system isn't working on their behalf -- he says it took too long for the medical examiner to rule Jordan's death a homicide, and now the family wants the marine, Daniel Penny, to face criminal charges.
Full video pic.twitter.com/ZR5Lggz9FB
— The Tank (@RickTheTank) May 4, 2023 @RickTheTank
Jordan's family is also taking issue with how some are framing the incident. The NYPD says Neely appeared to be having a mental health episode, with some witnesses telling cops Jordan's behavior made them fearful.
Lennon insists that feeling alone doesn't justify putting someone in a chokehold for 15 minutes ... arguing Penny, and not Neely, is who subway riders should have feared.
What's more, Lennon says Jordan clearly showed he was unarmed when he took off his jacket to reveal a short-sleeve shirt ... and he says Penny appears to have attacked from behind.
Bottom line: the Neely fam thinks Penny should be in an NYPD jail cell right now.
This honestly feels like a new low: not being able to clearly condemn a public murder because the victim was of a social status some would deem “too low” to care about.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 3, 2023 @AOC
The last sentence is especially rich from an admin trying to cut the very services that could have helped him. https://t.co/0DtXl9DOO5
Protests are erupting in the Big Apple and politicians are bickering over the way the incident is being discussed ... and Lennon says the marine's actions seem like they have less to do with Jordan specifically, and more to do with his general feelings toward homeless people.
Originally Published -- 1:46 PM PT
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TikTok Dad Bobby Moudy Dead by Suicide ... After Financial Struggles
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Bobby Moudy, the father of 3 who gained TikTok fame by posting wholesome content with his family, has died ... TMZ has learned.
Moudy's family writes, "Bobby was a loving father, husband, brother and friend. On April 28th, he was a tragic victim of suicide. Bobby was full of life and laughs, but also weighed down by financial pressures. His wife, Jennifer and their three children are in an emotional and financial crisis as he was their rock."
The circumstances surrounding Moudy's suicide are currently unclear, but we know he died at home in Mississippi.
If you were one of the more than 500k followers of the Moudy family accounts, you know Moudy posted a ton of videos of his wife and kids, often using humor to share his life as a dad.
Friends of the Moudy family have established a GoFundMe to help the family through their loss and financial struggles in the wake of Bobby's death.
Bobby leaves behind his wife Jennifer, and kids Kaytlin, Max and Charleigh.
He was only 46.
RIP
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
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'Moonshiners' Craig Landry Hospitalized After Unicycle Wreck ... Broken Face, Jaw, Hand & Teeth!!!
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"Moonshiners" star Craig Landry is laid up with a slew of serious injuries after he crashed on a unicycle and busted a bunch o' bones ... especially in his face.
Craig’s brother Richard tells TMZ ... Craig got into the wreck last week near his home in New Iberia, Louisiana while he was doing something he does a lot ... cruising around on his electric unicycle. Yep, that's a thing.
As for what went wrong on the unicycle -- well, Richard says all Craig remembers is waking up in the ambulance.
Apparently, a few women found him knocked out unconscious and called paramedics. He was eventually airlifted to University Medical Center in New Orleans, where he had surgery to repair his shattered jaw.
We know what you're thinking when a guy from "Moonshiners" has an accident, but Richard says he does not believe his brother was under the influence ... adding, Craig does suffer from high blood pressure and might have blacked out while riding.
As you know, it's been a rough year for the 'Moonshiners' cast. You'll recall, Craig's costar Josh Owens was involved in a violent motorcycle crash ... breaking his neck, back, arm and legs.
Despite the string of awful luck, Richard seems to be staying positive.
Not too long ago, he posted an update about his little brother saying he was now home, but still in a lot of pain, and will need a few more surgeries on his face. He's asking fans to keep the prayers coming ... just as they did for Josh.
A GoFundMe has been set up by Craig's manager to help as he recovers. Richard seems hopeful about his brother's progress and says all the support has made him super proud to be a part of the "Moonshiners" community.
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Menendez Brothers More Evidence Our Dad Sexually Abused Us ... Menudo Member Bolsters Our Claims
The Menendez brothers want to have their day in court ... again ... they say they have new evidence backing up their defense that their father was sexually abusing them, but there's a new wrinkle involving a member of the '80's boy band "Menudo."
According to new legal docs filed by attorney Mark Geragos, and obtained by TMZ, Erik and Lyle Menendez cited recent allegations by former Menudo star Roy Rossello that he was sexually abused when he was 13 or 14 by Jose Menendez.
Rosello made the accusations against Jose -- a then-RCA record exec -- in a new three part Peacock docuseries, "Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed." In the series, two journalists dove into claims that the band's founder, Edgardo Diaz, brought Rosello to Jose's home in New Jersey to broker a deal between "Menudo" and RCA. But things took a dark turn when Jose allegedly drugged Rossello and then raped the teen.
Per the court docs, Erik and Lyle argued that Rossello's allegations of abuse by their dad only served to strengthen their original contention that they fatally shot Jose and their mom, Kitty, out of self-defense.
The petition also mentioned a letter Erik sent to their cousin, Andy Cano, months before the shootings ... where Erik accused Jose of sexual abuse.
In the letter, which the brothers claimed wasn't shown to the jury at trial, Erik says he wished he could tell his mom about the alleged abuse but says he can't risk it because he feared she would tell Jose. Erik also told Andy his father was continuing to molest him.
The Menendez Brothers say the letter was sent around 8 months before they murdered their parents, and they argued it supported their defense theory that Jose was sexually abusing them and warned them to not speak out about being molested, to the point where they became frightened of their father.
They say jurors never heard from Roy either, and they claimed if the jury knew about Roy's allegations and the letter, things might have turned out differently and they might have bought the defense's theory that the brothers were guilty of manslaughter, instead of murder.
Erik and Lyle filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in an effort to determine whether the new evidence was enough for the court to grant them a new trial or other relief.
Attorney Alan Jackson talked to us in April about the possibility of the Menendez brothers getting a new trial ... and he didn't seem to think it was likely, and told us exactly why.
It appears the Menendez Brothers are still going for it nonetheless.