Legal

Karen Read is off the hook for the death of her cop boyfriend, John O'Keefe ... but she's not done fighting the system that put her through hell.

She sat down with the "Today" Friday to explain why she's suing the police departments working the case, saying it was always her plan to file a lawsuit after first defending herself in court.

Karen explains ... "I have to continue fighting for justice. The acquittal is deserved, but the wrongs have not been completely righted."

"Top Gun: Maverick" star James Handy was savagely murdered in Los Angeles ... and now there's video purportedly showing the assailant -- who police say is his girlfriend's son -- strolling away from the crime scene.

Check out the clip ... the suspect -- believed to be 44-year-old Michael Gledhill -- appears to be captured on Ring camera walking along a sidewalk in front of a neighbor's home as he leaves the scene before coming back to the house where James was stabbed to death Wednesday morning ... according to video obtained by FOX 11.

After the murder, Gledhill allegedly called 911 and told dispatchers, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”

The orange figure seen near Jeffrey Epstein's cell the night he died in a federal lockup in 2019 will remain a mystery, at least for now, after a former correction officer testified that the strange shape was not her in surveillance footage.

Last month, Tova Noel testified in front of the House Oversight Committee that she was NOT the mysterious figure climbing a flight of stairs to Epstein's tier inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center in NYC on August 9, 2019, the night before Epstein died.

Epstein's body was found inside his cell in the Special Housing Unit, and the NYC Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide. But conspiracy theories persist to this day that the pedophile financier -- who was awaiting trial for child sex trafficking -- was murdered. 

An ex-girlfriend of one of the male escorts suing Cassie over Diddy freak-offs is helping the singer fight the guy in court ... TMZ has learned.

A source connected to the situation tells TMZ ... Cassie was contacted by Clayton Howard's ex, Francyna Evins, who offered up some information on her ex. Clayton is suing Diddy and Cassie in federal court.

In his lawsuit, Clayton claims Diddy and Cassie hired him to have sex with Cassie during the infamous freak-offs. He claims he contracted an STD from Cassie and even got her pregnant at one point … which he claims led to her having an abortion.

"Bad Boys" star Theresa Randle is facing new legal issues after her ex filed a restraining order claiming she broke into his home and desperately needs help ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ obtained the petition filed by Theresa’s ex, Dario Pallini, who claims the the 61-year-old actress -- who also appeared in "Malcolm X" -- has been harassing him since their 2024 split.

Pallini, who says he dated Theresa for two years, claims she broke into his home on June 1, when he came home to find her "sitting in my closet with my dog" and "smoking crack." He says she was "surprised I was there and said that she thought I was in jail."

An Arkansas dad accused of killing a man charged with sexually abusing his teenage daughter has scored a massive courtroom victory ... because he's off the hook in his murder case.

A judge on Thursday tossed the second-degree murder charge against Aaron Spencer, the Arkansas father who became a national headline after launching a campaign for county sheriff while awaiting trial.

The ruling stems from a lengthy fight over missing evidence. Spencer's attorneys argued investigators lost key materials during the case ... and the judge ultimately decided misconduct by law enforcement "was so egregious that dismissal of this case is warranted."

3:30 PM PT -- Adam22 confirms that there is no bad blood between him and his wife Lena the Plug, who he calls his "C----."

Lena the Plug says reports she's divorcing Adam22 are completely bogus ... claiming a mystery man has been trying to end her marriage for months by allegedly filing court paperwork in her name.

The influencer jumped on X Thursday to address what she called the "chaos" surrounding TMZ's report on her divorce filing -- and if you watch the full video, she insists the divorce filing wasn't her doing.

According to Lena, the drama started when she checked her mailbox and found rejected divorce paperwork that had allegedly been submitted using her name, address, and a forged signature. She says the filing included a $435 check from a man whose name immediately rang a bell.

Karmelo Anthony fought Austin Metcalf for four minutes under a tent at a Texas high school track meet before fatally stabbing him ... at least that's what prosecutors say the surveillance video shows.

Jurors were shown footage that appears to show one person shoving another person under the tent at the 2025 track meet where Austin was stabbed.

Prosecutors say it's Karmelo and Austin in the video ... even though you can't see their faces. They say this goes on for four minutes before a person -- who they claim is Karmelo -- is seen running from the tent, toward the exit.

Karen Read is suing the Massachusetts State Police and the Canton Police Department after being acquitted of her late cop boyfriend John O'Keefe's murder … claiming they hire and train "biased and corrupt" officers who she says are "virulent bigots."

According to Karen's lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, she claims MSP and CPD have created an "insidious culture of bigotry and misogyny" that "has likely resulted in other unconstitutional criminal investigations."

Karen specifically names former MSP Detective Michael Proctor -- the lead investigator in O’Keefe’s death -- and former CPD Sergeant Sean Goode ... claiming they had "entrenched and unrepentant hatred for women, Black Americans, Asian Americans, Jews, Hispanics, Arabs, and gay people."

The complaint claims Proctor once said … "Actually, take your time, I saw a n***** was involved, so I wouldn't rush if you're working. Let them die."

Gambino family crime boss John Gotti's grandson is back in legal hot water ... after allegedly choking his girlfriend just weeks before he's due to begin a prison sentence.

Carmine Agnello -- grandson of the infamous "Teflon Don" -- was arrested Wednesday after an alleged domestic dispute at his East Norwich, NY home ... according to multiple reports.

Law enforcement says Carmine allegedly got violent with his 29-year-old girlfriend after claiming she was cheating on him. Investigators allege he shoved the woman, followed her outside when she tried to leave, then slapped and punched her in the face before putting both hands around her neck.

Police also claim Carmine kicked the woman several times and smashed her cellphone, causing roughly $2,000 in damage.

'Real Housewives of Atlanta' alum Kim Zolciak is using an alleged text from estranged husband Kroy Biermann's female friend as evidence in their bitter divorce ... TMZ has learned.

The alleged text was sent from Kroy's ex, named "Bri" to Kim's new boyfriend, Kyle Mowitz ... but the message appears to be meant for Kim.

The text reads, "Just tell Kim that she needs to watch her back when it comes to Maria [redacted]. She had sex with Kroy and tells him everything. She basically sends [redacted] to Kim's house to be a spy. She even told him that [redacted] spent 10K on your credit card and sent it to her house."

'Real Housewives of Atlanta' alum Kim Zolciak claims her estranged husband, Kroy Biermann, is physically abusing their kids and having sex so loud they can hear him ... TMZ has learned.

In bombshell court docs, filed by Kim and obtained by TMZ, she claims Kroy threw one of their sons over the couch during a heated argument at his home.

The 'RHOA' alum also claims Kroy's been having sex with multiple women in recent months, including with one woman who stayed at his home and vacationed with the kids. Kim claims the kids "have reported on multiple occasions not seeing [Kroy] for hours on end, but hearing him engage in sexual acts with his girlfriend of the moment."

Kim said the court-appointed guardian dismissed the incident, claiming the kid was sizeable for his age. The 'RHOA' star insists the kid is still a kid, regardless of their size.

Prosecutors say surveillance video will show Karmelo Anthony wasn't trying to avoid trouble at a Texas high school track meet that turned deadly ... he was looking for it.

That's the message jurors heard Thursday as opening statements got underway in Anthony's murder trial over the fatal stabbing of fellow teen Austin Metcalf.

Collin County prosecutor Bill Wirskye told the jury the case boils down to what they will see on surveillance footage from the scene, saying the "video tells the story." According to prosecutors, witnesses heard Anthony tell Metcalf, "Touch me, see what happens," after a dispute erupted inside a team tent.

Gene Simmons and his wife, Shannon, are being sued over a car accident ... but she says the lawsuit against them is just a money grab.

The KISS frontman and his better half are being sued by Evan Brenner, who claims he suffered severe injuries in July 2024 when their vehicles collided on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

According to the suit, obtained by TMZ, Brenner, who says he was behind the wheel of a Tesla, claims he suffered severe injuries to his body and shock to his nervous system, resulting in great discomfort and pain.

Jermaine Jackson is speaking out now that he's been ordered to cough up millions to his rape accuser ... claiming the judgment is void due to a slew of errors.

According to new court docs, obtained by TMZ, Michael Jackson's older brother says the default judgment in favor of plaintiff Rita Butler Barrett needs to be thrown out because she sued him under his obsolete former name and never effectively served him the lawsuit.

He argues he was sued as "Jermaine Jackson" ... but says he changed his name legally in the state of California to "Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun" all the way back in 2013 -- so she should have figured that out and sued him under his correct name.

A Minnesota woman charged with killing another driver in a head-on collision is blaming a dog that was in the car with her ... at least according to prosecutors.

Shauna Rae Dokken is facing a vehicular homicide charge after prosecutors say she was driving under the influence and swerving in her pickup truck when she crossed into oncoming traffic and smashed into an SUV, killing 82-year-old Barbara Welberg ... according to a criminal complaint obtained by The Minnesota Star Tribune.

Dokken reportedly told law enforcement her dog took control of the steering wheel while she was trying to reach for a treat ... and when she tried grabbing the wheel, she struck the shoulder of the highway and spun out ... leading to the head-on crash.