Legal

Howard Weitzman, an influential and wildly successful attorney who represented some of the biggest names in Hollywood has died.

He died this week in Pacific Palisades, CA after battling cancer ... according to his family.

Howard spent over 50 years repping celebs, including O.J. Simpson, John DeLorean, Michael Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Magic Johnson, Marlon Brando, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sugar Ray Leonard, Justin Bieber, Ozzy Osbourne, Diddy, Ivan Reitman, Ron Meyer and countless others.

He represented Michael Jackson's Estate from the get-go, and also repped the singer in the civil lawsuit brought by Jordan Chandler.

Howard famously repped O.J. Simpson in the murder case, but only for a day. The video above was shot when Weitzman and Simpson left LAPD headquarters after O.J. was interviewed the day after the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Howard quit the case the next day ... the story goes his wife, Margaret, urged him to withdraw.

When he helped free DeLorean from a cocaine charge in 1984, Howard popularized those press conferences you see on the courtroom steps.

Howard was born and raised in Los Angeles, playing baseball as a kid and studying at Los Angeles City College and USC Law School before founding the law firm Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump LLP, where he was the lead trial attorney in over 300 criminal and civil jury trials.

He also served as vice president of corporate operations for Universal Studios from 1995-98 and lectured at USC Law School, Harvard, Georgetown Law Center, UCLA and other law schools.

Howard often made the rounds as a guest on national TV, going on "CBS This Morning," "Good Morning America" and "Dateline."

He's survived by his wife, Margaret, and their children, Jed and Armen.

Howard was 81.

Deshaun Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, is going on the attack again on behalf of his client ... saying the NFL star never forced anyone to engage in an act against their will.

"Deshaun did not force, coerce or intimidate anyone to do anything against their will," Hardin said Thursday in a new statement.

Hardin once again went after attorney Tony Buzbee -- who's representing all 22 women who have filed lawsuits against Watson.

All of the women filed their suits using the pseudonym "Jane Doe," and only two of the women have come out and since identified themselves publicly. Hardin says that's not good enough.

"Mr. Buzbee’s use of anonymous lawsuits violates Texas law and the basic concept of fairness," Hardin said.

"It is clear that, for Mr. Buzbee, this case has never been about seeking justice in a courtroom, but destroying Deshaun’s reputation to enhance his own public profile and enrich himself."

Hardin continued, "While I understand that anonymity often is used as a shield for victims, Mr. Buzbee is using it as a sword. While shielding his clients from public scrutiny, Mr. Buzbee continues to use their anonymous allegations to destroy Mr. Watson."

"This is simply not right. And we look forward to resolving these matters in court."

Watson and his camp have repeatedly denied the allegations in the lawsuits -- insisting the women are lying in an attempt to force a payout.

Paris Hilton is linking up with none other than Danielle Bregoli -- AKA Bhad Bhabie -- over an issue that's near and dear to both lately ... alleged abuse at troubled teen camps.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ, Paris has been in contact with Danielle recently about the prospect of teaming up and working together to spread awareness about Breaking Code Silence -- an organization advocating for survivors from these types of facilities.

We're told Paris DM'd Danielle shortly after DB released her own testimonial about what she claims she experienced at Utah's Turn-About Ranch -- a youth facility she went to after her time on Dr. Phil's show way back in 2016 ... which she described as a nightmare.

ICYMI ... Danielle claimed she was subjected to cruel treatment and what she describes as child abuse via alleged sleep deprivation, malnutrition, unsanitary conditions and more. Danielle went on to allege other teens went through similar issues at Turn-About, including a girl who filed a lawsuit claiming she'd been sexually assaulted by the staff.

Of course, Paris has been beating the same drum -- having partaken in a documentary alleging abuse at Utah's Provo Canyon boarding school, and recently testifying in support of a Utah state bill to ban mistreatment at youth facilities.

That bill was signed into law, and Paris was there for that as well. So, with that in mind ... it makes sense she'd want to get on board with Danielle's campaign too.

As for exactly how they're going to work together, we're told that's still being discussed. However, Paris is making it clear she fully backs Danielle, telling TMZ ... "I support all survivors who share their personal experiences within the Troubled Teen Industry and I am proud of Danielle for using her voice and her platform. It is wonderful to see more public voices take on this Industry."

Paris also supports Danielle's efforts to get Dr. Phil not to place kids at Turn-About Ranch. She says, "People look up to Dr. Phil and I want to make sure the show is accurately portraying these residential facilities to desperate families and not continuing to spread the false narrative that these places heal kids."

Phil addressed Danielle's claims a few weeks ago when he was on Ashleigh Banfield's show. He said if Danielle has an issue with her treatment at Turn-About, she should file a complaint with law enforcement. Danielle released a video Wednesday responding to Phil's interview.

O.J. Simpson can put his beef with The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in the rearview ... because we've learned he's settled his defamation lawsuit with the hotel.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, The Juice and the Cosmo agreed to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice, and the judge signed off. Usually, that points to some type of settlement, though neither side is talking details.

O.J.'s lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, tells TMZ ... "The Simpson/Cosmopolitan matter has been resolved."

As we reported ... Simpson sued the Cosmopolitan over a Nov. 8, 2017 incident in which he was kicked off the property following an alleged drunken episode at a hotel bar.

Following the incident, hotel staff told TMZ ... O.J. was wasted and became disruptive, getting angry with hotel employees ... resulting in broken glasses at the bar.

O.J. denied the allegations, saying the story humiliated and embarrassed him ... and in 2019 he filed his defamation suit against the Cosmo.

Most recently, the Cosmo said O.J.'s reputation as a violent convicted criminal is already so tarnished, there's no way his rep could take a hit from allegations of drunken shenanigans.

But, now it appears the two sides worked something out to make the case go away.

Dr. Dre is denying his estranged wife's abuse claims -- claiming she's making it all up as part of her strategy to try to get out of the prenup he insists is still in place.

The mogul just filed new legal docs in his nasty divorce case with Nicole Young, claiming her abuse allegations are false and they're making the split super stressful for him.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Dr. Dre also accuses Nicole of bringing up abuse claims to squeeze money out of him. He says she didn't even raise the allegations until after she filed for divorce and realized the prenup prevented her from staking claim to half his wealth.

According to the docs, Dre claims Nicole's allegations are "appalling" and false. Likewise, he shoots down her claims he abused her before they got married, including the night before their wedding

As for her claiming he "forced" her to sign the prenup -- Dre calls BS on that too.

Kendall Jenner's taking no chances when it comes to her security ... just take a look at the hired muscle she's got following her around town now.

Kendall was seen out Wednesday in L.A. with a massive bodyguard ... and understandably so after some very scary incidents at her crib. It's clear she's taking no chances away from home either -- we're told the bodyguard scoped out the area before Kendall even exited her car.

This shot should give you some perspective on Kendall's incredible hulk. This guy could probably tow her Porsche with a rope.

As we first reported, the LAPD arrested 27-year-old Shaquan King after he recently made it onto her property, banged on her windows and took off his clothes before trying to go for a naked swim in her pool. Her security detained him until cops arrested him for trespassing.

And, then there's the guy who threatened to kill her right around the same time. Both incidents drove Kendall to leave her house ... she's now staying in an undisclosed location.

Ex-NFL wide receiver Travis Rudolph has been arrested for murder -- after officials say the 25-year-old opened fire on a group of people in Florida, fatally striking one man.

TMZ Sports has confirmed ... cops responded to a shooting in West Palm Beach shortly after midnight on Wednesday -- and once they arrived, officers found a deceased male victim who had been shot.

Cops say another man had also been struck by gunfire and was rushed to a nearby hospital before their arrival -- though his current condition is unknown.

Law enforcement tells TMZ Sports ... investigators believe the gunman opened fire on 4 people in total -- all of whom were passengers in a vehicle together at the time of the shooting.

After a preliminary investigation, officials believe they have evidence proving Rudolph is the man who pulled the trigger.

The former Florida State star was arrested Wednesday morning -- hours after the shooting -- and transported to county jail. Cops tell us Rudolph was booked on 1st degree murder and attempted 1st degree murder charges.

Jail records show he is currently being held without bond.

Rudolph was a big-time receiver at FSU from 2014 to 2016 ... and led  the team in receptions, TDs and receiving yards in 2015, his sophomore season.

Rudolph went viral during a 2016 visit to a Tallahassee middle school ... when he ate lunch with autistic student Bo Paske, who had been sitting alone.

The West Palm Beach native didn't get selected in the 2017 NFL Draft ... but later signed with the New York Giants. He played for the G-Men from  2017 to 2018.

Rudolph made the jump to the Canadian football League where he played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Nike -- one of the largest sports apparel companies in the world -- has "suspended" its relationship with Deshaun Watson amid the investigation into sexual misconduct.

"We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and have suspended Deshaun Watson," Nike said in a statement released Wednesday morning.

"We will continue to closely monitor the situation."

Watson has been with Nike since 2017 -- the year he entered the NFL Draft.

The bombshell news comes one day after the QB's first accuser came forward at a news conference and revealed her identity.

Ashley Solis says she was the first woman to file a lawsuit against the Houston Texans superstar, accusing him of sexual misconduct during what was supposed to be a routine massage therapy treatment.

"I'm a survivor of assault and harassment. Deshaun Watson is my assaulter and my harasser," she said Tuesday while sitting next to her attorney Tony Buzbee.

"I hope [Watson] knows how much pain he's inflicted on me physically and emotionally," Solis says.

20 other women have also filed lawsuits against Watson alleging he engaged in similar behavior while getting a massage.

Watson has denied the allegations -- claiming the women are lying in an effort to shake him down for money.

The Houston PD announced this week it has launched a criminal investigation into the allegations -- but so far, Watson has not been charged with a crime.

Deshaun Watson's attorney claims accuser Ashley Solis -- who identified herself as "Jane Doe #1" on Tuesday -- demanded $100,000 in "hush money" before filing her lawsuit.

... and Watson's attorney claims he has the emails to prove it.

Solis was the first accuser to file a sexual misconduct lawsuit against the Houston Texans star back on March 16. She used a pseudonym to protect her identity.

She came forward in a news conference alongside her attorney Tony Buzbee on Tuesday and spelled out her case against Watson -- at one point explaining, "People say that I'm doing this just for money. That is false. I come forward now so that Deshaun Watson does not assault another woman."

But, Watson's attorney Rusty Hardin says this is absolutely about money -- claiming Buzbee approached one of Watson's reps back in February in an effort to "quietly settle the allegations the month before he filed the first lawsuit."

Hardin says he has emails sent by Buzbee associate Cornelia Brandfield-Harvey to one of Watson's representatives on Feb. 9 spelling out the demand.

"My client’s demand is $100,000" ... and ... "This offer remains open until Friday of this week."

Hardin claims Deshaun's representative pushed back against the demand in the following email response.

"We don’t believe that the alleged facts show that Deshaun did anything wrong with regards to Ms. Solis, but we are nevertheless happy to continue the conversation around a reasonable settlement figure because we believe he can learn a lesson about having put himself in this situation."

Buzbee's response to that ...

"We made a legit demand. You rejected it. We won’t be making another or bid against ourselves. We also won’t be having an extended dialogue about why you think your client did nothing wrong or how you want this to be a 'learning' experience for your 'high profile athlete,' as you refer to him. This is Houston, Texas. Perhaps you should find him a lawyer here so you can apprise both you and your client of the landscape here and who you are dealing with. Talk soon."

The lawsuit was ultimately filed on March 16 -- and 21 women have filed similar lawsuits against Watson since then.

The building workers who stood idly by in the lobby as an Asian woman was brutally attacked on the sidewalk are out of a job ... they've been fired.

The Brodsky Organization, which manages the building in question in New York City, tells us the doormen were canned for not following emergency and safety protocols ... in other words, doing nothing while the beatdown was carried out in front of them.

As we reported ... surveillance video captured the violence in Midtown Manhattan, where a 65-year-old woman who was on her way to church last month was viciously beaten by a complete stranger, who cops say is 38-year-old Brandon Elliot.

The beatdown was appalling, and so was this ... video shows the doormen taking in the action from a few feet away without lifting a finger, other than to close the door when the attacker bolts.

The man who rammed into Capitol police and attempted to slice them with a knife, bought that weapon just hours before the fatal incident ... suggesting he premeditated the whole attack.

TMZ has obtained shots of Noah Green in a D.C. kitchen appliance store 90 minutes before authorities say he drove his car into a barricade at the Capitol last week and proceeded to get shot and killed after getting out to attack officers with a knife.

Green was in District Cutlery -- about a 10-minute drive from the Capitol -- and he purchased the blade you see here. We're told it's a Kurosaki Shizuku Sujihiki 270mm SG2 knife, and it retails for about $300.

You can see the knife he purchased at the store looks identical to the one police recovered at the scene after Green was gunned down, and a Capitol Police officer was killed.

Eyewitnesses say Green was calm and collected during his purchase, and didn't seem to raise any red flags to bystanders.

A man tragically died during a taco-eating contest in California's central valley -- and now, his son wants the owner of the org that hosted it to pay up.

Marshall Hutchings is suing Fresno Sports and Events -- the company that owns the Fresno Grizzlies minor league baseball team -- for hosting what he calls an inherently dangerous amateur taco eating competition at Chukchansi Park back in 2019 ... during which his father died.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Hutchings claims his dad, Dana, wasn't warned or told about the risks involved in devouring as much grub as possible in a short amount of time ... and, as a result, began choking on "chewed and unchewed" taco remnants.

Hutchings says people attempted to save him with CPR and a defibrillator, before paramedics arrived to rush Dana to the hospital ... where he was pronounced dead.

Hutchings asserts FS&E had no business holding an event like that with novices -- because he says professional food eating is serious business, and requires preparation and training on the participants' part ... insisting Average Joes aren't equipped to compete safely. Long story short, Hutchings claims the event was too dangerous, and the company didn't take proper steps in running it -- which ended up costing a life.

"My name is Ashley Solis. Remember that name."

You're looking at the very first woman who filed a sexual misconduct lawsuit against NFL star Deshaun Watson -- who just revealed her identity at an emotional news conference in Texas.

Solis -- formerly known as Jane Doe #1 -- claims Watson acted inappropriately during a massage therapy session at her home in March 2020.

She had filed the lawsuit under an alias due to the fear of a public backlash -- but says she feels empowered to go public and tell her story herself.

With attorney Tony Buzbee by her side, Solis said Monday, "I'm not afraid anymore. I'm here to take back the power, take back control."

"I'm a survivor of assault and harassment. Deshaun Watson is my assaulter and my harasser," she continued.

"I replay the incident over and over in my head as if I'm trying to wake up for some horrible nightmare -- only that nightmare is real."

Solis says she's still dealing with lingering trauma from the incident -- including the shakes -- which prevents her from properly doing her job.

"I hope [Watson] knows how much pain he's inflicted on me physically and emotionally," Solis says.

She explained her father -- "once a diehard Texans fan -- "can no longer say his name without turning red."

Solis says, "We were all deceived into thinking Deshaun Watson was a good guy."

"I will not let Deshaun Watson define who I am. I will not let him win. He needs to be held accountable for his actions."

During the news conference, Buzbee also revealed the identity of another Watson accuser who had been using an alias -- Lauren Baxley.

Baxley did not attend the news conference in person, but wrote a strong letter to the QB which was read out loud to the media.

"Every boundary, from professional and therapeutic to sexual and degrading, you crossed or attempted to cross," Baxley wrote about her alleged encounter with Watson,

For his part, Watson has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and says he has rejected settlement demands from the early accusers.

Watson also issued a statement from 18 female massage therapists who say he's a respectful client who never put them in an uncomfortable situation.

22 women in total have lawsuits against Watson -- all of them using an alias. Solis is the only person to reveal her identity to the public so far.

Buzbee says Solis and one other accuser have spoken with police -- though he did not specify which agency she contacted.

Kim Kardashian seems to be taking a page from little sister Kylie Jenner's playbook ... 'cause she's tapping into the skincare business.

Kim filed trademark docs to lock up the rights to a skincare line she presumably plans to launch ... and it looks like she's calling it "SKKN BY KIM."

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, KK is looking to slap the name on a wide range of products for skin, hair and nails, plus fragrances and cosmetics ... pretty much anything people buy to make their skin and bodies look and feel good.

It's kinda hard to believe, but Kylie is the only sister with her own dedicated skincare line, Kylie Skin ... at least now.

Bassnectar knowingly had sex with underage girls, paid them money for sex, and kept tight control over their lives in order to keep it all a secret ... so 2 women claim in a shocking new lawsuit.

The popular EDM DJ is being sued for sex trafficking and possessing child pornography by 2 women -- Rachel and Alexis -- who claim he groomed them into having a sexual relationship when they were minors ... starting in 2012.

According to the legal docs ... Bassnectar first contacted the girls via direct message on social media to start a relationship. Both women claim he encouraged them to watch the film "American Beauty" -- described as "a movie about an older man having a relationship with a young girl" -- and even referenced the theme of the film at his shows.

Bassnectar allegedly learned the girls were underage through the DM before he sent them tickets to his shows ... and then the women claim he invited them back to his hotel room for sex ... which he allegedly "mandated be without the use of a condom."

According to the docs ... the DJ paid the girls for sex in amounts ranging from $300 to $1,600, and is accused of maintaining control over their lives while directing them to keep their relationship secret.

Rachel claims she was first contacted by Bassnectar in late 2012 and began having sex with him in May 2013 when she was underage. She says he also solicited her to "take and send sexually explicit photographs of herself while naked."

Alexis claims she was contacted by Bassnectar in 2014 and he had sex with her on numerous occasions between 2014 and 2016, when she was underage.

The women are suing for damages, past and future emotional distress as well as medical expenses.

Former cop turned defendant in a murder case Derek Chauvin violated police department policy with the way he kept his knee pinned on George Floyd's neck ... so says his old boss.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo took the stand in Chauvin's murder trial Monday, answering questions from the prosecution about Chauvin's actions during Floyd's arrest and why they run contrary to police values and training.

The prosecution presented Arradon with the lasting image of Floyd's arrest -- George's face on the pavement with Chauvin's knee pressed on his neck -- and the police chief explains why, in his view, Chauvin violated department policy regarding de-escalation, sanctity of life principles and the use of reasonable force.

Chief Arradondo makes it clear -- the way Chauvin pinned his knee to Floyd's neck isn't something Chauvin learned at the police academy.