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D4vd has just pled not guilty to murder and other charges in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas ... and he is challenging the D.A. to put their cards on the table, or fold.

D4vd went before a judge just hours after being charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances, including lying in wait, committing the crime for financial gain, and murdering a witness to an investigation.

Prosecutors also charged D4vd with lewd and lascivious sexual acts with a person under 14 years old and the mutilation of a human body.

D4vd's lawyers asked the judge for a preliminary hearing within 10 days ... that's something to which a defendant is entitled. There's a clear strategic reason for the move -- given that D4vd was arrested just a few days ago, the defense seems to be banking on the case still being a work in progress.

Tucker Carlson’s son has bounced from J.D. Vance’s office ... but his decision had nothing to do with the fiery feud between President Donald Trump and his dad.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ ... Buckley Carlson is out as deputy press secretary in the VP’s office ... a call he made after an "intense" year in the role. We're told it's common for people to depart the WH after a year ... and this has nothing whatsoever to do with Trump and his pop's bad blood.

Obviously, the timing set off a lot of speculation ... since Trump has been going scorched-earth on Tucker lately -- calling him “low IQ,” “overrated,” and even a “broken man” in recent Truth Social posts -- while Tucker’s been firing back over everything from Iran policy to Trump’s rhetoric, accusing him of crossing serious lines.

Tucker reportedly tried to personally talk Trump out of striking Iran and has since become one of his loudest conservative critics on the issue -- turning their once-friendly relationship into a full-on public slugfest.

3:40 PM PT -- An expected news conference has been called off ... Celeste Rivas' family will not be speaking publicly from the courthouse this afternoon, according to a spokesperson for the D.A. at the scene.

Celeste Rivas' family was expected to speak out publicly after D4vd was charged in her violent death ... a news conference was set up, but the family later declined to appear for cameras.

Celeste's father, mother, and sister attended D4vd's court hearing this afternoon at the Hall of Justice in Downtown Los Angeles ... they had been set for a news conference with their attorney, Patrick Steinfeld. D4vd pled not guilty earlier this afternoon.

The family was set to make a brief statement through their attorney ... but they did not intend to take questions.

It's the end of an Apple era ... the company announced Monday that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO.

TC will still be involved with the tech giant ... moving into a new role as executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors.

SVP of Hardware Engineering John Ternus will be stepping into Tim's shoes as CEO starting in September.

According to Apple, Steve Jobs' successor will still help with "certain aspects" of Apple as executive chairman ... like "engaging with policymakers around the world."

John Gotti's grandson was sentenced to 15 months behind bars … a New York judge ruled Monday.

Carmine Agnello -- grandson of the infamous “Teflon Don” -- will do time for scamming the federal government out of $1.1 mil in Covid relief funds … multiple outlets report.

In 2020, he applied for at least three Covid relief loans for his auto parts business … and used over $400K of it to invest in crypto.

The tragic deaths of former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and his wife, Cerina Fairfax, have officially been ruled a murder-suicide ... and the details are as grim as they come.

The Virginia Department of Health’s Chief Medical Examiner tells TMZ … Cerina died from multiple gunshot wounds, with her manner of death ruled a homicide. Justin, meanwhile, died from a contact gunshot wound to the head, with officials ruling his death a suicide.

The two were found dead last Thursday at their home in Annandale, VA from gunshot wounds ... Cerina's body was found in the basement and Justin's body was found in a bedroom. The couple was reportedly going through a messy divorce.

12:36 PM PT -- The courthouse is now back open after the bomb squad took dogs through the building and found nothing ... all clear.

Chaos erupted outside the Los Angeles County Courthouse Monday as a bomb threat was called in -- amid the charges issued against accused killer D4vd in the high-profile Celeste Rivas case.

Law enforcement tells us they received a verbal threat, and the bomb squad is on the way to the courthouse. We hear the threat doesn't seem credible ... but they're taking no chances. The call came in during heightened security surrounding D4vd’s arraignment ... forcing an immediate response from police and courthouse officials.

Parts of the building were evacuated, and the media were told to exit as a precaution while authorities worked to determine whether the threat was credible.

There was a huge fight at a Texas burger joint over the weekend that's gone viral ... and we're learning more about it.

Video of several women beating the hell out of one another spread on social media like wildfire Monday ... and it's pretty tough to watch, it's so brutal. There are kicks and punches all over the place -- while employees just stand by, taking video on their phones.

Waco Police tell TMZ ... officers responded to Whataburger just before 6 AM Sunday ... but everyone was gone by the time officers arrived. They're aware of the video and have seen it ... so there's plenty of evidence if any of the girls come back!

Kash Patel is suing a magazine and a journalist for defamation over a story claiming the FBI director has "alarmed colleagues with episodes of excessive drinking and unexplained absences."

Patel filed suit Monday against The Atlantic and the woman who wrote the article, Sarah Fitzpatrick ... and he's going after them for $250 million in damages.

The story was published Friday with the headline "Kash Patel's Erratic Behavior Could Cost Him His Job" ... and in Patel's lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, he takes issue with what he claims are "numerous false and defamatory statements of fact."

Senator Mark Warner is dealing with an unimaginable loss … his daughter, Madison Warner, has died at just 36 after a long and difficult health battle.

The Virginia Democrat and his wife, Lisa Collis, shared the heartbreaking news Monday morning ... revealing Madison passed away following a “decades-long” fight with juvenile diabetes and other serious health issues.

In an emotional statement, the couple didn’t hold back their grief, saying they’re “heartbroken beyond words” over the loss of their daughter -- who they say brought constant joy into their lives.

“She filled our lives with love and laughter, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void,” the statement reads.

Nancy Sinatra is ripping President Donald Trump for blasting her dad’s iconic voice online ... and she’s not holding back.

The 85-year-old singer lit up X this weekend after the POTUS dropped a nearly four-minute clip of her father Frank Sinatra performing “My Way” on Truth Social on Saturday evening … with zero explanation.

“This is a sacrilege,” Nancy fired off … making it clear she’s not here for the unexpected tribute.

Disgraced ex-congressman Eric Swalwell is catching heat again -- this time for allegedly running up a boozy tab on his own campaign’s dime.

Swalwell’s campaign allegedly racked up more than 100 alcohol delivery charges over a four-year period starting in 2020 ... with booze bills reportedly tied straight to congressional campaign funds instead of his own wallet, according to a NY Post report.

Yeah … you read that right. Campaign cash -- the kind donors fork over to win elections -- allegedly being used for repeated liquor store runs.

Talk about awkward timing ... Tucker Carlson’s son is bouncing from J.D. Vance’s office right as President Donald Trump’s attacks on his dad hit a fever pitch.

Buckley Carlson -- son of the conservative lightning rod -- is out as deputy press secretary in the VP’s office … heading for the private sector to launch a political consulting firm, with Politico first reporting the move.

Now, this reportedly wasn’t some sudden blow-up. Buckley actually gave notice back in December and stuck around to help smooth the transition.

A devastating mass shooting in Louisiana has left eight children dead and a community reeling.

Shreveport Police say officers responded Sunday morning to reports of a domestic disturbance. In total, 10 people were shot ... eight of them children, ranging in age from just 1 to 14 years old.

Authorities say the suspected gunman fled the scene, carjacked a vehicle nearby and led officers on a chase. Police opened fire during the pursuit, and the suspect was killed.