Kids

Attorney Ben Crump says it's a true miracle Ralph Yarl is alive after the Black 16-year-old was shot in Kansas City after ringing the wrong doorbell -- but he adds, the charges against the shooter point to a larger problem in America.

Crump joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" to talk all about the aftermath of 84-year-old Andrew Lester shooting Yarl in the head and near the chest-area ... after he had accidentally gone to the wrong house to pick up his younger siblings.

Ben tells us, it is a blessing Yarl survived and is in stable condition and recovering at home with his family. He adds, he hopes Ralph has a full recovery -- mentally and physically -- from all the trauma he's endured.

However, Crump was less hopeful about the shooter being held accountable. FYI, Lester was charged with 2 felonies on Monday - assault in the 1st degree and armed criminal action but he was NOT charged with attempted murder.

Crump tells us prosecutors say they charged Lester with the most they believe would result in a conviction ... meanwhile, he says Black folks are charged to the max and it's not a question about whether they would get convicted.

He also notes police questioned Lester for 20 minutes and let him go to sleep the same night -- something he calls "unbelievable". BC says we never see this happen when races are reversed.

Celebs and folks all over have rallied behind Ralph and his family ... donating to his GoFundMe and showing their support. However Ben says America has a long way to go.

In his eyes, the country has a larger issue with using guns to handle differences. He says we shoot first and ask questions later ... whether it's police or citizens.

Country star Jessie James Decker is calling out United Airlines for its alleged treatment of her pregnant sister ... who, according to Jessie, was forced to get on her hands and knees to pick up some popcorn.

Even before Jessie sounded off, the incident went viral because her sister Sydney is married to Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass -- and he was first to rip into United, claiming flight attendants made his wife get on the floor to pick up the kernels their daughter dropped.

With the online backlash in full swing, Jessie's adding to it by revealing on IG that Sydney's "five months pregnant, high risk, and also traveling alone with her two small children."

Jessie continued ... "The flight attendant came up to Sydney with a trash bag, and a wet wipe, telling her the captain wants Syd to clean up every drop" -- adding they called the scattered food a safety hazard.

She says Sydney was left in tears after her clean-up duty ... and now there's a push on Twitter for United to apologize.

Many chalked it up to laziness on the attendant's part, but there are some people backing United -- one user tweeted, "Commercial airlines are not your children’s playground. Pick it up and take responsibility for your kids."

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!

Before this smiling boy was a fitness app owner and collecting red roses on "The Bachelor," he was just playing basketball, sitting on his momma's lap and cheesin' for the camera, while growing up in San Diego, California.

Walking out of the limo with his side-swept hair, he made his reality television debut on Hannah Brown's season of "The Bachelorette" and although he wasn't so lucky in finding love the first go-around, he headed off to "Bachelor in Paradise" and ended up on one knee!

Need one more clue? He was spotted at Coachella, weekend 1, with his fiancé Hannah Godwin!

Leonardo DiCaprio was back in the desert this weekend trying to be as low-key as possible -- but his typical incognito look gave him away ... as did the 2 beauties he was hanging with.

The actor was spotted out and about late Saturday night and early into the wee hours of Sunday as Day 2 at Coachella came to a close. While the Empire Polo Club might've closed its gates following the headliners' sets ... there was another party to hit right next door.

Of course, we're talking about Levi's and Tequila Don Julio's Neon Carnival -- which was hosted just a stone's throw away at the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, CA ... basically, a mini-Coachella.

As we just mentioned ... Leo was in good company -- hanging out with a couple of young women as they all got nice and snug amid the packed crowd. LDC was rocking his usual black baseball cap and COVID-friendly face mask ... which he pulled down in this rare instance. He also eventually lifted his head enough to see that gorgeous face of his.

Hey, bud! Good to see ya.

Looks like DiCaprio was with some friends for this outing too -- and by the looks of his smile ... he was having a ball. Remember, he's a Coachella regular ... having made appearances for the past several years -- and he's usually rolling with a hottie or two.

While he may have been the biggest star on the scene Saturday ... he was far from the only famous person hitting up the Neon Carnival on the late night -- there were lots of others.

Just to give a sense of who else popped in ... Lil Nas X, Janelle Monae, Camila Cabello, Metro Boomin, Lil Baby, Future, Teyana Taylor, Shay Mitchell, Anderson .Paak, Coi Leray, Olivia Culpo, Glorilla, Yo Gotti ... and a helluva lot more. A who's who, really.

Now the real question ... who's Leo chatting up though??? 👀

"Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood" alum Roccstar thwarted a would-be intruder, and TMZ Hip Hop has obtained video showing how the alarming incident went down.

Security footage from Monday night shows the suspect arriving at Roccstar's front door while dragging an axe and hopping inside unlocked luxury vehicles in the driveway.

We broke the OG story ... Roccstar was asleep at 5 AM when an alarm prompted him to go outside, and as the video shows ... he ended up coming face-to-face with his unwanted visitor. Roccstar was armed, and as you can see ... he got the suspect down on the ground at gunpoint!!!

We spoke to Roccstar now that his blood pressure's settled ... and he gave us a vivid rundown of the encounter.

He says he's grateful his family's safe -- his two sons were home -- and amazed at the restraint he was able to show while detaining the guy until cops could arrive.

According to Roccstar, he awoke Monday morning to a whopping 11 security alerts on his phone and images of the guy prowling around his yard.

He says he called his gated community's security guard and the cops and then spotted the man on top of his garage. Roccstar says he fired shots in the air until the man cowered in fear.

Roccstar says he then ordered him off the roof, and pistol-whipped him to subdue him.

The suspect was booked for attempted burglary and vandalism -- and, now that the incident is behind him, Roccstar says he's got beef with the community's HOA and security.

He says the guy breached two gates, and Roccstar wants to know where his big bucks for home protection are being spent.

NBA star Miles Bridges has been suspended 30 games by the NBA ... for a domestic violence incident involving the mother of his kids last summer.

But, because 25-year-old Bridges missed the entire season (he was unsigned), the NBA has credited him with serving 20 games, meaning he only will have to sit out 10 more games next season.

"The incident occurred on June 27, 2022, in Los Angeles, after which Mr. Bridges was arrested and charged with multiple offenses."

"On November 3, 2022, Mr. Bridges entered a plea of no contest to a felony domestic violence charge and the remaining counts against him were dismissed," the league announced Friday afternoon.

Shortly after the incident, Mychelle Johnson claimed she suffered injuries to her face, arms, legs and back.

The NBA says they conducted their own investigation and conferred with D.V. experts, and that's how they arrived at the penalty.

"The 30-game suspension is based on all facts and circumstances of this matter and considers the conduct and its result, as well as the outcome of the criminal matter, among other factors."

Bridges was arrested on June 29 and ultimately charged with felony domestic violence ... and while he always maintained his innocence (Miles claims his ex has incessantly harassed him), he pleaded no contest to the charge in court.

The NBA star was sentenced to 3 years probation and 100 hours of community service, as well as requiring he take parenting classes.

Miles was the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, after starring under Tom Izzo and Michigan State. Bridges has averaged 13.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists over the course of his career.

Jeremy Meeks says going from the mean streets to jail to fashion runways and movie sets has been one wild ride, which is why he's written an autobiography ... but he's not stopping there.

We got the actor/model at LAX and he was beaming as he told our photog about his Hollywood success ... telling us he just got back from shooting a Christmas movie and is excited about his upcoming book release.

Jeremy, who first became famous as the "hot felon," says it's surreal to see his life story in book form, and his goal is to get the publication made into a TV series.

We asked why not a feature film, and he said it would be impossible to chop his life down to a couple hours or less ... so, a series makes more sense.

Jeremy's book is called "Model Citizen" and it's coming out October 10 ... and it tells the story of his meteoric rise from poverty to global fame.

Remember ... Jeremy had a long rap sheet before his 2014 arrest and mug shot earned him the "hot felon" and "prison bae" monikers.

Jeremy's mug went viral, sparking a modeling career that blossomed into acting gigs and led to him dating and having a child with Topshop heiress Chloe Green.

Jamie Foxx's sudden, serious illness has producers scrambling on his movie set and beyond ... and TMZ is getting conflicting information about the movie he was shooting -- "Back in Action."

Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Jamie still has 8 days of filming for the movie in which he costars with Cameron Diaz. In fact, we're told he was scheduled to shoot this past Tuesday but suffered a medical emergency before going to set.

As we reported, Jamie was rushed to the hospital Tuesday morning with a very serious medical condition ... so serious, family members flew to Atlanta to be with him. We're told doctors still aren't sure exactly what triggered his medical problem and they will be doing tests in the next few days. It's uncertain when Jamie will be released, and they're not even thinking about when he can get back in front of the camera.

Now production sources have told us a very different story ... they are saying the film will wrap next week. We repeatedly asked how they could wrap if Jamie still has 8 days of filming left, but they did not explain.

It's possible they could rewrite the scenes without Jamie, use a stand-in or just cut certain scenes entirely ... we don't know and they're not saying.

Producers used a stand-in for Jamie on Thursday, according to People.

Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet are adding to rumors about their supposed romance ... because her car is in the driveway of his Bev Hills home!

The billionaire's black Range Rover SUV pulled up to Timothee's sprawling estate Thursday afternoon ... and it's sure to drive the internet into a frenzy.

Kylie wasn't sightseeing either ... her car pulled in from the road and drove straight up the winding driveway ... in other words, she knew exactly where she was going.

Dating rumors have swirled around Kylie and Timothee recently ... but there's been no official confirmation from either side about a relationship.

Kylie and Timothee were spotted chatting each other up at Paris Fashion Week in a video that's going viral online ... but this is the first time she's been photographed at his place.

As you know, Kylie has two kids with rapper Travis Scott, daughter Stormi and son Aire, and she's previously been in a long-term relationship with Tyga.

Timothee's no stranger to celeb couplings either ... he's been linked in the past to Eiza Gonzalez, Lily-Rose Depp and Lourdes Leon.

It'll be interesting to see if Kylie and Timothee are toying with folks ... or if this is the real deal.

Before this cutie-pie with pigtails was gearing up her vocals to perform at Coachella 2023, she was just swinging around the park, throwing a thumbs-up to the camera and growing up with her older sister in Spain.

This talented lady has collaborated with some of Coachella's finest stars including The Weeknd and Billie Eilish. She's also performed on "Saturday Night Live" with Bad Bunny. To this day, her sister is her #1 fan, and she's also her personal stylist and creative director.

Need one more clue? Perhaps she'll perform her hit song "DESPECHÁ" on the Coachella stage!

Jamie Foxx suffered what his family is calling a "medical complication" ... though his daughter says her famous father's condition is already improving.

Jamie's daughter, actress Corinne Foxx, posted the medical update Wednesday on social media ... and she says Jamie suffered the issue Tuesday but immediately got "great care" and is now on the mend.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the condition was serious enough that Jamie was hospitalized.

Corinne adds ... "We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers. The family asks for privacy during this time."

At this time, it's unclear exactly how Jamie came to discover the still unspecified complication, or if he was experiencing symptoms that prompted him to get checked out.

We do, however, know Jamie's been working in Atlanta on a film called "Back in Action" with costars Glenn Close and Cameron Diaz.

It's unclear how long Jamie will need to remain in the hospital, or if and when he'll be able to return to working on the movie.

Story developing ...

Before this little singer's pipes blew away America (and Simon Cowell), she was just getting all dolled up in her white dress, gearing up for her big solo and growing up in Chicago, Illinois with her sister and brother.

From the American Idol stage to the big screen, this singing machine can also act, and she played the smart and comical assistant to Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) in "Sex And The City: The Movie."

Need one more hint? She was a "Dreamette" alongside Beyonce and Anika Noni Rose.

49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward is thanking fans for their support after his 5-month-old daughter made it out of open-heart surgery on Tuesday ... saying his baby girl is "on the road to recovery."

The Super Bowl champ revealed the serious news via his Instagram this week ... saying his baby girl, Amani Joi, had to get the procedure done, and asked everyone to "pray for my lil one!!"

The 26-year-old provided an update hours later ... saying she was out of surgery and doing well.

"Thanks everybody for the prayers & support," Ward said via IG. "Thanks for the love 💜💜."

Ward's girlfriend, Monique, gave birth to Amani last November ... which was five weeks ahead of her due date.

The cornerback was in Colorado Springs with his team at the time ... as they were on their way to play the Cardinals in Mexico City when he got the call. He then rushed to Memphis to be by Monique's side.

Ward told The Athletic after Amani was born, he held her for only a few minutes before she was placed in ICU.

Ward eventually made it to the 49ers vs. Cardinals game ... and had 10 total tackles in the 38-10 win.

"I feel like already my baby has given me more heart -- more love in my heart, more love in my body," he said to The Athletic. "Not only for her but for other people as well."

Child country singer Billy Gilman was only 11 years old when he burst onto the music scene with his hit song "One Voice" back in 2000. The song was part of his debut album "One Voice" and also featured popular tracks like "Oklahoma" and "There's a Hero."

His first album's success garnered spots on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Since then, Billy has released a total of five albums and in 2016, he finished runner-up on "The Voice" where he covered songs like Adele's "When We Were" with help from his coach Adam Levine.

Before this cool birthday boy blowing out his candles turned into an actor and a social media star, he was just eyeing down his bday cake and growing up with his big sis in Whittier, California.

His viral Vine videos were just the beginning of his career ... It wouldn't take long before this handsome fella was starring in movies like "Expelled" and "The Outfield," and he even had his own Netflix reality show!

Need one more clue? After making it big with his Vine vids, he became a 'Magcon Star' right next to singer Shawn Mendes.

There's now a parent being held responsible for their child shooting someone at school ... the mother of the 6-year-old who shot his teacher in a Virginia elementary school has been criminally charged.

Prosecutors in Virginia announced the charges Monday, with a grand jury indicting Deja Taylor with felony child neglect, plus a misdemeanor charge of recklessly leaving a firearm to endanger a child.

As we reported ... a first-grader at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News shot his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, back in January ... with the 25-year-old educator suffering gunshot wounds to her hand and chest.

Prosecutors say the 6-year-old student is not facing criminal charges but noted the mother's indictment follows a "thorough" police investigation.

What's more, prosecutors also say they are asking the court for a special grand jury to determine whether there should be additional charges over “any security issues that may have contributed to this shooting."