GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH Former Cops Get Prison Time ... For Violating His Civil Rights
J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, two of the former Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd's death, were sentenced to prison on federal civil rights charges. Kueng was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Thao was given 3.5 years behind bars.
Kueng and Thao were convicted back in February ... remember, Kueng helped hold Floyd down as Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd for nearly 9 1/2 minutes, while Thao was on crowd control behind the police vehicle.
As we reported, Kueng and Thao were found guilty of all the charges against them ... including deprivation of rights under color of the law for failing to render medical aid to Floyd, plus failing to intervene in Chauvin's use of unreasonable force.
5/25/20
Kueng and Thao argued they didn't intend for Floyd to die under the circumstances and were deferring to Chauvin's seniority and experience in the situation.
You'll recall ... Chauvin has already been sentenced to 21 years in prison for Floyd's death and the other officer convicted, Thomas Lane, was recently sentenced to 2 and a half years in prison. Both Kueng and Thao are still facing state charges in connection with Floyd's death.
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NHL Star Bobby Ryan Arrested ... After Cops Believe He Was Wasted At Airport
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9:34 AM PT -- Ryan is breaking his silence on the arrest ... saying on his Twitter page on Wednesday, "Today is day 1 (again). Mostly embarrassed, but I shouldn’t be. Today I’m waking up and choosing better."
Ryan also thanked all of his fans, friends and family members who sent him messages.
"Thank you for all of them."
NHL star Bobby Ryan -- who's battled substance abuse issues in his career -- was arrested on Monday at an airport after cops say he appeared to be wasted inside a terminal.
According to court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, the incident happened at the Nashville International Airport in Tennessee ... after Ryan allegedly stole items from a store.
Cops in the documents say Ryan was captured on CCTV taking the goods without paying for them, before he eventually put them on a counter and entered a bar nearby in the concourse.
According to the docs, officers made contact with Ryan -- who they say was trying to order a drink at the bar -- and claim he exhibited signs of intoxication.
The 35-year-old -- who most recently played for the Detroit Red Wings -- "was not compliant with officers, had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and smelled strongly of an alcoholic beverage," according to authorities.
In the docs, police say Ryan was eventually taken into custody, where they claim he was unable to stand on his own without support.
"Ryan was unaware of his location, the day or time and posed a danger to himself," cops said in the docs.
Eventually, the hockey player was booked on a public intoxication charge. Court records show the case has since been dismissed. No word yet on why, we've reached out to prosecutors, but haven't heard back.
Ryan has been open about his issues with substance abuse in the past -- he stepped away from the NHL in 2019 in order to get sober. He famously returned to the ice just a few months later for the Ottawa Senators and scored a hat trick in his first home game back. He was emotional both during the contest and afterward.
February 2020
Ryan went on later that season to win the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who best demonstrates perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication.
The former Anaheim Ducks star did not play in the league last season.
Originally Published -- 7:18 AM PT
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Helicopter Tragedy Man Dies Walking into Blades ... Cops Fear He Was Attempting Selfie
A 22-year-old man suffered a gruesome death on his Mykonos vacay when he was struck by helicopter blades ... and authorities looking into it think it could be a case of a photo op gone tragically wrong.
Jack Fenton and his 3 friends were recently getting off their hired black Bell 407 helicopter, coming back from the Greek isle, according to a report from The Sun.
They were taken away from the vehicle and to a private lounge as they waited for a plane to take them back to London, but Jack headed back toward the helicopter at a fast pace ... as others shouted at him to come back.
Witnesses who spoke to Greece’s committee for aviation accidents say he had a phone to his ear as he went toward the back of the helicopter, where the blade was still spinning -- he was stuck in the head, killing him instantly.
Those who saw the incident could only describe it as "horrifying. The pilot of the helicopter, who was "deeply traumatized," was arrested ... along with 2 ground technicians.
Cops are looking into every possibility, which reportedly includes "the possibility of the boy going there to take a selfie in the excitement of the moment."
Jack's parents were in a second helicopter heading to the same tarmac when their pilot requested emergency permission to abort the landing -- trying to spare them the horrific sight of their son -- and instead took them to Athens Airport.
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Packers' AJ Dillon Cop Shoves Star RB At Lambeau Field Police Launch Internal Review
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A cop forcefully grabbed Green Bay Packers star AJ Dillon and shoved him in the back during a soccer game at Lambeau Field this weekend ... and now, police say they've launched an internal review into the matter.
The incident happened on Saturday -- when during a weather delay at the Manchester City vs. FC Bayern match, Dillon hopped down onto the field in order to rile up fans in attendance.
How does the Green Bay cop not know who AJ Dillon is? pic.twitter.com/d75uJnxqO1
— Atlas2686 (@Atlas2686) July 24, 2022 @Atlas2686
According to Dillon, two security guards gave him permission to be on the field, and even helped him get down from his seat "so I could do a lambeau leap and hype up the crowd."
But, videos show one cop apparently didn't get that message -- and got physical with the tailback as he was preparing to jump over the wall behind one of the end zones.
Video of AJ Dillon almost being denied a Lambeau Leap during the rain delay #Packers pic.twitter.com/ukt6kCXB6Q
— Charlie Dern (@charlesdern) July 24, 2022 @charlesdern
The cop eventually let go of the 24-year-old -- who later said despite the aggressive nature of the interaction, he wasn't upset about it at all.
"Just miscommunication between parties," Dillon wrote on his Twitter page on Sunday. "The @GBPolice are great people and I’m glad we have them down there for our games to keep us safe. Standing there in the pouring rain with all those people it’s hard to know what’s going on with just one. All good."
Just miscommunication between parties, the @GBPolice are great people and I’m glad we have them down there for our games to keep us safe. Standing there in the pouring rain with all those people it’s hard to know what’s going on with just one. All good 🤝🫶🏽 https://t.co/xCKPhoJlWK
— AJ “Quadzilla” Dillon (@ajdillon7) July 24, 2022 @ajdillon7
A spokesperson for the Green Bay Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports ... "It is clear that there was a miscommunication between the Officer and Mr. Dillon."
"The Green Bay Police Department appreciates the perspective and supportive words from Mr. Dillon. The Green Bay Police Department Professional Standards/Internal Affairs Division has initiated a review of this incident."
A.J. Dillon had a 92% catch rate last year.
— Zareh Kantzabedian (@ZKantzFF) July 20, 2022 @ZKantzFF
Before you say, “Oh, they were easy check downs.”
Well. About that. pic.twitter.com/r2IQNx3HE5
Dillon, meanwhile, is slated to report to Packers training camp this week -- and is expected to have a huge role in the team's offense this year.
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Lil Wayne 'Farewell Uncle Bob' ... Life-Saving Officer Dies In New Orleans
Lil Wayne is currently mourning Robert Hoobler aka “Uncle Bob” -- the police officer who saved 12-year-old Wayne's life following a suicide attempt.
Weezy broke the news of the loss Monday on IG, where he posted ... “RIP uncle Bob. Aunt Kathie been waiting for u.”
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
According to Nola.com, Bob’s family said he was found dead in his home Friday. The former New Orleans officer was a double amputee, and his police peers always spoke fondly of Bob.
He was the responding officer when Wayne attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest. Wayne's always credited Bob with not only responding, but rescuing him when he got on the scene.
Bob spoke to TMZ in August 2021, and said Wayne had offered to him financial assistance for life, if he ever needed it.
Wayne previously thought Uncle Bob had already passed -- he rapped about it in the 2015 track, "London Roads" -- but he was alive, got in touch with Weezy ... and they resumed their friendship.
RIP
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'Naked And Afraid' Contestant Melanie Rauscher Dead at 35
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"Naked and Afraid" contestant Melanie Rauscher has died under mysterious circumstances in Arizona -- her body was recently found near cans of dust cleaner, TMZ has learned.
Melanie, who appeared on 2 seasons of the popular Discovery Channel show, was dog sitting at a residence in Prescott, AZ while the homeowners were away on vacation, according to Corey Kasun, a rep for the Prescott Police Department.
The homeowners returned on the afternoon of July 17 and found Melanie deceased on the bed in the guest room, Kasun said.
We're told several cans of compressed air -- which can be used to clean dust off computers -- were found near her body. It's unclear if Melanie consumed the contents of the cans.
Cops say there were no obvious signs of foul play, and they did not find a suicide note or drug paraphernalia. The dog was okay.
Duck, Sarah, and Melanie: WELCOME 2 AFRICA! 🐅
— Naked and Afraid (@NakedAndAfraid) April 4, 2018 @NakedAndAfraid
XL returns Sunday May 6! >> https://t.co/jSC4s0jfJL pic.twitter.com/E9I3mIwWaR
The Yavapai County Medical Examiner will determine Melanie's cause of death.
Melanie was mainly a contestant on "Naked and Afraid" in 2013 and the spinoff show 'XL' in 2015. Close castmate Jeremy McCaa posted a touching tribute to Melanie on his FB page, saying he was "feeling broken."
Melanie was 35.
RIP
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January 6th Insurrection New Video Shows Secret Service Desperate To Save Mike Pence and Themselves from Death
The Secret Service barely made it out of the Capitol January 6th along with Vice President Mike Pence ... and never-before-seen video shows just how close they came to calamity.
The January 6th presented video Thursday night showing a portion of the frantic 13 minutes in which the Secret Service tried to snake its way through the riot-torn building and bring the Veep to safety.
You hear and see the sheer desperation as one of the agents says if they don't get out now they may lose their ability to leave the building. They were literally feet from the mob, which was chanting "Hang Mike Pence."
An anonymous White House official testified how grim the scene was -- there were agents asking home base to contact their families to say goodbye. It was that desperate, and you hear and feel it.
The hearing presented a compelling case that Donald Trump was the puppeteer for his minions who stormed the building, sitting in his dining room for more than 2 1/2 hours watching TV and refusing to do anything to quell the violence. He frankly seemed pleased it was happening, and, as several witnesses put it ... "he added fuel to the fire."
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Thomas Lane Former Officer Involved In George Floyd's Death Sentenced To 2 1/2 Years In Prison
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Thomas Lane, one of the former Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd, has been sentenced to 2 and a half years in prison on a federal civil rights charge.
5/25/20
Lane was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson following his conviction in February -- as you'll recall, Lane held Floyd’s legs as Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd for nearly 9 1/2 minutes back in 2020.
Federal prosecutors had asked for a sentence of up to 6 1/2 years.
Lane's attorney had requested a little over 2 years for his client, insisting Lane had the least to do with Floyd's death and pointing out Lane asked the other officers twice if Floyd should be turned on his side instead.
Derek Chauvin has already been sentenced to 21 years in prison for the death of Floyd ... the two other officers convicted, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, have yet to be sentenced.
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Covington-Masvidal Altercation New 911 Audio ... Cop Called For Multiple Units To Arrive Quickly
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The scene at Papi Steak following the March altercation between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal was so frantic ... a cop called for multiple units to get there quickly, new 911 audio reveals.
In the clip, obtained by TMZ Sports, a man identifying as an off-duty police officer told dispatch that he had spoken to Covington (whose name was redacted in the file) and said the UFC star had told him Masvidal "sucker punched" him following dinner at the popular Miami eatery.
The cop, with urgency in his tone, can be heard in the audio telling the dispatcher, "Can we send a bunch of, or a few units ..." He later added in the call, "If you could just send units on a three, please."
As we reported, Covington alleged that on March 21, Masvidal attacked him with a flurry of punches ... chipping his tooth and damaging his $90,000 Rolex.
Masvidal was eventually arrested over the incident, and later charged with two felonies.
The UFC fighter -- who had lost to Covington in a match just days before the altercation in the Florida street -- has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He's due in court for another hearing in the case next month.
Covington, meanwhile, has yet to address the incident publicly ... though according to court documents, he's claimed to have suffered a "brain injury" in the attack.
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Uvalde Massacre Government Spending $15k on Counseling for Border Patrol Agents
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The Uvalde massacre has traumatized the entire community ... and now we've learned the U.S. government is stepping in to offer mental health services -- to some members of law enforcement.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection earmarked a little over $15,000 for a mental health specialist to counsel Border Patrol agents who were present during the shooting.
The agency hired trauma expert Carrie A. Elk -- who runs a practice out of Florida. She'll be providing "psychological health training in response to the Uvalde TX School Shooting for Government personnel"... this according to federal procurement docs obtained by TMZ.
The exact amount USCBP dropped to bring Dr. Elk in ... $15,450. This will cover 6 days of therapy.
We spoke to Dr. Elk ... who wouldn't comment on specifics, but did tell us that she's often contracted by Border Patrol and the military to provide counseling after events like Uvalde.
It's unclear if Elk is doing one-on-one sessions with folks at Border Patrol -- whose agents ended up being the ones to take out the shooter in the slow-moving raid -- but she does say she'll often teach techniques to agents about how to identify emotional triggers, how to process painful memories and how to cope with trauma they experience on the job.
As you know, the response by law enforcement -- including Border Patrol agents -- has created national outrage over the 77-minute delay before the shooter was killed. In the process, he slaughtered 19 children and 2 teachers, and wounded a number of other students.
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Trayvon Martin Another Black Teen Claims Attack in Same Town ... Parents File Lawsuit
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The men who allegedly attacked a Black teen in the same city where Trayvon Martin was killed are being taken to court.
The teenager's parents are suing Howard Hughes and Donald Corsi over the June incident ... where they claim the 2 men and other unidentified adults stopped their son's car while he was simply visiting a friend's house in a Sanford, FL neighborhood.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Columbus and Niko Jones allege their kid was doing nothing more than driving along with a friend in the passenger seat ... when, all of a sudden, the group of locals launched into them with animosity.
The parents claim the adults, including Hughes and Corsi, hurled insults and threats at the 2 minors ... and eventually, started physically trying to halt the car. According to the Joneses, this came in the form of swinging a traffic cone at one of the doors, and hurling a large rock shattering the rear window.
At this point, the Joneses claim both kids got out, scared for their lives ... with the friend allegedly seeing one of the adults brandish a gun in the crowd, and Hughes allegedly saying they had a permit to do so -- while also insulting their son by calling him a "dumbass."
Soon, the cops showed up … and arrested Corsi and Hughes on a number of charges, including battery and damaging property.
Now, they have a civil case on their hands as well -- the Joneses are suing for assault, infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment and more.
They're asking for an unspecified amount in damages.
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MLB All-Star Game Fan Smacks Face On Pavement During Struggle W/ Security
A fan being escorted from the MLB All-Star Game went face first, smashing his face on the hard pavement ... during a physical exchange with Dodgers Stadium security, and the insane scene was captured on video!
It's unclear why the fan was removed from baseball's 92nd Midsummer Classic in Los Angeles, only a few innings into the game. What is clear ... the dude went down hard.
The fan -- wearing a No. 22 Clayton Kershaw jersey -- is flanked by 4 members of Dodgers security and 2 police officers, and they're attempting to walk the guy downstairs, presumably out of the stadium.
But, as they reached the bottom, the guy aggressively turned toward security. The other members of the team yanked him back, and the guy was either pulled over or didn't move his feet, and ... thud!
Thankfully, the fan was helped to his feet, and looked to be okay.
"Four of you! Four of you! Four of you! Four of you!" the guy exclaimed as he was being ushered away by stadium security. "How many?" the guy asked, seemingly referring to how many people it took to get him under control.
Bystanders and fans were stunned ... and obviously, concerned for the well-being of the guy who just ate concrete.
Unfortunately, to add insult to injury, the man missed the American League defeating the National League, 3-2 ... winning their 9th straight ASG.
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Kodak Black Oxy Pills In Recent Arrest were Prescribed... Meds Help Ease Pain from Shooting, Prison Assault
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Kodak Black claims he had a perfectly good reason for having several oxycodone pills when he was busted last weekend … his legal team insists he needs them to deal with serious pain.
Kodak's attorney Bradford Cohen tells TMZ ... the "Super Gremlin" rapper has battled chronic pain after getting shot in February during a scuffle in L.A. over Super Bowl weekend. Cohen says Kodak was prescribed pain pills to take as necessary to deal with that injury.
2/12/22
What's more, prior to the shooting, Kodak alleged he was assaulted by guards during his stint in a Kentucky federal prison, before Donald Trump commuted his sentence and released him. We're told he suffers ongoing pain from the attack and the meds help with that pain.
Cohen says he's handed over proof to prosecutors that the pills were legally prescribed, in an effort to resolve the matter STAT.
As we reported last Saturday, Kodak was stopped by Florida Highway patrol after his illegal window tint alerted their radar, where they uncovered 31 pills.
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Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan Cops Give Warning No Pups on the Pier!!!
Cesar Millan found himself in the doghouse for having his pooches on a beach pier ... and now cops are using the celeb animal trainer as an example of what NOT to do when visiting the area.
The Redondo Beach PD took to Instagram to let followers know Cesar was recently given a warning for having his dogs on the pier. Lucky for all involved, cops say Cesar was quick to comply ... even snapping a smiley pic with officers, which they included in the post.
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The caption continues with a warning for anyone else who might wanna take their pets for a stroll in the area, "We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that dogs are not allowed on the Redondo Beach Pier! Not even the dog whisperer."
Redondo Beach PD thanked Cesar for his understanding, and you gotta imagine, the post will likely lead to fewer people bringing their animals on the pier.
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So the lesson ... no dogs on the pier, celeb animal trainer or not!!!
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AC Milan's Tiemoue Bakayoko Police Defend Holding Soccer Star At Gunpoint ... In Viral Video
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Police in Milan are adamant they did nothing wrong when holding soccer star Tiemoue Bakayoko at gunpoint ... saying while the situation ended up being a "misunderstanding," they were in the midst of searching for someone allegedly involved in a shooting.
"With reference to the video released today, related to a police check carried out against the Milan player Tiemoue Bakayoko, we underline that the check -- occurred during an operation whose context justified the adoption of the highest security measures," police said in a statement to CNN.
Shocking footage of Milan’s Bakayoko in Milan’s downtown held at gunpoint by police cause taken for someone else.
— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) July 18, 2022 @tancredipalmeri
Check when one of cop goes telling to the colleague searching him that it’s not the suspect but a Milan player, and the cop saying “WHO?!?”
pic.twitter.com/B0PTYiXnc5
Police said the search "was carried out in a manner that was absolutely consistent with the situation of danger" for "self-protection purposes."
"It was a misunderstanding, but colleagues behaved correctly," police said.
The incident involving 27-year-old Bakayoko -- who joined Milan on a two-year loan last summer -- happened about two weeks ago, but went under the radar until video of the incident went viral on social media Monday.
On Monday, AC Milan said the search occurred following a shooting in the nearby area.
Police added once they established Bakayoko's identity and confirmed he had no role in the crime(s) allegedly committed, he was released without further incident.
"Once the person had been identified and established that he was not involved, the service was resumed without any kind of remark from the person concerned."
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Indoor Football Insane Brawl Breaks Out At Game ... Players, Coaches & Fans Fight!!!
An indoor football game turned into a wild street fight this weekend ... when players, coaches and fans all brawled in the stands following the conclusion of the action on the field.
It all went down on Saturday night -- after the West Texas Warbirds whooped the Dallas Prime at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa.
Video shot by spectators at the arena shows as soon as the final whistle blew -- players went after each other off the field.
Another angle from tonight’s brawl pic.twitter.com/r5OASPnp0o
— Jakob Brandenburg (@Jakob_BburgTV) July 17, 2022 @Jakob_BburgTV
Soon after, others got involved ... and you can see in the footage, one coach appeared to rip off a player's helmet and then start throwing haymakers.
All hell then broke loose ... with players from both teams jumping in the action.
Eventually, a Dallas Prime player made his way into the stands and got into it with a fan -- appearing to strike the guy in the head with a left hook.
Somehow, authorities were able to take control of the situation after about 10 minutes of fighting.
Addressing reporters afterward, Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis said, thankfully, it appeared "no one sought medical treatment or went to the hospital" following the melee.
Griffis added no arrests were made -- though he said that could change following an investigation.