Jacob Blake Lawsuit's Just a Start ... Wants Apology & Reform from Kenosha PD

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Jacob Blake's seeking more than damages for being shot and paralyzed by a Kenosha PD officer ... he wants the entire department held accountable, and he's striving to make his community a safer place going forward.

Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr, part of Blake's legal team, tells TMZ ... Jacob's case is not just about a lawsuit, it's about social justice. They want the City of Kenosha and its police force to take responsibility for the shooting.

LaMarr says this can begin in the form of a public apology to Jacob, his family, and Kenosha residents who are still suffering from the incident. He adds ... "In 2021, accountability should be the expectation, not the exception."

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SHOCKING AND BRUTAL

Next, Blake's team is calling for the Kenosha PD to step up and initiate reform and make changes to its protocols ... such as requiring all officers to wear body cameras.

LaMarr says there's an adversarial relationship between cops in Kenosha and the community, so the PD also needs to open a line of dialogue with the people and implement racial bias training.

Lastly, Jacob's team believes the City of Kenosha should reach out to help his children who witnessed the shooting ... and address the trauma they experienced from watching him get shot just feet away.

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NO CHARGES FILED

As we reported ... Blake's suing the Kenosha officer Rusten Sheskey for excessive force in the August 2020 shooting that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Blake's going after Sheskey for unspecified damages and he wants a jury trial. Sheskey was not criminally charged for the incident.

We're told Jacob is still recovering at home and receiving 24-hour care.

'Tiger King' Star Jeff Lowe Suffers Stroke, Airlifted to Hospital ... Suspects He Was Poisoned

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UPDATE

10:40 AM PT -- Jeff and Lauren joined “TMZ Live” to detail the bizarre events leading up to his medical emergency … and further insinuate someone tampered with their drinks.

UPDATE

Lauren says she had a sip of Jeff’s drink that night and immediately started feeling off, and he completely crashed out on the ride home. Once they got back, she says he was still acting out of sorts and when she left the room and came back … he was turning green and blue, his heart stopped, and she thought she lost him.

UPDATE

Jeff says he doesn’t remember any of this, but he does recall the unsettling encounter with a man who approached them on their date and allegedly knew what they liked to drink and had met them before. As Jeff puts it … “it’s just odd.”

Jeff Lowe is attempting to recover from a stroke that left him unresponsive in an Oklahoma casino ... and he and his wife suspect someone slipped something in his drink that put his life in peril.

The 'Tiger King' star's wife, Lauren, tells TMZ ... Jeff was not breathing when she found him on March 18 around 3 AM at WinStar World Casino where they were staying. She quickly called 911, but says, "I thought he was dying in my arms."

Lauren says when EMTs arrived they determined Jeff was suffering a stroke -- and decided he had to be airlifted to a hospital in Denton, TX. She says the medical staff there worked miracles to limit the damaging effects of the stroke and save Jeff's life.

Lauren says what's strange is that doctors have run a battery of tests, and so far at least, haven't been able to determine what caused Jeff's stroke -- and that's made her very suspicious about something and someone.

She tells us on March 17, hours before the stroke, she and Jeff were out on a dinner date when a strange man approached them ... claiming he knew them and even knew their favorite drink orders. Lauren says they have no clue who he was, but he lingered when a crowd of 'Tiger King' fans gathered to take selfies with them.

Lauren says they suspect that's when this mystery guy spiked Jeff's drink with something that might have caused the stroke.

Jeff's blood and urine tests came back negative for commonly abused drugs ... according to Lauren, but she suggests the suspicious guy might have used something more exotic. She says they just started connecting the dots on what happened that night, and have not reported it to cops yet.

The good news is Jeff's now back at home recovering -- after spending 3 days in the hospital -- but Lauren says he's still having difficulties with speech and coordination.

Originally Published -- 8:40 AM PT

Demi Lovato Primal Cries and Screams ... In 'Dancing with the Devil' Video

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Demi Lovato had a gut-wrenching, emotionally-charged reaction as she filmed her music video for "Dancing with the Devil," and TMZ has obtained the dramatic video.

Demi co-directed the music video with Michael D. Ratner, which they shot in the last week. The scene is a hospital setting, with Demi in a bed hooked up to all sorts of monitors -- mimicking the fight of her life after almost dying from an OD.

Production sources tell TMZ, Demi surprised everyone by saying she wanted to go off script and freestyle. Once the cameras were rolling, she began lip-syncing the song and began to sob uncontrollably.

As the song -- which was released Thursday night -- chronicled her journey as she lied about her addiction, her emotions got more and more intense.  At one point you hear Ratner say "Into camera" ...  Demi gazed into the lens and the sobbing became primal ... you can feel it even though you don't hear it.

Our sources say people on the set were really nervous when Demi said she wanted to freestyle .... worrying the emotion might be too much for her. Turns out it was the opposite ... after the take she told everyone she loved it because it was "cathartic."

Tennis' Jack Draper Collapses On Court ... In Scary Moment At Miami Open

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Jack Draper -- a 19-year-old making his debut on the ATP Tour this week -- frighteningly collapsed on the court during a match at the Miami Open on Thursday ... but thankfully, he said afterward he's all right.

The scary scene all went down during Draper's match against Mikhail Kukushkin ... when Draper began to feel ill amid scorching Florida hot and humid weather.

At one point during the match, medics ran courtside tests on a visibly exhausted Draper ... but the young, budding tennis star elected to continue despite clearly being unwell.

Just a few moments later in the match, though ... he crumpled to the ground attempting to hit a ball -- and there was serious concern among onlookers.

"Oh, dear, that's not good," one of the match's announcers said on the television broadcast. "Worrying times."

Thankfully, medics rushed to Draper's aid ... and the tennis player ended up being able to walk off under his own power -- though he did have to withdraw from the contest.

"At the changeover, I was starting to feel my body a bit," Draper told reporters after the match.

"I said that I'm going to carry on because I wasn't feeling faint ... but obviously when I got out there, that wasn't the case."

Draper said he's looking forward to making a full recovery and competing in his next scheduled event.

Pro Ski Jumper Daniel-Andre Tande Seriously Injured In Horrific Crash ... Caught On Video

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Pro ski jumper Daniel-Andre Tande suffered serious injuries in a terrifying crash caught on video Thursday ... but thankfully, officials are now describing his ailments as non-life-threatening.

Tande, a 27-year-old who won a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics, was competing in a World Cup event in Slovenia ... when one of his jumps went horrifically wrong.

You can see in video of the crash ... midway through his flight, he turned sideways and landed HARD on the snow below.

The Norwegian then violently plummeted hundreds of feet down the mountain ... before coming to a stop at the base of the jump.

Ski officials say Tande was unconscious when medics arrived. They added Tande had to be "intubated and mechanically ventilated" after he was loaded into the ambulance.

Fortunately, doctors said in a statement later Thursday afternoon that "preliminary tests are very promising."

And, a statement released by Norwegian Ski Jumping Team leader Clas Brede Brathen showed there's clear optimism Tande will eventually make a recovery.

"The fall has looked dramatic for us and we are now relieved after the first diagnosis that Daniel's injuries are not life threatening," Brathen said.

Doctors added they will continue to monitor Tande and repeat vital tests on Friday.

Drag Race Disaster Car Crashes Into Spectators ... Woman Badly Injured

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THE CRAZY ACCIDENT

Horror at the Wilkesboro Dragway in North Carolina over the weekend -- where a car lost control and crashed into spectators, leaving a woman with serious injuries.

22-year-old Amber Garner was at the track with her family on March 20 when a purple Mustang spun out and went careening into an area where fans were watching the action.

You can hear a woman scream, "Oh god!"

Amber was struck by the car -- and quite honestly, it's a miracle she's alive.

"As soon as it did hit me, I guess I fell on the ground -- I blacked out, so I don’t know exactly," Amber told FOX 8.

Medical personnel raced over to provide first aid -- including securing her neck in a stabilizing brace.

She was later rushed to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for treatment on her badly broken right arm.

"Her arm is broken in four places and broke her knuckle," Amber's sister explained on a GoFundMe page she started to help with medical costs.

Garner is expected to undergo at least 2 surgeries to repair the damage -- but again, it's amazing she wasn't more seriously hurt.

As for the driver of the Mustang, that person is reportedly fine -- suffering no injuries in the wreck.

Be careful out there, people.

Lamelo Ball Slinged Up In The Big Apple ... After Wrist Surgery

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LaMelo Ball is officially on the mend after undergoing surgery to fix his fractured right wrist on Tuesday ... with the Charlotte Hornets rookie stepping out in NYC with his arm in a sling hours after going under the knife.

The youngest Ball brother flew to the Big Apple to have the procedure performed by Dr. Michelle Carlson at the Hospital for Special Surgery ... which will keep him sidelined for at least the next month.

19-year-old Ball was spotted leaving his hotel in NYC Tuesday afternoon in his Puma shirt and shoes ... as well as a pair of $1,100 Chrome Hearts sweatpants.

Of course, Melo went down with the injury on Saturday against the L.A. Clippers ... and the team initially feared he would miss the remainder of the season.

But, there's now hope the Rookie of the Year frontrunner could still return in 2021 ... depending on how quickly he heals up ... and if the Hornets can reach the playoffs (they're currently the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference).

Ball tweeted shortly after the surgery saying, "extremely blessed" ... which is great news all around.

Get well soon, Melo!

LaMelo Ball Suffers Broken Wrist Likely Out for Rest of NBA Season

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Terrible news for LaMelo Ball ... the 19-year-old broke his wrist over the weekend which will most likely end his 2020-21 NBA season.

The Charlotte Hornets star rookie -- the #3 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft -- suffered the injury Saturday night while trying to make a spectacular shot against the L.A. Clippers at Staples Center.

Ball landed on his right wrist -- and appeared to be in pain immediately.

Ball clutched his wrist before getting it checked out by a team doc -- and now, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski says the injury will almost certainly end Melo's sensational rookie campaign.

The Hornets announced an MRI confirmed Melo has a fracture in his right wrist. No official word on how long he'll be out.

But, Woj -- citing sources -- says it's just a matter of time before he's formally shelved for the season.

Woj notes the injury specifically affects "the area of the thumb on his shooting hand" ... and Ball will be following up with Dr. Michelle G. Carlson at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NY to confirm he needs to undergo a procedure.

Melo has been killing it this season -- averaging 15.9 points per game -- along with 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds.

He was the frontrunner to win the NBA's Rookie of the Year Award ... we'll see if the voters feel he's done enough in his shortened season to give it to him despite the injury. Seems like a lock at this point.

Get well soon, Melo.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler COVID Vaccine Did Not Kill Boxer ... Wife Blasts Conspiracy Theories

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Marvin Hagler's wife is calling BS on unfounded conspiracy theories suggesting the boxer's death was caused by the COVID vaccine -- saying it's simply "nonsense."

"Marvelous" Marvin Hagler -- one of the greatest boxers of all time -- died on Saturday at his home in New Hampshire. He was 66.

Around the time of his death, Hagler's former rival Tommy Hearns floated a theory about Hagler's health in an IG post on his verified page.

"He’s in ICU fighting the after effects of the vaccine!” Hearns said in a post that has since been deleted.

Now, Hagler's wife Kay is firing back -- saying she was WITH Marvin all the way to the end and can personally confirm his death had nothing to do with the COVID vaccine.

"I am the only person that know how things went not even his family know all the details and I do NOT accept to read some stupid comment without knowing really what happen," Kay said in a Facebook post.

"For sure wasn't the vaccine that caused his death. My baby left in peace with his usually smile and now is not the time to talk nonsense."

Kay also notes how Marvin "hated funerals" and "therefore there will be no funerals or church celebrations."

"He wants to be remembered with a happy smile but I would be happy if each of you can light a candle for him."

Hagler's official cause of death has still not been released and likely won't be for weeks, possibly months.

Kay adds, "Thank you for your love, [Marvin] loved people so much, he loved you all he was happy when he read your comments he was a special person the most beautiful person i had ever met in all my life."

Hagler was 62–3–2 in his storied career -- with wins over legends like Roberto Duran, Alan Minter and, of course, Tommy Hearns.

RIP champ.

Timur Faizutdinov Russian Hockey Player Dead At 19 After Being Struck By Puck

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19-year-old Timur Faizutdinov -- a star player in Russia's Junior Hockey League -- has tragically died after being hit in the head by a puck ... his team announced Tuesday.

Faizutdinov was skating for his Dynamo St. Petersburg's squad in a playoff matchup with Loko Yaroslavl on March 12 when his opponent accidentally flipped a puck at his head.

The frozen rubber caught Faizutdinov up high near his temple ... and he immediately crumpled to the ground in pain.

Faizutdinov -- St. Petersburg's captain -- was rushed to the hospital ... but, unfortunately, his team announced he died this week due to the injuries the puck caused.

"Dynamo Saint Petersburg defenseman Timur Faizutdinov has tragically passed away at the age of 19," Faizutdinov's team wrote in a statement.

"He had received a fatal head injury during an MHL match against Loko in Yaroslavl on March 12. SKA Hockey Club extends its deepest condolences to Timur’s family and friends."

Faizutdinov had reportedly logged nearly 200 games for Dynamo St. Petersburg in his career ... and had just been named team captain.

Dynamo St. Petersburg announced it will hold moments of silence for Faizutdinov prior to its upcoming games for the foreseeable future.

RIP.

NHL's Jujhar Khaira KO'd After Taking Violent Punch ... During In-Game Fight

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NHL forward Jujhar Khaira was knocked out after taking a violent punch during a fight Monday -- and the blow was so vicious, the Oilers player had to leave the game due to injury.

The scrap went down in the 1st period of Edmonton's clash with Calgary ... shortly after Khaira infuriated Flames players by checking Oliver Kylington in the head with his shoulder.

Calgary forward Brett Ritchie hunted Khaira down, got him to drop the gloves for a fight, and then socked him right in the face.

You can see in the clip, Khaira appeared to be KO'd on his feet ... and once the 26-year-old hit the ice, he looked at refs with a completely dazed expression on his face.

Khaira immediately headed for the locker room to be looked at by trainers ... and he did not return to the contest afterward.

Thankfully, in the post-game, Edmonton coach Dave Tippett said he believed Khaira was "feeling all right" and is now just day-to-day dealing with the after-effects of the tilt.

It's the second time in the last few days that a violent affair has broken out on the ice ... on Thursday, Red Wings forward Adam Erne was also KO'd after taking a haymaker to the jaw.

Yankees' Aaron Boone Feeling 'Awesome' After Heart Surgery ... Already Crushing Peloton Rides!!!

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Yankees manager Aaron Boone says he's feeling "awesome" less than 2 weeks after heart surgery ... telling media members Sunday he's already back in the saddle -- on Peloton!!

The 48-year-old had a pacemaker installed into his body in Tampa on March 3 ... a scary procedure that required Boone to step away from the Yanks for a few days.

But, in a positive update over the weekend, Boone said he's now feeling as good as ever ... noticing a huge uptick in his daily energy.

"Done some [Peloton] rides I haven’t done in a few months that I didn’t even realize, 'Oh, this is what it’s supposed to be like,'" Boone said, according to the Associated Press.

The NY head man -- who had previously had open-heart surgery in 2009 to fix a swelling issue -- needed the latest procedure after docs discovered his heartbeats per minute were well below average.

Boone said he still can't lift weights like he'd like to ... but explained he's only a few more days from clearing that hurdle.

"Still have some arm restrictions,” Boone said. “So I can’t like lift weights like I normally do but that will be hopefully a few more weeks."

"But as far as just getting around, energy in the mornings and all day, so much better."

Boone is expected to be in the dugout managing the Yanks when they open up their 2021 season April 1.

Dr. Oz Meets Man He Saved at Newark Airport Man Remembers Nothing

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LUCKY TO BE ALIVE

Dr. Oz could hardly believe his eyes after meeting the man he brought back from the dead ...  and almost as shocking, the man had ZERO recollection about what happened!!!

The good doc met 60-year-old Joe for the first time during a sit-down interview for Dr. Oz's upcoming show set to air Monday. Joe and his wife, Barbara, also met with the Port Authority cop, Jeffrey Croissant, who also helped save Joe's life.

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THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME!!!

You can see Oz is almost in disbelief after he asks Joe how he's feeling considering how too many things had to have lined up perfectly for Joe to survive his heart attack. Joe, in utter amazement, said he felt fine.

We're told Joe's heart condition -- an issue he dealt with in 2006 requiring a bypass graft -- was a blockage in the middle of an artery. With no blood passing through ... it's no wonder Joe collapsed and needed Oz, Croissant and the help of a defibrillator to shock him back to life.

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DR. OZ TO THE RESCUE

Oz says it's stunning Joe feels fine ... especially because on that fateful day Oz says Joe was the color of an eggplant after collapsing and having foam coming out of his mouth.

It's a sweet moment ... when Oz tells Joe he'll be emotionally connected to him for the rest of his life. Joe, who remembers zilch about what went down, not only thanks Oz but also thanks Croissant for his heroism.

Doctors Under Investigation Surgeons Play 'Price is Right' in Operating Room

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Some surgeons at a Michigan hospital are in hot water after they started playing games in the middle of operations ... games including "The Price is Right."

Photos were posted that triggered the alarm at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids. In one photo, a doctor is pictured with a cancerous organ that was removed. The caption in one post reads, "The other game we play in the OR is guess that weight. As always, 'Price is Right' rules apply so if you go over then you're out!"

And yet, another post shows a doctor holding fibrous tissue with the patient in the background under anesthesia, with the caption, "Longest one wins!"

The photos were posted on an Instagram account, allegedly run by nearly 3 dozen obstetrics and gynecology residents in training. The photos have been deleted.

This follows another bizarre surgical scandal in Sacramento, where a doctor hopped on zoom in the middle of an operation to fight a traffic ticket. The horrified judge would have no part of it, and the Medical Board is investigating.

As for the Spectrum Health scandal, the big wigs said, "We were disappointed to learn that surgical imagers were posted on an Instagram account used by a group of residents and are taking steps to resolve the issue."

University of Virginia Out of ACC Tourney Over COVID ... NCAA Hopes In Jeopardy

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UVA is out of the ACC tourney thanks to COVID -- which could keep them out of the NCAA.

Sick of acronyms yet? Yeah, same.

Here's the deal ... someone in the University of Virginia basketball program tested positive for coronavirus, forcing the team to withdraw from Friday night's ACC tournament semifinal game against Georgia Tech.

GT will now move on to the ACC championship game to face the winner of North Carolina vs. Florida State.

So, where does that leave UVA? That's a mystery at the moment.

The Cavaliers were the ACC regular-season champions -- and ESPN projected them to be a #4 seed in the NCAA tourney.

But, the COVID situation could force UVA into a mandatory quarantine that could conflict with the 1st round of the NCAA tourney, which is set to tip-off on Thursday.

Will UVA be out of the COVID protocol by then? If not, will the NCAA postpone the game? So many questions to be answered.

Bottom line ... we're still waiting for more info from the school and the NCAA -- but this could mean another solid team is OUT of the tourney before it even begins!!

Suuuucks!!!

Pro Tennis Player Tim Puetz Suffers Bad Eye Injury In Freak Accident at Qatar Open

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Scary situation at the Qatar Open -- when pro tennis player Tim Puetz took a RACQUET TO THE EYE in a truly freak accident on the court.

The 33-year-old German pro was in a doubles match with his partner Freddie Nielsen on Wednesday when Puetz tried to stretch to return a serve.

As Puetz reached out his racquet ... he let go of the grip -- and the racquet went crashing to the ground.

But, it hit the surface at a funny angle and BOUNCED BACK at Puetz's face -- with the butt of the racquet bashing the tennis pro right in his eye.

Puetz began bleeding from his face -- and it was obvious he was in pain.

An official ran over with a bag of ice and medical personnel raced over to evaluate the situation.

"I cannot see very well," Puetz can be heard saying in the moments after the incident ... "Freddie I can see pretty well when I’m stationary. But if I look around, I can’t see very well."

Unfortunately for Puetz, the injury forced him to retire from the match. Afterward, his opponents -- Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah -- expressed concern for Tim's health.

"I feel very sorry for Tim," Farrah said in a post-game interview.

"It’s something none of us want, to get hit in the eye, and I really hope he recovers really well."

No word on how Puetz is feeling now ... but hopefully he makes a complete recovery.