Legal

Ne-Yo's wife is putting an end to the couple's marriage ... filing for divorce, and claiming the singer recently fathered a child with another woman.

Crystal Renay -- who married Ne-Yo in February 2016 -- filed divorce docs earlier this week in Atlanta saying the couple's marriage is "irretrievably broken with no hope for reconciliation."

What's most shocking, Smith says that while she and Ne-Yo have three children together of their own -- he recently fathered a child with another woman. Crystal lists the couple's date of separation as July 22, 2022 ... and says she's been taking care of the three kids since the split.

Crystal is asking for primary physical custody of the kids and joint legal custody -- she's also asking for child support and alimony.

Ne-Yo and Crystal have had their ups and downs over the years, she filed for divorce back in 2020 but later withdrew her petition. TMZ broke the story, the two celebrated their love once again in 2022 in Vegas with a "second" wedding.

Kliff Kingsbury clearly ain't happy that his star wideout spent the day in jail on Wednesday -- telling reporters on Thursday that Marquise "Hollywood" Brown has "got to be better than that."

Brown was arrested at around 7:05 AM in north Phoenix after officers say he was speeding. Jail records show he was booked on a charge of exceeding 85 MPH in a 65 MPH zone -- and according to multiple media outlets, cops said he was actually traveling at 126 MPH.

Speaking with media members for the first time since the arrest, Kingsbury made it known he was not pleased with the 25-year-old, and expected more from the Cardinals receiver.

"Obviously he knows he's got to be better than that," the Arizona head coach said, "and he will be moving forward."

Kingsbury added Brown has "never" given him or the team "any issues" prior to Wednesday.

The U.S. government says it's doing everything it can to get Brittney Griner home ... but now there's a Justin from Canada looking to help out, too -- and it ain't Trudeau.

Justin Bieber is reacting to Griner's 9-year sentence for bringing cannabis oil into Russia ... saying it "hurts" to hear the news, but he doesn't want to sit around and do nothing.

"If anyone knows of anyway (sic) I can help please let me know."

Bieber is just one of many notable figures furious over the sentencing -- Kyrie Irving called on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to provide more info about Griner's status.

"What is truly happening with our Queen @brittneygriner @POTUS @VP?" the Brooklyn Nets superstar tweeted. "Please give us an Update."

WNBA star Lexie Brown added ... "Anyone that goes back to Russia to play is insane."

"Praying for BG man…this is breaking my heart seeing her right now 😔😔😔."

Ex-NFL star Robert Griffin III's reaction was simple -- "BRING BRITTNEY GRINER HOME!!!"

The NBA and WNBA released a joint statement ... saying Griner's verdict and sentencing was "unjustified and unfortunate," but reaffirmed the organizations will stop at nothing to make sure she comes home.

As we previously reported, the U.S. has made Russia a "very good offer" to bring her back to the States.

Brittney Griner was emotional in Russian court on Thursday ... apologizing for "my mistake that I made," while pleading with the judge to hand down a light sentence.

Griner issued the mea culpa at another hearing in her drug case ... telling the Moscow courtroom she was deeply sorry for inadvertently packing hashish oil in her luggage back in mid-February.

"I want to apologize to my teammates, my club, my fans and the city of [Yekaterinburg] for my mistake that I made and the embarrassment that I brought on them," the WNBA superstar said.

"I want to also apologize to my parents, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury organization back at home, the amazing women of the WNBA, and my amazing spouse back at home."

According to Associated Press reporters on the scene, Griner -- wearing a gray T-shirt and dark pants -- appeared to be very emotional while saying she was sorry.

Griner later urged the judge to take it easy on her when her sentence is eventually handed down ... saying she hopes the ruling "does not end my life.”

Prosecutors, though, reportedly argued in the courtroom Thursday that Griner did intentionally bring the cannabis oil ... and urged the judge to sentence the 31-year-old to 9.5 years behind bars. They also reportedly argued Griner should be hit with a big fine.

The judge is expected to make a ruling in the case as early as Thursday afternoon.

As we reported, Griner pleaded guilty to the drug charges against her last month. She's facing a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars.

U.S. officials, meanwhile, have classified her as wrongfully detained ... and have confirmed they've made Russia a substantial trade offer to ultimately bring her home.

The U.S. Department of Justice just made a significant move in the investigation into the police raid that resulted in the killing of Breonna Taylor ... charging several officers involved that day and in the events leading up.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced charges Thursday against four former and current Lousiville cops. Charges include unconstitutional use of force, unlawful conspiracies, civil rights offenses and others.

Brett Hankison, a former detective is said to have "willfully used unconstitutionally excessive force ... when he fired his service weapon into Taylor's apartment through a covered window and covered glass door."

Ex-Detective Joshua Jaynes, and Detective Kelly Goodlett and Sergeant Kyle Meany were charged with submitting a false affidavit to search Breonna's apartment and then allegedly put together a "false cover story in an attempt to escape responsibility for their roles in preparing the warrant affidavit that contained false information."

It was back in March 2020 when officers stormed Breonna's apartment in a forced-entry, shooting and killing the emergency room technician.

Chuck E. Cheese has a hot mess on its hands -- and no, we're not talking about its pizza ... it's a possible lawsuit from the mom of the child who was snubbed by their mascot.

Naney D. Muhammad is the mother of the young Black girl who recently got the cold shoulder at a CEC in New Jersey -- and she tells TMZ ... yes, she's preparing to take legal action against the pizza chain for what she considers overt and blatant racist behavior.

Nancy says she's noticed a pattern of this sort of thing at amusement parks and indoor play areas for children -- and finds it heartbreaking she and her daughter were on the receiving end of it at Chuck E. Cheese.

She tells us CEC corporate fired off a standard statement she feels is empty and void of an apology ... and, as a result, says she's consulting with her lawyer for next steps so justice can be achieved. In her eyes, no kid should be made to feel how hers did that day.

Of course, this might just be the latest in what could become several lawsuits -- we've already seen things like this happen at Sesame Place. One class action lawsuit's already been filed against that Pennsylvania theme park.

Jerry Harris, star of Netflix's "Cheer," is getting a new routine ... and TMZ has a glimpse into his life in federal lockdown.

Jerry is about a month into his 12-year prison sentence in his child pornography case. He was recently transferred to a federal prison in Oklahoma City, where his daily life will be a huge culture shock.

Jerry's going to need to find a new way to stay active, because the only fitness opportunities are basketball, handball, walking and lifting weights.

Other ways to pass the time include hobby craft programs, board and card games, group discussion, letter writing and TV viewing ... but the inmates don't get to pick what's on the tube.

Jerry's got a new bedtime too ... lights go out at 11:30 PM on weekdays and 1 AM on weekends ... but there's no sleeping in ... he's gotta be dressed and out of his cell by 6 AM.

It's unlikely Jerry will make many friends on the inside ... guys who plead guilty to child porn aren't exactly welcomed by other inmates ... but he can see visitors on weekends and federal holidays.

Jerry's also hanging up the cheer uniform for standard prison garb, which he's got to wear from 6 AM to 4 PM during the week.

Outside those hours, he can wear clothes purchased through approved channels. Oh and he's getting a new barber too, one of his fellow inmates.

Deshaun Watson could be suspended for more than 6 games after all ... the NFL announced Wednesday it is appealing Monday's initial ruling.

The league had three days to decide if it would appeal Sue L. Robinson's choice to only ban Watson for six games, and after using nearly every allotted hour, The Shield revealed it will now do it.

According to a statement from the league, the appeal will either be heard by commissioner Roger Goodell or his designee. Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Goodell or his designee will then "issue a written decision that will constitute final disposition of the dispute and is binding."

It is expected that this will mean Watson will serve a ban longer than six games.

In fact, famed business and legal analyst Andrew Brandt told "TMZ Live" on Tuesday he expected that if the league appealed the suspension, it would not only increase the ban, but would also tag on a "big fine."

As we reported, Robinson initially handed down the suspension after she ruled the 26-year-old QB had been sexually inappropriate with multiple female massage therapists.

Alex Jones is having a rough go as he sits through a defamation trial brought by Sandy Hook parents -- including this cringe-worthy moment ... where he was caught in a lie.

The InfoWars founder/host was on the stand Wednesday getting grilled, where an attorney repping the parents who are suing Jones confronted him with his own text messages pertaining to the case -- of which he'd previously denied having.

You gotta watch this play out ... because it's pretty embarrassing for AJ. The Sandy Hook lawyer says Jones' legal team actually sent the stuff over to him ... seemingly by mistake.

Jones makes a wisecrack, saying the Sandy Hook attorney was having a "Perry Mason moment" ... but was then asked if he knew what perjury was, because the SH lawyer thought he was venturing into consequential waters with his testimony and prior statements.

There's been a lot of other standout moments in the trial thus far, including the judge chastising Jones for a number of things, like lying ... and even chewing gum. Safe to say, it's not looking great for him right now.

As for why he's being sued ... Jones is accused of spreading conspiracy theories about the 2012 massacre -- suggesting it was all a hoax, and that there were "crisis actors" playing the parts of parents -- even going so far as to say that the bodies of the children were staged.

NBA player Iman Shumpert was arrested for having a "sizeable" amount of marijuana in his backpack at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport on Saturday ... TMZ Sports has learned.

According to the police report, officers responded to a potential drug violation call around 2:40 PM ... after TSA screeners found a plastic bag filled with a "green leafy substance" in Shumpert's bag, which he admitted was weed.

Cops say the substance weighed 6.12 ounces and tested positive for marijuana using a mobile test.

The report adds 32-year-old Shumpert -- who was set to board a Delta plane to Los Angeles at 3 PM -- expressed concern about missing his trip to visit his daughter ... but the responding officer informed him he would not be making that flight, as he was being placed under arrest for marijuana possession.

The report says the 2016 NBA champ was then placed in handcuffs and transported to the airport jail without incident.

The charge is classified as a "State Jail Felony" ... meaning Shumpert could face up to two years behind bars and a $10K fine, if convicted.

Cops also claim Shumpert -- who also won Season 30 of "Dancing With The Stars" -- had a Glock magazine and 14 9mm rounds in his bag ... although he didn't have a gun.

Shumpert last played for the Brooklyn Nets in 2020-21 ... and has also suited up for the Knicks, Cavaliers, Kings and Rockets over his decade-long career. He's averaging 7.2 points a game in his career.

Cardinals star Marquise "Hollywood" Brown spent his Wednesday morning in jail instead of getting ready for training camp practice ... TMZ Sports has confirmed he was arrested not long before the workout began.

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Brown was stopped on State Route 101 in north Phoenix at around 7:05 AM, and was arrested for criminal speeding.

Bart Graves, a DPS spokesperson, tells us as of 10:30 AM, Brown was still in custody.

No further details surrounding the arrest were revealed.

Brown, who's been battling a hamstring injury this offseason, had been expected to be eased back into practice this week.

"We are aware of the situation regarding Hollywood Brown and have reported it to the NFL office as required," the Cardinals said in a statement. "We will comment further as appropriate."

Brown was just traded to the Cardinals back in April -- after starring for the Baltimore Ravens from 2019 to 2021.

Story developing ...

The driver who killed Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, in a hit-and-run was just sentenced to time behind bars.

Charles Polevich was ordered to serve 1 year in jail Wednesday after pleading guilty to two felony charges -- leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and tampering with physical evidence. On top of that, his driver's license will be suspended for 6 months and he'll pay a $5,000 fine.

Polevich was facing up to 7 years behind bars, but Judge Howard Sturim followed through with a commitment to sentence him to no more than one year in jail.

TMZ broke the story ... Nicki's dad died at the age of 64 after being struck in a hit-and-run accident back in February 2021 while he was walking on Long Island.

At the time, cops said the driver fled the scene and tried to hide the car in a detached garage at his place. Robert was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and died from his injuries.

Actress Edie McClurg has been victimized by a self-described longtime friend, who attempted to take her out of state and marry her, despite the fact that she suffers from dementia ... this according to new legal docs.

The docs, obtained by TMZ, state a man named Michael L. Ramos has been living at Edie's L.A. home as the 76-year-old actress battles dementia. According to the docs, Ramos, who is unemployed, has 'finagled' his way into Edie's life and attempted to move her out of California in order to marry her, despite knowing she lacked mental capacity.

Edie, who is under a conservatorship, got protection from a judge -- according to the new docs -- who ordered Ramos to stand down on his alleged marriage plan.

The docs go on to say, Ramos allegedly sexually assaulted Edie's caregiver, and a police report has already been filed with the LAPD.

The docs note Edie and Ramos have never been romantically involved, but the caregiver is fearful he may have been sexually assaulting Edie and -- given her condition -- she may not even realize what was happening.

The judge in the conservatorship case had allowed Ramos to live in Edie's home to provide her with companionship, but the lawyer for the conservatorship is now asking for an order to remove him.

TMZ broke the story ... Edie's family went to court back in 2019 to ask for the conservatorship, claiming she'd been living with a male companion who was verbally abusive and tried to influence the handling of her estate by getting her to sign documents.

Edie has been a staple in Hollywood, appearing in show like "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," and has done voiceover work in movies like "The Little Mermaid," "A Bug's Life," "Cars" and "The Rugrats Movie."

Killer Mike is sticking to his guns -- Atlanta is the best U.S. city for Black-owned clubs and small businesses, but warns that status is in jeopardy if the City Council gets its way with a pending bill.

Mike was on "TMZ Live" today ... still crunk from addressing the Council during a debate on whether to launch the so-called "nuisance" bill that could potentially cut into operation times for all sorts of establishments in ATL.

Mike tells us cities like NYC and L.A. don't have the cultural connection to the clubs like ATL does, and he openly challenges anyone to show him an equal amount of Black ownership like his hometown.

Mike was front and center at Monday's hearing -- where 2 Chainz introduced him -- and the Run The Jewels MC drove home his points with force!!!

Thomas Markle is out for revenge -- vowing he'd kill a tabloid owner who he feels wronged him -- and now the man wants a court to step in and force protection.

Jeff Rayner -- co-owner of tabloid and news agency Coleman-Rayner -- says he's scared of what Markle might do ... this after Meghan's father allegedly threatened Rayner in a recent book.

According to the restraining order, obtained by TMZ, Markle is quoted as saying, "I got screwed by Rayner and I'm going to find a way to screw him over before I die. I want to tear him down. If they tell me I've got terminal cancer, then I'll kill him because I have nothing to lose."

The book in question is Tom Boyer's "Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between The Windsors."

In the docs, Rayner says, "Since he is 78 years old I anticipate he will use a gun or other weapon" to carry out a possible attack. The tabloid honcho says the thought of Markle getting revenge has caused him anxiety and stress during his daily life.

The NFL is in a damned-if-it-does, damned-if-it-doesn't situation regarding the appeal of Deshaun Watson's suspension ... so says Andrew Brandt, who said on "TMZ Live" on Tuesday the league is now in a "really tricky" spot.

With Sue L. Robinson suspending the Cleveland Browns star six games on Monday following allegations the 26-year-old QB was sexually inappropriate with multiple female massage therapists, the NFL now has roughly one and a half more days to decide if it wants to appeal that ban.

Most think the league should -- six games, after all, feels awfully light when considering the nature, and number, of the accusations -- but Brandt told Harvey and Charles appealing to make sure Watson serves a longer punishment is no slam dunk.

As for why -- the famed business and legal analyst says the NFL might not want to undermine Robinson's decision ... seeing as the league will be working with the former judge on similar cases in the future.

"That may be why -- along with changing the focus to back on the field -- to say, 'OK, we're going to take the six games and run,'" Brandt said. "Even though the public opinion on the other side is that this is way too light."

If the NFL does ultimately decide to appeal, Brandt said he expects Watson's suspension to significantly lengthen.

"It's going to be fascinating to see if they do [appeal] or not," he said.