Legal

The husband of country music singer Sara Evans won't spend any time behind bars in his domestic violence case ... TMZ has learned.

The Nashville DA's Office tells us ... Jay Barker, a former Univ. of Alabama quarterback, ended up agreeing to a "best interest plea" in which he pled down from felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon to misdemeanor reckless endangerment.

As we reported, Jay was arrested back in January for allegedly trying to slam his car into the car in which Sara was riding.

Cops say Sara told them she was in the passenger seat of a friend's car, leaving a party when she saw Jay gunning his car in reverse, trying to hit them.

Sara and her friend got lucky, though ... cops say Jay missed his alleged target.

Court docs show Jay was put on a year of probation as part of his plea deal ... and we're told he has to keep his nose clean, forfeit all weapons and complete a 26-week batterers intervention program.

Halsey is firing back at their former nanny who is suing the singer over being fired ... the singer says the nanny was simply fired for a potential danger to Halsey’s kid.

Here's the deal ... Halsey's former nanny, Ashley Funches, is reportedly suing the singer for disability discrimination and retaliation, claiming she was fired for taking time off work for an emergency medical procedure.

But Halsey doesn't see things the same way.

A rep for Halsey tells TMZ ... "These allegations are baseless. This individual’s employment was recently terminated in response to specific incidents in which Halsey’s infant was left unsupervised in an unsafe location while under the nanny’s care, and it was discovered the nanny was intoxicated while the child was in her care."

They continue, "Furthermore, at no time during this individual’s term of employment with Halsey were any complaints even raised. Consequently, while Halsey is both saddened and disappointed by this turn of events, they feel it is important to refute these allegations publicly, as they take ableism and ethical working conditions very seriously."

The armed man who showed up at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house said he's having serious psychiatric issues, including thoughts of hurting people -- disturbing information he volunteered to police.

TMZ just obtained this 911 call from the Montgomery County Sheriff in Maryland. Nicholas Roske made the initial call, but hung up, and when the operator called him back, he said ... "I'm having thoughts. I've been having them for a long time. I'm from California. I came over here to act on them."

He then said he'd just flown there, took a taxi to Kavanaugh's home and admitted he had a gun with him ... which was unloaded and locked in a case inside his black suitcase.

Roske sounded extremely concerned about his own mental health, telling the operator he wasn't on drugs or alcohol, but said he needs "psychiatric help."

After copping to also having pepper spray and a knife in his luggage, he offers to step further away from the suitcase before police arrive. Roske said, "I want to be fully compliant. So, whatever they want me to do, I'll do."

After they arrested Roske, cops say he told them he was upset about the leaked Supreme Court opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, as well as the mass shooting in Uvalde, TX. As it turns out, abortion rights protesters were also marching Wednesday outside Kavanaugh's house.

As we reported, the 26-year-old was booked for attempted murder. He told the operator he'd been hospitalized multiple times and has had suicidal thoughts, and that he'd located Justice Kavanaugh's home through an Internet search and cross-referencing a photo of the house.

Rep. Ilhan Omar's experience during the January 6th storming of the Capitol was traumatic -- and something she believes was sparked by Trump -- as the country gears up for one of the most important hearings in history.

We got the U.S. Congresswoman from Minnesota Thursday at the Capitol, and she says the upcoming hearing regarding last year's insurrection is going to be very eye-opening -- and she's prepared for the testimonies to be pretty triggering.

The Rep tells us the whole day was a really traumatizing experience for her and her colleagues. She was one of the many that were whisked away from the Capitol and taken off-site -- cops believed her life was in danger no matter where she was in the building.

She even tells us about the heartbreaking last-minute texts she sent to her family, just in case things took a turn for the worse.

The hits keep coming for Todd and Julie Chrisley -- their recent convictions for bank fraud and tax evasion are jeopardizing the future of their reality TV show.

Here's the deal ... Todd and Julie's show, "Chrisley Knows Best," was picked up for a 10th season back in May, a week before their federal trial began ... but that's up in the air now that a jury's found them guilty on a laundry list of charges.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ … it's unclear when the Chrisleys will begin production for a 10th season. We're told the situation is very fluid because the network is awaiting the sentencing.

The problem with that is ... sentencing isn't set to go down until October, when they'll face up to 30 years in federal prison. That puts USA Network, the family and Todd and Julie's attorneys in a bind.

Obviously, they could start shooting now, but Todd's lawyer says they plan to appeal the guilty verdict -- and, let's face it, legal strategizing doesn't make for great TV ... nor would any attorney recommend it: Anything Todd and Julie say could be used against them.

USA Network had no comment on the couple's guilty verdict.

Todd and Julie will still be on TV, though ... season 9 filmed and wrapped before the trial started, and new episodes start airing June 23rd. We are told "Chrisley Knows Best" was not in production during the trial, so neither the trial or the verdict were filmed.

R. Kelly needs to be locked up for more than a quarter century ... according to federal prosecutors, and that's just for the one case for which he's been convicted.

Federal prosecutors out of the Eastern District of NY -- who won a conviction against Kelly last September -- just filed their recommendation for his sentencing, and they believe there's more than enough reason to send him away for "in excess of 25 years."

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the feds say Kelly's particularly menacing because of his history of enticing minors. Prosecutors hold up the case of his relationship with Aaliyah as a prime example, saying he "began to sexually abuse her when she was just 12 or 13 years old." As they laid out in the trial, Kelly went on to marry her in an attempt to cover up that abuse and dodge criminal charges.

Other reasons prosecutors want the judge to throw the book at Kelly include his recordings of child pornography ... and the "physical and psychological" abuse of women. Of course, much of that was detailed in the "Surviving R. Kelly" documentary -- things like Kelly making women call him "Daddy," violent spankings if they disobeyed his rules, and prolonged isolation as punishment.

They also say Kelly knew he had genital herpes in 2004, but continued to have sex with women without telling them.

The feds are particularly concerned because they say Kelly continued doing all of these heinous acts even after he'd been arrested and gone on trial in 2008.

And there's this ... as we all know, R. Kelly has an impressive catalog of hits, and prosecutors say that led him to believe "his musical talent absolved him of any need to conform his conduct -- no matter how predatory, harmful, humiliating or abusive to others -- to the strictures of the law."

Add it all up, and the feds say that's why they're recommending the judge put Kelly behind bars at least until he's well into his 70s. He's currently 55, and sentencing is scheduled for June 29.

It ain't over for Johnny Depp and his attorney Camille Vasquez -- the two will reunite again -- and maybe even for a jam session.

Vasquez was leaving "Good Morning America" Wednesday in New York City when she asked, now that the trial was over if she'll see Johnny again. Without hesitation, she answers, "Of course!"

The camera then follows up, asking if she's a fan of his music, unclear if Camille didn't hear the question, but when asked again, she replies "Yes, yes, of course." Before getting into an SUV.

As you know, Camille and Johnny struck up a friendship over the many months together working on the case. Fans speculated, and social media theories ran wild that the two of them may have become more than friends ... but our sources say that just isn't the case.

Todd and Julie Chrisley are likely headed to federal prison, but at least they got in a hearty family meal before the bad news in court ... and we got some pics from the event.

Think "last supper," but earlier in the day -- the Chrisleys gathered the fam for a Sunday brunch 2 days before they were found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion.

The family broke bread at the Peach & the Porkchop, just outside Atlanta -- and witnesses tell us they made the most of it. Everyone was all smiles, although Todd did have to get up to take a phone call for about 10 minutes.

It might've been case-related, as we're told everyone at the table was quiet and looking at Todd during the call. In any event, the mood picked back up again when he sat down.

As we reported, Todd and Julie were found guilty Tuesday of a laundry list of charges, but Todd's lawyer told us they plan on appealing the verdict.

The US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia tells us the Chrisleys sentencing is scheduled for October, and they're facing up to 30 years in prison.

Ezra Miller is not only a bad influence, they're a danger to the well-being of an 18-year-old woman ... at least according to her parents, who are asking a court to step in and keep the actor away from her.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Tokata Iron Eyes met a then-23-year-old Miller in 2016 -- when she was just 12 -- and the actor was visiting the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota. From there, Tokata's parents say she and Ezra developed a friendship they believe puts Tokata at risk.

Tokata's parents say Miller flew her to London in 2017 to visit the studio where "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" was filmed, as she was a big fan and Miller was a star in the movie. At the time of the trip, they say Tokata was 14 and Ezra was 25.

As the friendship continued, Tokata's parents claim Ezra supplied their underage daughter with alcohol, marijuana and LSD.

Not only that, they claim Ezra -- best known as The Flash in the DC superhero films -- disrupted Tokata's schooling at a private institute in Massachusetts so much, she dropped out in December 2021.

The parents say they flew to Miller's Vermont home in January to get their daughter ... and discovered she didn't have her driver's license, car keys, bank card and other items needed to navigate life independently.

They say they also found bruises on Tokata's body which they allege Ezra caused.

Shortly after she got home, Tokata's parents say she fled to NYC to reunite with Ezra -- and from there, the pair's been traveling together to Vermont, Hawaii and Los Angeles. The two were spotted at a club in Hawaii in video obtained by TMZ.

As we've reported ... Miller got arrested several times during their stay in Hawaii, including an incident where they allegedly attacked bar patrons.

In the docs, Tokata's parents state, "Ezra uses violence, intimidation, threat of violence, fear, paranoia, delusions, and drugs to hold sway over a young adolescent Tokata." They claim Ezra's also told Tokata to solely go by Gibson ... a nickname she formerly used with family and friends.

Then there's this ... they say Ezra's decided Tokata is non-binary transgender, when she had previously declared herself "non-binary, queer, gay."

It seems Tokata is aware of her parents' concerns -- she recently took to social media to say she's mentally stable, and her "comrade" Ezra has been a help in her life. She also says she's recently gotten a therapist and is looking forward to the future.

Tokata's parents are asking the court to step in and issue an order of protection against Ezra on behalf of their daughter, and a hearing is set for next month.

Ex-NFL player Darren Sharper -- who's currently serving 2 decades behind bars following a multi-state rape case -- has reached a settlement with three women accusing him of drugging and sexually assaulting them back in 2014, TMZ Sports has learned.

The women filed a lawsuit against the 46-year-old Super Bowl champion in December 2015 -- two of the plaintiffs claim Sharper drugged and sexually assaulted them after meeting at a nightclub in West Hollywood on January 14, 2014 ... while the third claims Sharper drugged and sexually assaulted her in Las Vegas the next day.

Sharper was arrested shortly after ... and women in Louisiana, Arizona and Nevada also came forward with their own disturbing allegations of drugging and rape at the hands of the former safety.

Sharper pled guilty and was handed a 20-year sentence in 2016 ... which he's currently serving.

Details on the settlement were not revealed ... but will be made official once all sides sign off on the paperwork.

Johnny Depp clearly understands the power of TikTok, but his attorneys reject the notion it had any impact on the verdict ... instead, they say it's Amber Heard's testimony that hurt her with the jury.

Camille Vasquez -- fresh off her promotion to partner in her law firm -- and Ben Chew told ABC's George Stephanopoulos their strategy was to use Amber's own words against her ... carefully crafting their questions based on her previous testimony. Vasquez believes that showed the jury all it needed to know about Amber.

As for Team Amber's claim the jury was influenced by the overwhelming support for Johnny on social media -- including TikTok, which Depp joined Tuesday -- Chew says it "played no role whatsoever," and the jury reached the verdict purely based on the evidence presented by both sides.

Remember, the jury was not sequestered, and the criticism is it would've been impossible for them to avoid the flood of posts supporting Johnny and attacking Amber.

Vasquez also shot down the idea the #MeToo movement was setback by the verdict in Johnny's favor -- saying, "We encourage any victim to come forward. Domestic violence doesn't have a gender." She added, "The facts are what they were. The jury made a unanimous decision based on those facts."

Chew and Vasquez carefully skirted a question about the possibility of Johnny striking a deal ... where he would let Amber off the hook for the $8.35 million judgment, and she would not file an appeal ... as she's claimed she intends to do.

Simone Biles and nearly 100 other women are going after the FBI ... seeking $1 billion from the org. after it allegedly mishandled its investigation into the sexual abuse allegations against Larry Nassar.

Attorneys representing the Olympic gold medalist -- as well as gymnastics stars Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and approximately 90 other women -- announced Wednesday morning their intentions to file lawsuits against the FBI.

According to the women and their lawyers, if FBI agents had properly intervened when they were first alerted to Nassar's behavior in 2015, they could have prevented him from targeting more women. The women are now seeking damages that'll exceed $1 billion.

"My fellow survivors and I were betrayed by every institution that was supposed to protect us -- the US Olympic Committee, USA Gymnastics, the FBI and now the Department of Justice," Maroney said in a statement.

"I had some hope that they would keep their word and hold the FBI accountable after we poured out our hearts to the US Senate Judiciary Committee and begged for justice. It is clear that the only path to justice and healing is through the legal process."

Nassar, who was eventually arrested over the allegations in 2016 and pled guilty in 2017, was ultimately sentenced to decades behind bars for his crimes.

In December, Biles and the other survivors reached a $380 million agreement to settle the lawsuits they had against the USA Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics.

John Manly, the gymnasts' attorney, said at the time the settlement was the result of bravery ... commending the women for refusing to stay silent.

Anyone trying to get their hands on something related to the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial will love this -- one man's courtroom notes, including details not seen on TV, are about to go to the highest bidder.

Larry Forman tells TMZ … he took a trip from Kentucky to the Fairfax County Courthouse in Virginia to sit in on the trial, and decided to jot down his thoughts and observations ... just for his own personal memories.

Larry says it was supposed to be a one-time thing, but friends convinced him to keep going back and writing more notes.

The notebook has about 20 pages per day, and covers days 23-26 of the trial. What's interesting is it doesn't just recall what was said in court, but it shows something the cameras couldn't -- reactions from jurors.

The current bid is over $14K, but the sale isn't final yet ... Larry's decided to donate the highest bid to Children's Hospital LA, saying it seemed fitting since it's related to the case.

Remember, Amber testified she had pledged $3.5 million to CHLA, but still hadn't paid up. Larry says hospital reps are aware of the auction and they're pleased about his offer.

Memorabilia like this has been fetching big prices ever since the trial ended ... one of the used wristbands, from day 23 of the trial, carries a price tag of $850. That's more than a wristband for Coachella!

Deshaun Watson allegedly received massages from at least 66 women over the course of 17 months ... this according to a new investigation into troubling claims made against the Cleveland Browns quarterback.

26-year-old Watson -- who previously stated he hired around 40 different massage therapists during his five years in Houston -- is being accused of making sexual advances towards multiple massage therapists who are speaking out for the first time, according to the New York Times.

One woman -- who did not file a lawsuit or go to police -- claims Watson requested she put her hands "uncomfortably close" to his testicles as she worked on his behind and upper thighs ... and when he flipped onto his back, he was erect and "begged" her to put her mouth on his penis, which she said she rejected.

Another woman who met with Watson says he initiated sexual acts during each of their three appointments ... claiming he "got into the happy baby yoga pose -- on his back with his feet in his hands -- and asked her to massage between his testicles and anus."

The therapist -- who did not sue -- says she laughed off the request but Watson grabbed her wrist and put her hand in that area.

The report also claims the Texans' head of security provided Watson with non-disclosure agreements to give massage therapists ... which were put in his locker after one therapist threatened to "expose" him on Instagram.

Watson -- who has adamantly denied any wrongdoing -- appeared to respond to the report on Tuesday ... quoting "Rich Off Pain" by Lil Baby, Lil Durk and Rod Wave on his Instagram story.

"See, the blogs can't break me down, see, I'm the voice, I don't reply," Durk says in the song.

"But the rumors y'all done heard, I'ma humbly deny, yeah, yeah."

Watson is now facing 24 lawsuits over claims of sexual misconduct during massage appointments. Two grand juries in Texas declined to charge Watson over the allegations back in March ... but his NFL future remains uncertain as the league investigates.

Amber Heard has a long drive home when she gets back to California, but it'll be extra bitter when she sees this message heading into town ... which sounds very pro-Johnny Depp.

Check out these photos, obtained by TMZ, which show some sort of an old church marquee sign that we're told is about 8 or so miles outside of central Yucca Valley along State Route 62.

Sources say this sign -- which appears to have belonged to a group known as the Church of Morongo once upon a time -- is right across the street from the Morongo Basin Road ... not far from the now-defunct Father & Sons Masonry nearby.

As you can see, it reads ... "This is the Day! Truth Wins" No other context, but we're told it was spotted this weekend -- right after the verdict. The feeling is -- it reflects that decision.

That might not be too far a stretch, especially when you consider #TruthWins was trending the day Johnny came out victorious. The phrase has even gone on to be branded on T-shirts, hats and mugs -- all in celebration of what many considered vindication for JD.

Unclear who might be responsible for making the sign read this way -- we suspect it's not city-sanctioned, or at least it doesn't appear that way.

In any case, it could be one of the last licks Amber receives from the public before she gets back to her desert hideout -- a secluded 2,457 square feet 3-bed/3-bath abode that's pretty swanky all things considered.

She noted during the trial that this was her primary residence these days -- and unless she dips into YV through SR-247 (from Barstow/Apple Valley), she might just have to pass this by.

The verdict is in for Todd and Julie Chrisley, and the jury says they're guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion.

Todd and Julie were found guilty on a laundry list of charges, according to a court clerk for the northern district of Georgia. We're told their accountant, Peter Tarantino, was also found guilty on related charges, including aiding and abetting the filing of false tax returns.

As of now, a sentencing date hasn't been scheduled, so the Chrisleys will remain on home detention until that hearing ... it's reported they could face up to 30 years behind bars.

Todd's lawyer Bruce Morris tells TMZ, "We are disappointed in the verdict. We plan an appeal."

TMZ broke the story ... the 3 were indicted back in 2019 with prosecutors claiming they defrauded banks by obtaining millions of dollars in loans. The U.S. Attorney's Office also said they cheated the government by actively evading federal income taxes.

According to the indictment, Todd worked with a partner to make it look like one of his bank accounts had $4 million, when they actually didn't even have an account at that bank at the time. The feds said Todd emailed his partner, "You are a f***ing genious [sic]!!!! Just make it show 4 mil+."