Legal

Drew Carey's ex-fiancee, Dr. Amie Harwick, has been murdered after cops say an ex-boyfriend attacked her and caused her to fall from a third-story balcony.

Law enforcement sources say they got a call early Saturday morning of a woman screaming in a Hollywood Hills neighborhood. Cops were met in the street by Harwick's roommate, who said she was being assaulted inside her home.

We're told once officers attempted to get inside Harwick's home, they found her unresponsive underneath a third-story balcony, with injuries consistent with a fall. Harwick was taken to a hospital where she later died from her injuries.

Cops say evidence suggested there was forced entry and a struggle inside Harwick's home before she was discovered. Investigators located surveillance footage in the neighborhood and determined the suspect was a white male dressed in black.

Detectives learned Harwick had recently expressed concerns about an ex-boyfriend -- who she once had a restraining order against -- causing her harm. Cops say the restraining order ended just two weeks ago and Harwick had recently seen the ex.

Cops arrested the ex, Gareth Pursehouse, Saturday afternoon and booked him for murder.

Drew and Harwick started dating in 2017 and announced their engagement in early 2018. However, they split less than a year later.

Damon Dash says his ex-wife, Rachel Roy, has been hiding stacks of cash that are rightfully his -- the fruits of her fashion company's labors -- so he's suing her for fraud.

Dame is pissed off about the Rachel Roy Brands of clothes -- which include several lines Rachel sells in Bloomingdales and similar department stores. In his suit, he says the company is FLUSH ... earning profits in the millions each year. His issue is his cut of that pie.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, Dame claims Rachel conspired with several other companies involved in keeping RRB afloat ... to hide the amount of money that was due to go in Dame's pockets.

He's pretty colorful and complete with his allegations, claiming they "manipulated, diverted, misappropriated, transferred, concealed and embezzled funds."

Rachel and co. allegedly submitted fraudulent accounting, withheld payments, and undervalued Damon's share of RRB. Dame says he was an original member of Rachel's company when she formed it in 2008 -- they were still married then -- and as such he's entitled to royalties.

Far as Dame can tell, the alleged shell game with his money started in 2014 when a royalty payment of $175,000 was withheld. He claims that happened again in 2015 with a $200,000 check.

In the suit, Damon says he had a verbal agreement with Rachel that she would re-purchase his interest in RRB for $1 million -- but she reneged with no explanation.

He's not only suing Rachel, her companies and more than a handful of others -- accountants, lawyers and such -- he claims conspired against him.

Wendi Williams, the woman whose reclined seat was repeatedly punched by a passenger on an American Airlines flight, is ready to pick another fight ... this time with the airline!!!

Wendi tells us she met with an attorney Friday to discuss legal options she can take against AA ... and she's threatening the airline with a defamation lawsuit!

Williams is bristling over what an American Airlines rep told TMZ -- that the whole seat-reclining incident started when she first reclined and knocked over the other passenger's drink. Wendi claims it never happened. BTW, even if she did, it would have been an accident and no big deal.

She believes she was slandered when AA accused her of being disruptive, spilling a drink and also all the things that the flight attendant said to her on the plane -- that she was the bad person in the dispute -- all defamatory, Williams says. BUT ... she's not interested in suing the passenger, although she's told us she'd like to see him prosecuted for assault.

Wendi also claims she was respectful to everyone else on the plane and didn't make a scene. Remember, she previously told us a flight attendant handed her a passenger disturbance notice for refusing to delete her video of the man behind her punching her chair.

As for the reclining-seat debate ... Wendi says the airlines should be the ones determining if it's an issue, not fellow passengers.

Wendi's also got another threat for AA ... telling us, "They have pushed me way too far, literally and figuratively." Them's fighting words ... as in lawsuit.

AA's drawing its own line in the sand ... a source at the airline tells us Wendi reached out Tuesday asking for compensation, but she won't see any money because AA sees this as a passenger vs. passenger dispute.

We're also told AA won't be referring the incident to authorities, and it's up to Wendi if she wants to go down that road.

Antonio Brown says he'll get in front of NFL teams later this month to try to explain his troubling actions ... telling TMZ Sports, he'll be at the combine in Indianapolis.

"I'm excited and looking forward to seeing them guys," AB says. "I'mma be out there ready to get things back on the right page."

Of course, Brown -- who was visiting the Luc Belaire offices in NYC -- has quite a bit of explaining to do. The former All-Pro receiver has argued with his baby mama on video, in an intense police standoff twice in the past few months ... and he's been arrested for allegedly assaulting a moving driver.

Brown is also still dealing with allegations that he raped his former trainer, as well as, claims he sent threatening text messages to a different woman back in September.

But, Brown has been on an apology spree lately ... claiming he's trying to right all of his past wrongs. And, it seems he's hopeful he can deliver that message to NFL owners in Indy in two weeks.

Two members of Machine Gun Kelly's crew are still feeling the sting over their involvement in a 2018 brawl ... 'cause they just got indicted by a grand jury.

MGK crew members Brandon Allen and John Cappelletty have each been slapped with 2 counts of felony aggravated battery for unleashing a can of whoop-ass on the actor Gabriel "G-Rod" Rodriguez ... this according to the Fulton County D.A.'s Office.

The case had been under misdemeanor review by the Fulton County Solicitor General's Office but it got kicked up to the D.A.'s Office for felony review ... and clearly the D.A. felt felony charges could be warranted and got the case to a grand jury.

If convicted, the crew members face up to 20 years in prison.

TMZ broke the story ... Allen and Cappelletty were busted back in October but G-Rod didn't just want justice against them. He also sued MGK claiming the rapper's the one who ordered the attack.

A country singer under investigation for child sex abuse crimes has committed suicide ... TMZ has learned.

Daniel Lee Martin died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound ... this according to the Pasco Sheriff's Office in Florida.

Martin was arrested January 27th after the alleged victim, a child, told cops Martin exposed himself to them while the 2 were sitting on a sofa. Cops say the victim claimed Martin fondled himself and shared pornographic images. Cops went on to say there were numerous incidents where the victim spent the night at Martin's home.

He was released on $15,000 bail hours after his arrest.

Cops tell us they were attempting to serve a warrant at Martin's home Friday out of Tennessee, for 3-counts of sexual exploitation on a minor, along with aggravated sexual battery and solicitation of a minor to commit rape.

We're told when deputies entered the home, they found Martin dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Martin released several albums, including "All That I Am" in 2003 and "On My Way to You" in 2007.

The estate of the late Pink Taco founder, Harry Morton, is worth at least $17 million ... TMZ has learned.

Harry's father, Peter Morton, just filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, to take control of his son's estate ... and the docs say Harry had over $17 million in personal property when he died.

According to the docs, Harry's personal property is worth $17,293,187 ... but the total value of the estate could be higher if there are any separate trusts that are not part of the probate estate.

TMZ broke the story ... Harry was found dead in his Los Angeles residence back in November, this after suffering a heart attack. Harry, who had no partner or children, died without a will.

Harry founded the popular restaurant chain in 1999 when he was only 18. He was also the owner of the Hollywood nightclub, Viper Room.

NHL legend Ed Belfour pled guilty to being a drunken mess during last month's incident at a Kentucky hotel ... but the ex-goalie got nothing more than a slap on the wrist as punishment.

As we previously reported, 54-year-old Belfour found himself in a world of trouble after hotel employees in Bowling Green, Ky. accused him of a being belligerent drunk on Jan. 28.

You can see in video we obtained of the incident ... when officers arrived on the scene, Belfour was clutching a curtain rod on the floor and kicking a spa door.

The Eagle also struggled to get to his feet and mumbled through his conversation with cops.

Belfour was eventually charged with criminal mischief and public intoxication for the incident ... but according to court records, obtained by the Courier-Journal, Belfour cut a deal with prosecutors to avoid a lengthy court battle.

The records show on Jan. 30, Belfour had his criminal mischief charge dismissed after he pled guilty to the public intoxication charge.

His punishment? The records reportedly show he has to pay $219 in fines and fees.

It's a pretty good deal for Belfour ... and it now explains why the guy was so happy when he was spotted with fellow NHL legends at a celeb sports dinner in Canada last week.

Blac Chyna claims Rob Kardashian didn't suffer any REAL injuries or pain in her alleged beat down of her ex -- so she wants his lawsuit against her tossed.

Chyna just filed new docs, obtained by TMZ, claiming her baby daddy grossly exaggerated his injuries from their alleged fight way back in December 2016.

As ya know, Rob alleges BC tried to choke him with an iPhone charging cable before repeatedly hitting him ... all while she was high on booze and drugs.

However, BC says the only harm Rob suffered that night relates to his heartbreak over Chyna leaving his ass. As we reported, Chyna moved out of Kylie Jenner's home where she and Rob were living back then with their newborn, Dream.

She's also laughing off, almost literally, an incident involving a gun.

Chyna says Rob testified she pointed his gun at him, and told his friends she would kill him if he "messes up." In her docs, BC says everyone knew it was a joke, and she had NO intention of pulling the trigger.

She asking the court to dismiss Rob's lawsuit for assault simply because she says there was no assault and the guy wasn't hurt. Case closed, at least to her ... we'll see what the judge says.

Former 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' star Dina Manzo's husband is getting called out over his claim he was bludgeoned during a home invasion -- a medical expert thinks he's full of it.

The 'RHONJ' alum and her hubby, David Cantin, told cops they were the victims of the attack back in May 2017. Cops arrested James Mainello, a 51-year-old New Jersey man, last year for the alleged crime.

However, Mainello's lawyer, Marco Laracca, says he has a doctor ready to testify Cantin's allegation he was beaten with a baseball just doesn't add up.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... Laracca plans to call Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Peter DiPaolo to testify it's "highly unlikely" the baseball bat portion of the attack is accurate.

The doctor says baseball bat injuries are "very well-described in the trauma literature" and typically result in skull and orbital fractures when someone's struck in the head or face ... as Cantin claims he was.

DiPaolo says Cantin sustained no such injuries ... according to photos and medical records he says he reviewed. For the record, Cantin claims he was repeatedly hit by the bat "in the leg, knee, arm, back and face."

We reached out to Dina and David. Their attorney, Andrew Brettler, tells us ... "This doctor did not even examine Mr. Cantin. He was hired by the defendant. For him to opine on Mr. Cantin's injuries is ludicrous. My clients were the victims of a violent attack."

Jussie Smollett now has a fight on his hands on 2 fronts, because the City of Chicago is not backing down from its lawsuit to recover the cost of investigating what authorities say was a fake "attack."

Multiple sources tell us, the City of Chicago could drop its case against Jussie to recover nearly half a mil but if he's convicted in criminal court the judge would almost certainly order restitution on behalf of the City.

Thing is ... it makes total sense for the City to press on with its lawsuit, despite the Special Prosecutor reinstituting 6 felony criminal charges against him. The standard of proof in a criminal case is way harder to meet than in a civil case. In a criminal case, the proof needs to be 99% solid against Jussie. In a civil case, it just has to be 51% - 49%.

Now, the new problem facing the City is that Jussie will almost certainly take the 5th against self-incrimination in the civil lawsuit because of the looming criminal case. In Illinois, if a defendant takes the 5th in a civil case, the judge can tell the jury it can conclude that person is hiding something.

One thing we know ... Abel and Ola Osundairo -- the 2 brothers who Jussie says attacked him -- will testify that the whole thing was a setup masterminded by Jussie.

It's an interesting situation because Jussie has brought the Osundairo brothers in as a defendant in the City of Chicago's lawsuit, claiming they did indeed attack him. It's gonna be hard to prove that if he doesn't take the stand.

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan have checked off another big box in wrapping up their divorce ... a judge has signed off on an official parenting schedule.

As you may recall ... things turned a little nasty between the ex-couple and resulted in a custody battle, but they've reached an agreement that pretty much splits their time with their 6-year-old daughter, Everly, right down the middle.

According to the legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Channing and Jenna will share joint custody "pursuant to a 2-2-5" parenting schedule, which goes like this ... Mom gets Everly Monday through Wednesday, Dad gets her Wednesday through Friday, and they alternate weekends.

Because of their unpredictable work schedules, the 2 agree to use a Parenting Plan Coordinator to make minor adjustments to the custodial schedules should there be any issues.

As for holidays ... Channing and Jenna will alternate every year, and each is allowed up to 10 days of exclusive summer vacation time with Everly. For the child's birthday, the parents will split the day ... unless they agree to have a joint celebration.

If there are any other complications ... once again, the PPC has the authority to step in and make a decision.

Despite the custody agreement, there's still a couple lingering issues in the wake of the divorce ... like Jenna wanting to legally take her maiden name back, as we first reported.

The 2 are also still hashing out a property settlement agreement ... stay tuned.

Jussie Smollett is facing felony charges in Chicago again -- the special prosecutor just announced an indictment against the actor for the alleged homophobic attack against him last year.

A grand jury handed up the new indictment against Jussie on Tuesday. Dan Webb was appointed special prosecutor for the case last summer. We're told he's now facing 6 felony counts for lying to law enforcement. The indictment calls the 6 charges "disorderly conduct," but all 6 involve allegations of lying to cops.

This effectively re-opens the controversial case that led to Smollett getting fired from "Empire."

Special Prosecutor Webb says Jussie "planned and participated in a staged hate crime attack, and thereafter made numerous false statements to Chicago Police Dept. officers."

Webb adds the new charges -- pared down from 16 to 6 -- were re-filed "in the interest of justice." Webb was critical of the State's Attorney who dismissed the case, saying Kim Foxx's office had no additional evidence from what the Grand Jury had when they indicted Smollett in the first place, so the dismissal made no sense.

Jussie and his attorneys had staged a legal battle against the special prosecutor, saying it would expose him to double jeopardy. That effort was shot down in court. You'll recall Cook County prosecutors dropped all 16 felony counts against Smollett in March 2019 ... calling it a "just disposition and appropriate resolution," but not an exoneration.

That decision pissed off Chicago law enforcement -- and in August, Webb was appointed special prosecutor to investigate how the case was handled, and if there was any reason to renew charges.

FOX32 in Chicago first reported the indictment.

A source connected to Jussie tells us, "The officers who re-investigated the case are the same ones who originally investigated it. These officers are currently being sued by Smollett. They have also spent taxpayer money on having these officers go to Los Angeles and harass members of Smollett's team and friends."

We're told Jussie still maintains his innocence, and finds the timing of the indictment interesting -- because Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx is up for re-election next month. He plans to plead not guilty.

Jussie will be arraigned February 24. We're told he faces up to 3 years in state prison if convicted.

You'll recall, Jussie claimed he was attacked on a frigid night in Chicago by 2 white men who put a rope around his neck and doused him with bleach while yelling racial and homophobic slurs.

However, 2 black men -- brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo -- were eventually detained, and told police Jussie paid them to stage the whole attack.

After the new indictment, the Osundairos' attorney, Gloria Schmidt, says they remain "fully committed to the public knowing the truth" about the so-called attack -- and will cooperate with the investigation. However, they did not testify before the new grand jury. Instead, the panel relied on the brothers' previous testimony.

Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey's sex solicitation case is headed toward a happy ending for the popular golfer ... he just cut a deal with prosecutors to avoid time behind bars.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, Gainey agreed to serve 11-months of probation, take a human trafficking class, do community service and pay fines and fees.

In exchange for completing all of that, prosecutors agreed to drop his misdemeanor solicitation charge ... and even gave him the chance to end his probation early if he quickly meets the requirements of the deal.

Of course, it's a solid deal for Gainey ... who was facing jail time after he was caught up in a major prostitution sting -- dubbed "Operation Santa's Naughty List" -- back in December.

As we previously reported, cops in Polk County, Fla., say Gainey offered money for sex acts to an undercover officer posing as a prostitute on Dec. 8, 2019.

In police footage of the alleged incident, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can see clear as day Tommy offering up $60 for a "quick visit" with the woman.

Gainey was arrested ... and at a press conference a few days later, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd ribbed him over it all.

"He's married. He told us that he was here for a charity golf event and it was to be, like, the next morning tee off. He didn't make it. He was a scratch ... We charged him with soliciting. He missed his tee time the next morning."

Masai Ujiri ain't in the clear yet from his altercation with a police officer at a 2019 NBA Finals game ... the Toronto Raptors president is now being sued over the incident.

The alleged victim, identified as Oakland police officer Alan Strickland, just filed docs in federal court claiming Ujiri owes him cold-hard cash after he says Ujiri attacked him.

The Sheriff's deputy claims Ujiri shoved him and hit him in the face and chest in the moments after the Raptors won the NBA championship vs. Golden State on June 13, 2019.

The officer at the time claimed he suffered a concussion and a jaw injury in the altercation.

But, Ujiri was able to avoid a criminal case, with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office announcing in October it would NOT be pursuing charges against the 49-year-old.

"Mr. Ujiri attended a meeting with the District Attorney's Office focused on matters that we believe merited constructive, structured mediation and conflict resolution and were better handled in a setting outside the courtroom," a spokesperson said.

But, clearly, the officer wasn't willing to let Ujiri off that easily ... in the new lawsuit, Strickland says he's seeking damages in excess of $75,000.

Strickland is also going after the Raptors AND the NBA in the suit.

We've reached out to the NBA and Toronto Raptors for comment. A rep for the Raptors ownership group told us they were aware of the lawsuit, but had no comment.

So far, no word back from the league.

Aerosmith is ready to bring their original drummer back into the fold -- Joey Kramer's set to take the stage with his bandmates, and even crazier ... NO AUDITION NECESSARY!

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Joey's being brought on to play drums Monday night with Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and the rest of the fellas for a performance at the Park Theater in Vegas, which is where their residency shows are currently being held.

We're told the band didn't wanna jerk Joey around -- they're bringing him back without holding another audition, and it's because they feel he's probably up to snuff and in good health again. Plus, our sources tell us it's an act of good faith between old pals.

You'll recall ... things were getting pretty ugly between Joey and the guys just a few short weeks ago ahead of their Grammys performance, which Joey was fighting tooth and nail to be a part of -- even taking the issue to court in a last-ditch effort, but was unsuccessful.

Hell, they even turned him away at the door when Joey showed up unannounced for a rehearsal ... so yeah, the tension's been high between these guys.

Part of the reason Aerosmith didn't feel comfortable reuniting ... Joey hadn't played in at least 6 months, and they didn't wanna risk a shaky gig with a guy who was rusty/lacked energy. They put him through the wringer with a live audition but felt he wasn't ready.

Now, it seems they've had a change of heart and are prepared to embrace an OG. Should make for a great show ... stay tuned.