Legal

Jeffrey Epstein may have had a collection of highly poisonous plants known to produce a drug that blocks free will in its victims ... according to newly discovered emails in the last document dump of the Epstein Files.

In one of the uncovered messages, Epstein sends an email asking about his "trumpet plants at nursery."

For background ... Angel's Trumpet plants are extremely toxic and produce a drug called scopolamine, which is known to basically turn humans into zombies, wiping them of memory and eliminating their free will. Severe intoxication reportedly may even cause paralysis and death.

Even more alarming, scopolamine reportedly doesn't show up on toxicology reports.

Jada Pinkett Smith is firing back in court at the man who claims she threatened him over Will Smith ... TMZ has learned.

Jada filed court docs demanding the lawsuit -- which is asking for $3 million in damages -- brought by Bilaal Salaam be thrown out. The actress asserts that Bilaal’s case is nonsense.

The "Girls Trip" star said all of Bilaal’s claims were “false, uncorroborated and made to generate attention as part of an ongoing public campaign of harassment directed at” her and her family.

Jada said Bilaal’s lawsuit seeks to punish her for her “constitutionally protected speech on a matter of intense public interest about her family.”

Melissa Gilbert is stepping back into work mode, announcing she's returning to work at her lifestyle brand Modern Prairie ... after taking time away following her husband Timothy Busfield's arrest and indictment on child sex abuse charges.

In a video posted to Facebook Monday, Melissa said she initially stepped back to focus on her family and be present and focus on what is most important ... explaining she leaned into loved ones during what she called a deeply difficult time.

Gilbert said the extraordinary community at Modern Prairie -- the lifestyle brand she co-founded in 2022, aimed at empowering women over 50 -- wrapped her in love. She thanked the women who showed up for her and one another, calling it "their company," built on women supporting women "not just when it's easy, but especially when it's hard."

The inmate who beat the hell out of wife-killer Scott Peterson during a prison pickleball match has sidestepped criminal charges, TMZ has learned.

In March 2025, TMZ broke the story ... Peterson and fellow inmate Charles Miles got into a fight while playing pickleball at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California -- and it ended with Peterson getting his ass whooped.

Now, after an investigation, it looks like Miles is off the hook -- criminally speaking. Amador County District Attorney Scott Riebe tells TMZ ... "Mule Creek (State Prison) will not be referring the case to our office for prosecution."

As for why the case won't be referred ... Riebe declined to comment, pointing us to prison officials for the answer. We've reached out to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ... so far no word back.

Jessica Alba and Cash Warren can officially close the book on their marriage ... because their divorce is now a done deal.

TMZ has obtained the docs confirming the former couple’s split has been finalized, bringing their nearly two-decade-long relationship to a legal end.

The two will share joint custody of all three kids -- who are 17, 14, and 7 -- neither will pay spousal support. A $3 million payment will go to Cash to even out the division of their assets.

We are told Jessica is paying that in 2 non-taxable installments ... $1.5M now, and $1.5M a year from now.

And … Jessica's legal last name is officially restored to Alba.

Johnny Depp is happy to be working on a Hollywood movie set again, and Amber Heard looks happy to be living the lowkey mom life over in Europe.

Check out these photos of Amber on a walk with her kiddos over in Madrid ... she's all smiles on a Friday outing in the Spanish capital.

Amber looks content pushing a stroller ... far from the glitz, glamour, and drama of Hollywood.

Don Lemon thinks there may have been some shady dealings with the grand jury proceedings that led to his indictment ... and he's comparing his federal prosecution to something you might see in Russia, China, or Iran.

The former CNN anchor wants his legal team to get their paws on the transcripts from the grand jury proceedings in his case to see if the government misled jurors into charging him with federal crimes ... according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ.

Don seems to think there's a good chance the government may have misrepresented key issues to the grand jury to secure an indictment ... seeing as a magistrate and judge considered the evidence against him and declined charges before the grand jury finally indicted him.

Brianna Aguilera, the 19-year-old Texas A&M student who was found dead after the school's football game against the University of Texas, died by suicide according to the Travis County Medical Examiner ... but the family still doesn't believe it.

TMZ obtained the medical examiner's report and it says "the manner of death is best classified as suicide."

In the report, the ME says toxicology testing revealed Brianna had alcohol and Delta-8-THC in her system.

The ME's report references an investigation from the Austin Police Department that found Brianna was last seen alive on the balcony of an apartment building ... 17 stories up and 169 feet above where her body was found unresponsive on the ground.

What's more, the ME says there was no indication another person was involved in Brianna's death ... at least based on the police investigation.

Kandi Burruss’ estranged husband, Todd Tucker, is firing back at her claim he’s living rent-free in her guest home ... saying she's the one who kicked him out of the main house without notice, TMZ has learned.

Todd filed court docs responding to Kandi’s claim he was essentially squatting in the guest home at her Atlanta property.

In his filing, Todd admitted he was living in the guest house ... but he said it was because Kandi "unilaterally removed" him from the main home by directing her family members to relocate his stuff without his consent, and without court intervention.

Todd said he did not voluntarily leave the home ... but did not fight Kandi about it, in order to “preserve peace and stability.”

Don Lemon is not going down without a fight ... because he's fighting the federal criminal charges against him in Minnesota.

The former CNN anchor just pleaded not guilty to the charges against him ... one count of conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship and one count of injuring, intimidating, and interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship.

Outside the courthouse, Don first thanked his friends and supporters ... then got defiant against the Trump Admin, speaking up for journalism and the First Amendment, and he promised to keep fighting for himself and the people of Minnesota dealing with the ongoing federal immigration surge in the state.

Don Lemon has just arrived at a federal courthouse for his arraignment.

The former CNN anchor showed up at the St. Paul, Minnesota court Friday ready to enter his  plea, which is expected to be not guilty.

Don flashed a smile and gave a wave to onlookers ... but, he kept his thoughts to himself despite the media throwing a few questions his way.

Stefon Diggs appeared in court on Friday for his arraignment over the alleged assault of his personal chef, with the NFL star pleading not guilty just days after the Patriots wideout played in Super Bowl LX.

Diggs, 32, along with his lawyers, was in front of the judge in the Dedham District Court for about a minute ... with Stefon pleading "not guilty" to the charge he assaulted his chef in December 2025.

After the hearing, Mitchell Schuster, part of Diggs' legal team, told reporters the allegations are false.

Stefon Diggs is switching teams the day before his arraignment on charges stemming from an alleged assault on his personal chef -- the NFL star has hired a new attorney to help him with his legal battle.

According to court records viewed by TMZ Sports, the 32-year-old has retained Sara Silva of Silva Kettlewell and Pignatelli LLP, moving on from Michael DiStefano. We've reached out to Silva for comment, but have not yet heard back.

Silva has more than 20 years of trial experience and was named the 2020 Lawyer of the Year in Massachusetts by Boston University School of Law.

Kandi Burruss says her estranged husband, Todd Tucker, is living rent-free in her guest house amid their bitter divorce and not paying a dime in rent ... TMZ has learned.

According to new court docs, obtained by TMZ, the 'RHOA' alum slammed Todd for not contributing financially to the home and the care of their kids ... as they continue to fight over custody and support.

Kandi says since they separated, Todd's been living in her guest house in Atlanta ... which she says is her own property purchased before the marriage. In the docs, she says Todd hasn't paid a “single expense for the maintenance and upkeep of the home, to include - utilities, gas, lawn care, water, pest control or even fees associated with the alarm system.”

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni will be taking their legal beef all the way to trial ... at least that's what Baldoni's lawyer is predicting.

Photogs got Bryan Freedman outside a federal courthouse in lower Manhattan following Wednesday's settlement conference, and he was asked if this case would make it to trial.

Bryan says that's where this seems to be headed ... and he's looking forward to duking it out with Blake's legal team.

1:25 PM PT -- We got Blake Lively and her legal team walking out of the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan this afternoon ... they all stayed mum. We also got Justin Baldoni leaving the courthouse with a big fat grin.

We've learned no settlement has been reached.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni just walked into a New York City court house -- separately -- to face off in their ongoing legal battle.

Today's settlement conference was court-ordered in an effort to get the actors to hash out their differences. It's essentially a Hail Mary attempt to find a resolution before their May 18 trial date.

As you know ... Blake filed a complaint against her "It Ends With Us" costar in December 2024, alleging he sexually harassed her while working on the film.

Since then, the clash has snowballed into one of the messiest Hollywood legal battles in recent memory, with discovery from the case pulling big-name stars like Taylor Swift and powerhouse production companies like Sony Pictures into the fray.