Legal

Daniel Penny was facing a long prison sentence last week ... but, now he's living the good life -- meeting two of the most powerful men in government on Saturday.

The Marine veteran met President-Elect Donald Trump and his future Vice President J.D. Vance ... posing for pictures with them at the Army-Navy football game in Maryland.

In the photo -- posted by one of Trump's staff members -- the three share big grins ... with Penny taking center stage in the photo between the two politicians.

Donald Trump and ABC News have settled their defamation case ... with the media company agreeing to pay millions.

According to multiple reports -- including an article posted to ABC News' own website -- the two sides have agreed to settle the lawsuit for $15 million.

The money is reportedly going to the "Presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for [Trump], as Presidents of the United States of America have established in the past" rather than directly to the 47th POTUS.

Luigi Mangione could be "the one" for a whole lotta people, it seems ... 'cause his photos drove a concert crowd into a frenzy -- all while a popular Miley Cyrus song played.

Here's the deal ... Bop to the Top Tour's Jingle Bop -- a concert series where DJs play popular Disney Channel hits -- stopped in Boston Friday night, and one disc jockey decided to combine current events with a classic track.

Watch the clip ... Cyrus' song "He Could Be The One" -- recorded during her "Hannah Montana" days -- blares over the speakers while pictures of Mangione start to populate the screen.

Liam Payne's close friend, now in the crosshairs of Argentinian authorities -- insists when he left the singer at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel an hour before his death, he seemed fine ... But authorities and eyewitnesses say that's anything but true.

Roger Nores appears in our new documentary, "TMZ Investigates: Liam Payne: Who's to Blame?" -- which airs Monday night at 8 PM ET on FOX -- says he was with Liam on and off the day he fell from the hotel balcony to his death.

Nores says, he checked on Liam three times during the day, and when he left an hour before the fatal fall Liam seemed happy and fine, although a little tipsy.

James Kennedy's alleged altercation with a woman, leading to his domestic violence arrest, might be much more physical than originally thought ... TMZ has learned.

According to a Burbank Police Daily Arrest Log, an officer made contact with the "Vanderpump Rules" star and the woman inside a residence Tuesday night.

In the log entry for Kennedy's case, it says the woman stated her boyfriend picked her up and threw her to the ground. As we reported, Kennedy was arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery upon spouse/co-habitant.

Luigi Mangione’s mother spoke to feds just hours before he was arrested in Pennsylvania ... telling the FBI the suspect bore somewhat of a resemblance to her son.

The New York Post reported ... members of the Joint Violent Crimes Task Force questioned Kathleen Mangione late Sunday after the family reported Luigi missing last month, prior to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

It was police in San Francisco -- where Luigi was reported missing -- who tipped off the feds that the suspected shooter and the missing 26-year-old could be one and the same.

A husband and wife powerhouse attorney couple are now involved in the two biggest crime cases in the nation ... that of Diddy and Luigi Mangione.

Karen Friedman Agnifilo has been retained by Mangione to represent him as he faces murder charges for the slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, TMZ has confirmed.

The top New York attorney has been in the private sector since 2021 ... after working as the chief assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office under Cyrus Vance Jr. for several years.

Jay-Z and Diddy's rape accuser is speaking out for the first time about the allegations -- but "some mistakes" in her story are prompting Jay-Z to ask a judge to toss the whole case ... TMZ has learned.

The woman, who filed as a Jane Doe and says she was 13 at the time of the alleged rape, spoke to NBC News Friday, going over what she claims happened at the 2000 MTV VMAs after-party -- including a limo ride to Diddy's house, and a drink that made her woozy before the alleged sexual assault.

While she said the "catastrophic event" ruined her life, she also copped to multiple inconsistencies in her allegations. For instance, she spoke to Benji Madden at the after-party, but Benji says he wasn't even in NYC at the time. She also claimed her father picked her up from the party, but he doesn't remember that.

T.I. is suing Sabrina Peterson for defamation over 3 years after she sued the rapper and made damning allegations about him ... including a claim he once held a gun to her head.

In new court documents obtained by TMZ ... T.I. claims he and his family ended their friendship with Sabrina, saying she wasn't a "positive" influence to be around.

The rapper alleges Sabrina felt spurned by this decision and, in turn, became obsessed with him and his family ... prompting SP to harass and threaten them by posting "false" and "baseless" accusations about them on social media.

Admiration for the man suspected of murdering the UnitedHealthcare CEO is not just perverse ... it's dangerous, Michael Moynihan tells TMZ.

The renowned journalist told "TMZ Live" ... the level of joy and satisfaction a portion of the country felt when Brian Thompson was killed last week is deeply disturbing ... but not nearly as grotesque as people fawning over Luigi Mangione.

MM contends our society is clearly in a "sick place" ... and most of the people who see Mangione as a folk hero are too young -- and uninformed -- to really consider the twisted logic of the heinous crime.

12:42 PM PT -- Nigel Lythgoe tells TMZ ... “We live in a troubling time where a person is now automatically assumed to be guilty until proven innocent, a process that can take years. That is why, like Paula, I am glad to be able to put this behind me. I know the truth and that gives me great comfort.”

Paula Abdul says her sexual assault case against Nigel Lythgoe has ended, and "successfully" so -- the 2 former "American Idol" coworkers have reached a settlement.

According to court docs, they settled the case earlier this week and filed notice with L.A. County Superior Court. Their next step will be filing to dismiss the matter ... which had been scheduled to go to trial next year.

James Kennedy and Ally Lewber are putting up a united front ... we've learned the Bravo couple has no plans to split following the "Vanderpump Rules" star's domestic violence arrest.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the DJ and his astrologer girlfriend are sticking together in the wake of the controversy, with Ally choosing to stand by James in this situation.

We're told Ally and James did have an argument Tuesday evening, after they returned home from Kathy Hilton's holiday party. Sources say a neighbor caught wind of the spat, "overreacted" and called 911.

Luigi Mangione's family appears to be distancing themselves from the Brian Thompson murder investigation ... in which the Ivy League graduate is the main suspect.

Attorney David B. Irwin, who has been advising the Mangione family following Luigi's arrest, tells TMZ ... the suspected shooter's loved ones are in the dark about the case -- saying they don't "know all the facts."

In fact, the attorney tells us the family only knows what they "read in the papers" ... making it clear they aren't involved in Luigi's legal woes.

3:00 PM PT -- Megan Thee Stallion's attorney Mari Henderson tells TMZ ... "It’s no coincidence that Unite The People represents both Tory Lanez and Milagro Cooper, so the law firm’s statement simply reaffirms the fact they’re working together to bully, harass and victimize Ms. [Megan] Pete. ... Instead of denying that Milagro has been paid, they collectively questioned how Ms. Pete could uncover their conspiracy.

"The reality is that Milagro’s own attorneys confirmed that Tory’s prison calls are public record and even acknowledged they wouldn’t raise any objections regarding them, so it is surprising they turned around and issued a public statement attacking our exposing these calls.

"We are confident that the truth will be exposed and look forward to pursuing this case in court – not in the media like Tory has done time and time again."

Tory Lanez, his father Sonstar Peterson, and blogger Milagro Gramz are firing back at claims from Megan Thee Stallion's lawyers that they're conspiring to spread misinformation and harass the Roc Nation rapper in a complaint filed this week.

The allegations largely stem from jailhouse phone calls between Tory, Sonstar and Milagro (real name Milagro Cooper) ... but Ceasar McDowell, CEO of Unite the People, says his client is a victim of a calculated legal takedown.

Ceasar tells TMZ Hip Hop, "We are deeply concerned by the continued efforts to spin partial stories in an attempt to distort the truth and mislead the public."

The Fresh Prince is telling fans he's got no Diddy dirty laundry ... 'cause Will Smith says he's never been tight with the disgraced rap mogul.

The actor/rapper took the stage at The Observatory North Park in San Diego Thursday ... when during a break in the show, Smith addressed the sold-out crowd about all the memes trolls have made of him and Diddy.

Watch the clip ... Smith says it's hard to tell what's true or not in today's age -- and the memes online are clearly causing a ton of confusion.

Chris Zylka was involved in a violent encounter with Ohio police in a bizarre incident partially caught on body cam last week.

Police responded to a report of a man with a gun trying to get into a car last week with a driver inside in a residential neighborhood of Warren, about an hour east of Cleveland. The assailant was wearing pajama pants, but no shirt or shoes -- in 32-degree weather, according to police.

The suspect, later identified as Zylka -- Paris Hilton's ex-fiancé -- was found jumping around in traffic in the middle of an intersection. Zylka had allegedly tried to get into a woman's car and had been trying to break the window, police said.