RIP

Former congressman Rep. John Conyers has died.

Conyers passed away in his sleep Sunday, per his son, John Conyers III. A longtime representative of Detroit and the longest-serving member of the House prior to stepping down in 2017, Conyers was instrumental in establishing the Congressional Black Caucus.

He was elected into office in the '60s and continued to serve in his capacity for decades to come ... working tirelessly toward civil rights for African-Americans and minorities along the way, helping to boost voter registration in the community while also securing legal representation for countless people who were wrongly arrested.

He co-sponsored the original Voting Rights Act of 1965, and shortly after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 ... Conyers introduced a bill that would honor Dr. King with a federal holiday, which President Reagan signed into law years later.

He earned a seat on the House Judiciary Committee in 1965, and eventually went on to chair the committee in 2007 -- becoming the first black man in American history to do it. Conyers was also famously on President Nixon's "enemies" list during the Watergate scandal.

Rep. Conyers became embroiled in a scandal himself in 2017 after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced in the wake of #MeToo. He denied the accusations but resigned nonetheless. His son, Conyers III, had shown interest in running for his open seat, but Rep. Rashida Tlaib ultimately ran and ended up winning it in the 2018 election.

Conyers' death comes a little more than a week after his congressional colleague and fellow civil rights activist, Rep. Elijah Cummings, passed away himself.

Rep. Elijah Cummings had a spectacular send-off after a life well-lived, with former Presidents and other dignitaries singing his praises at his funeral.

Among the mourners ... Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Senator Kamala Harris and many others filled all the seats at the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore. Interesting and predictable ... Trump was a no-show, although we're guessing he wasn't invited.

The theme from all of the speakers -- Rep. Cummings was a powerful, moral voice in Congress and was a pillar of integrity. As you know, he has famously squared off with President Trump, sometimes expressing moral outrage over the conduct of The White House.

Cummings had been hospitalized and underwent some sort of medical treatment. His office said the Congressman passed due to "complications concerning longstanding health challenges."

As for his health issues, Cummings had been dealing with ill health for years, which included heart surgery.

Cummings was 68. RIP.

Nipsey Hussle's clothing brand is working with fashion designer Jerry Lorenzo on a limited edition capsule collection ... and sales proceeds are going straight to the trust fund for the late rapper's children.

The Marathon Clothing announced Thursday it's working with Jerry's Fear of God clothing company on a special capsule dubbed "08 Crenshaw" ... and the profits are ultimately benefiting Nip's kids, Emani and Kross Asghedom.

The collection, which drops this Friday at Fear of God's storefront in Los Angeles, includes a crewneck sweaters, pullover hoodies, sweatpants and sweatshorts ... available in both royal blue and gray.

We broke the story ... Nipsey made sure his children would be financially stable before he died, setting up a trust fund for Emani and Kross.

As you know ... The Marathon Clothing is a huge part of Nipsey's legacy. He opened the store in Crenshaw, giving jobs to tons of people in his neighborhood.

Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt are reuniting for a séance, and sources close to Bridget tell us she plans to connect with their famous ex ... Hugh Hefner.

We're told the former 'Girls Next Door' are hosting a séance at Holly's house -- which she happens to think is haunted -- and they'll be getting an assist from "Ghost Adventures" star and Hollywood psychic medium Patti Negri.

Appropriately, the paranormal chat is planned for the night before Halloween ... so spirits should be in abundance.

While our Bridget sources say she really hopes to contact her old squeeze, Hef, in the great beyond -- sources close to Holly tell us she's not trying to connect with anyone in particular. Any ol' ghost'll do.

Remember, Holly and Hugh have a rocky history -- she claimed Hugh verbally and emotionally abused her while she was in the Playboy Mansion.

Hugh, who died in 2017 at age 91, famously dated Holly, Bridget and Kendra Wilkinson back in the day. Since then, Holly and Bridget have gotten super into ghouls and ghosts.

Bridget hosts her own podcast called "GHOST MAGNET With Bridget Marquardt" on Apple Podcasts ... and the séance will be a special edition of her show. The ritual will also be streamed live on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Holly's no stranger to paranormal activity either ... as we first told you, she started dating Zak Bagans after hitting up his Haunted Museum in Vegas.

A famous gold medal-winning Paralympic athlete died Tuesday after taking her own life through euthanasia in Belgium, officials confirm.

40-year-old Marieke Vervoort battled degenerative spinal disease -- yet was able to compete in wheelchair racing at the highest levels.

She won two medals at the 2016 Paralympic games in Brazil and famously clinched a GOLD medal during the 2012 Paralympics in London.

But, when she wasn't competing, Vervoort lived with extreme physical pain which sometimes limited her to only sleeping for 10 minutes a night.

Vervoort also suffered epileptic seizures -- and in one case in 2014, a seizure caused her to spill boiling water on her legs while cooking pasta. She suffered major injuries and was hospitalized for several months as a result.

Vervoort had considered euthanasia for years and began planning for the end of her life back in 2016.

In fact, Vervoort spent her last night surrounded by friends and family, sipping on sparkling wine ... just as she planned.

After her passing, the Belgian royal family issued a statement praising their Paralympic hero -- saying, "Marieke 'Wielemie' Vervoort was an athlete tough as nails and a great lady. Her death touches us deeply."

NFL Hall of Famer Willie Brown -- one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time -- has died at 78, Raiders officials confirm.

Brown was a MONSTER on the field during his illustrious 15-year NFL career -- winning 3 Super Bowls and making 4 Pro Bowls in addition to making the AFL All-Star team 5 times!

Brown boasted 54 career interceptions -- 39 of them with the Oakland Raiders. He's currently the co-owner of the Raiders franchise record holder for INTs.

His career path was unusual ... Brown was a stud at Grambling State but was NOT drafted. So, he signed as a free agent with the Houston Oilers in 1963 but was cut during training camp.

He later signed with the Denver Broncos of the AFL, where he became a star -- only to be traded to Oakland in 1967, where he played until he retired in 1978.

Brown played in 3 Super Bowls with the Raiders -- XI, XV and XVIII -- and at one time, held the record for the longest Super Bowl interception with a 75-yard return in XI.

James Harrison later broke the record with a 100-yard return in Super Bowl XLIII.

After his NFL playing career, Brown became a defensive back coach with the Raiders from 1979 to 1988.

Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984, his first year of eligibility.

He's survived by his wife and 3 children.

Big break in the Andre Emmett murder case ... Dallas PD says they have identified and obtained warrants to arrest the two suspects in the shooting death of the ex-NBA and BIG3 star.

As we previously reported, 37-year-old Emmett was shot and killed on September 23. Surveillance footage showed Emmett sitting in his car in front of his house around 2:30 AM when he was approached by 2 men at gunpoint. Emmett tried to run but was shot dead.

After nearly a month-long investigation, detectives identified 29-year-old Michael Lucky and Keith Johnson, 32, as prime suspects ... and obtained capital murder arrest warrants for both men.

Johnson was booked in Dallas County Jail on Friday -- and he's still behind bars. Lucky has not yet been arrested.

Emmett -- the 35th pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2004 NBA Draft -- was the 2nd leading scorer in the 3-on-3 league this past season while playing for 3's Company.

Nancy Pelosi's brother and one-time mayor of Baltimore, Thomas D'Alesandro III, has died.

The Speaker of the House confirmed the news Sunday, saying in a statement ... "My husband Paul and our entire family are devastated by the loss of our patriarch, my beloved brother, Thomas D’Alesandro III." He reportedly passed after suffering a stroke.

Pelosi went on to describe her brother as "the finest public servant I have ever known." She added, "His life and leadership were a tribute to the Catholic values with which we were raised: faith, family, patriotism.  He profoundly believed, as did our parents, that public service was a noble calling and that we all had a responsibility to help others."

The late mayor's sister also made note of his public service, saying ... "Tommy dedicated his life to our city.  A champion of civil rights, he worked tirelessly for all who called Baltimore home. Tommy was a leader of dignity, compassion and extraordinary courage, whose presence radiated hope upon our city during times of struggle and conflict."

She went on to say, "All his life, Tommy worked on the side of the angels. Now, he is with them. With his commitment to his family and public service, his life has truly blessed America."

D'Alesandro served as Baltimore's leader between 1967 and 1971, after which he stepped away from politics and public life ... going on to practice private law. His tenure as mayor is said to have been tumultuous, having to deal with the Baltimore riots of 1968.

People took to the streets in uproar following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The Maryland National Guard had to be brought in to assist with the unrest.

D'Alesandro is survived by his wife, Margaret, five children as well as grandchildren. He was 90.

Paris Hilton is saying a final goodbye to her late grandfather, Barron Hilton, with loved ones around for support.

The hotel heiress showed up Saturday morning to a funeral service being held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Bev Hills, where she and other family members gathered to pay their respects to former Hilton patriarch and founding owner of the L.A. Chargers.

Paris' sister, Nicky, was by her side as they solemnly greeted folks who were making their way inside. Eventually, the two siblings went in as well after most everyone entered.

As we reported ... Paris paid tribute to her grandfather in a touching Instagram post, calling  him a "Legend, a visionary, brilliant, handsome, kind" and someone who "lived a life full of accomplishment and adventure." She said his spirit lives on in her too.

Barron passed away last month from natural causes, according to the Conrad Hilton Foundation. He's survived by 2 daughters, 6 sons, 15 grandkids and 4 great-grandchildren.

Sacramento Kings star Harrison Barnes has stepped up and will pay for the funeral of Atatiana Jefferson, the woman who was shot and killed by a police officer while she was in her own home.

Jefferson's story has made national news -- a neighbor had called police early Saturday morning to check on Jefferson after he saw a door was open at her home in Fort Worth, Texas.

When the officer, Aaron Dean, arrived at the home ... he saw a person inside, and before ever announcing he was a police officer, he opened fire and shot Jefferson, killing the 28-year-old.

Dean has been charged with murder. He's currently out on $200,000 bail.

Jefferson had been peacefully, innocently watching her 8-year-old nephew at the home.

Now, Barnes -- who played for the Dallas Mavericks for 3 years before being traded to the Kings -- has offered to help out the family and foot the bill for the funeral, which is scheduled for Saturday in Dallas.

Barnes has made a lot of money in his NBA career -- he recently signed a 4-year, $85 million extension. He has earned a reputation for being extremely generous with his money and often giving back to the community.

Elijah Cummings, one of the strongest voices in Congress for decades who early on expressed outrage at the way Donald Trump was running the country, has died.

Cummings had been hospitalized earlier this week and underwent some sort of medical treatment. His office said the Congressman passed due to "complications concerning longstanding health challenges."

Cummings proudly served his Baltimore district where he grew up ... coming home every night from D.C.

He was a civil rights leader from an early age. When he was 11 he was partly responsible for integrating a Baltimore swimming pool ... as he was being hit by rocks and bottles.

Cummings attended Howard University where he became student body president and went on to get a law degree at the Univ. of Maryland. He became a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, where he became the youngest member of the Black Caucus.

He won his seat to the House in 1996, rose through the ranks and became the Chairman of the Black Caucus and Chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

Recently, after Trump attacked the City of Baltimore, Cummings went after the Prez ... something he was never afraid to do. He became a fierce opponent of Trump's immigration policies, especially the one that separated children from families, calling it inhumane.

As for his health issues, Cummings had been dealing with ill health for years, which included heart surgery.

Cummings was 68. RIP.

Boxer Patrick Day died Wednesday from brain injuries sustained during a violent knockout loss on Saturday, his team announced. Day was only 27.

Day (17-4-1) was knocked down 3 times -- once in the 4th, again in the 8th and finally in the 10th -- by 21-year-old rising star Charles Conwell during Saturday's fight at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

The final knockdown was particularly brutal -- Day's head bounced off the canvas and the ref immediately stopped the fight.

Medical personnel rushed into the ring, Day was taken out of the ring in a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance which transported him to a nearby hospital.

Day suffered a seizure after the fight and then fell into a coma. He later underwent emergency brain surgery.

Day fought for days but ultimately succumbed to "the traumatic brain injury" he suffered during the fight and was pronounced dead on Wednesday. He was surrounded by close friends, family and members of his boxing team.

Day's promoter, Lou DiBella, issued a statement praising the fighter as a champion in and out of the ring.

"He was a son, brother, and good friend to many. Pat's kindness, positivity, and generosity of spirit made a lasting impression with everyone he met."

"Patrick Day didn't need to box. He came from a good family, he was smart, educated, had good values and had other avenues available to him to earn a living."

"He chose to box, knowing the inherent risks that every fighter faces when he or she walks into a boxing ring. Boxing is what Pat loved to do. It's how he inspired people and it was something that made him feel alive."

Hundreds of birds launched themselves into the side of the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday night, killing themselves ... and the surreal scene was all caught on video.

A woman in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina filmed the chaos ... saying for OVER AN HOUR -- birds continued to kill themselves by running into the building's windows.

According to the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue ... 310 birds total were found at the scene -- with 97 dead on arrival and another nine needing to be euthanized once they got to the shelter.

Food Network star and celebrity chef Carl Ruiz died from a hardening of his arteries ... TMZ has learned.

A spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Health tells TMZ ... Ruiz died after succumbing to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease -- typically a buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in arteries which restricts blood flow.

The finding confirms the suspicions of Carl's family ... that he died of a heart attack.

Sid Haig -- the guy best known as Captain Spaulding in Rob Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses" -- died from intense and chronic heart and lung issues ... TMZ has learned.

We obtained Sid's death certificate, issued in Ventura County, CA, and it lists cardiorespiratory arrest as his immediate cause of death. Other contributing factors include respiratory failure, aspiration and aspergillus (mold) pneumonia ... as well as a "small bowel obstruction."

He'd been having breathing issues for some time, because the doc also notes he suffered from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

As we reported ... Sid's wife, Suzie, shared the sad news last month on Sid's own social media account. She wrote, "On Saturday, September 21, 2019, my light, my heart, my true love, my King, the other half of my soul, Sidney, passed from this realm on to the next."

K-Pop singer and actress Sulli has been found dead, and police believe it might have been a suicide ... according to various reports out of South Korea.

Sulli, whose real name is Choi Jin-ri, was reportedly discovered Monday in her home south of Seoul by her manager, who went there because she hadn't answered phone calls for hours.

The K-pop star lived alone in the house, and according to one police official ... "It seems that she took her own life but we are also looking into other possibilities." Cops say no suicide note was found and there were no signs of foul play.