RIP

A potentially big development in the Breonna Taylor killing ... at least one of the cops who raided her home appears to have been wearing a body cam, raising questions about the police department's earlier statements that there was no body cam video of the shooting.

Officer Tony James is seen in this photo clearly wearing a body cam. The photo was obtained by VICE news, and it contradicts the police chief, who said after the shooting the officers involved are in divisions that don't require body cams.

What we don't know ... was the camera operational during the shooting? If it was, it could be the critical piece of evidence to determine exactly what happened inside Breonna's home.

A second officer -- Myles Cosgrove -- was also photographed with a body cam mount, but a camera was not attached.

Breonna, who was shot multiple times in the raid, and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were sleeping on March 13 when cops came to execute a search warrant involving her ex-boyfriend. They used a battering ram to gain entry and Walker fired a warning shot from inside.  He says cops never identified themselves ... police say they did.

Walker's shot hit a cop, and officers responded with 35 rounds. One officer blindly fired 10 rounds. When cops wrote up their report they said Breonna was not injured.  That was a lie.

As we reported, local prosecutors tried to squeeze a plea deal out of Breonna's ex-boyfriend, telling him if he would say Breonna was dealing drugs they would cut him a sweet deal -- possibly probation instead of 10 years in prison. Cops have no evidence Breonna was involved in drugs and the family says it's a shocking case of trying to smear Breonna's name in order to protect the cops who killed her. The ex-boyfriend rejected the deal.

Donald Trump is denying that he declined to visit a military cemetery because he reportedly said, "Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers."

Trump blasted The Atlantic for its story, claiming Trump made repeated disparaging remarks about soldiers who were killed or injured during battle.

The mag also claimed Trump called the 1,800 soldiers who died during a famous WWI battle "suckers" for getting killed.

Trump claims the reason he skipped a visit to the military cemetery was because his helicopter couldn't fly because of bad weather and the Secret Service didn't feel it was safe to drive there.

As you know, Trump had incredibly harsh words for Senator and military hero John McCain, saying he wasn't a war hero because he was captured during the Vietnam War.

Trump had harsh words for McCain even after the Senator died of brain cancer.

Former MLB great David Cone says losing Tom Seaver on Wednesday hurt like hell ... telling TMZ Sports he thought the former NY Met was "one of a kind."

"He was the franchise," the former Cy Young winner said. "He was a Hall of Famer's Hall of Famer. All of the pitchers in the Hall of Fame looked to him as kind of like a leader."

As we previously reported, Seaver tragically passed away at 75 years old after a battle with dementia and COVID-19.

Baseball Hall of Fame officials say the 12-time All-Star died peacefully in California surrounded by his family ... and when we got Cone out at Yankee Stadium shortly after the news broke, the former Met was obviously devastated.

"One of the greatest of all-time," Cone said of Seaver. "Not only for the Mets, but for all of baseball."

Cone says he's sure the Mets will do something special as a tribute for the 3-time Cy Young winner ... adding he and every other NYM pitcher had always looked up to Seaver.

As for Cone's favorite memory of the pitching legend? David says he'll never forget meeting Tom for the 1st time, calling it "such a thrill."

Graphic new video shows Daniel Prude -- a 41-year-old Black man -- having a hood placed over his head by police, who then press his face into the ground for 2 minutes until he stops breathing ... leading to his death days later.

The disturbing incident happened back on March 23 in Rochester, NY when Prude's brother called for help because Daniel was acting erratically and went out into the cold night with no clothes. This police body cam footage was just released.

Cops arrived to find him in the nude, but Prude complied when they told him to sit down and handcuffed him.

The video shows Prude spitting at one point, then yelling and pleading with officers to let him go before they place a "spit hood" over his head. Moments later when he tries to stand up, they wrestle him down and hold him face down for more than 2 minutes.

After noticing fluid seeping from his mouth, some of the officers become concerned and realize he's unconscious. He never woke up again.

Prude was taken to the hospital and placed on life support, but died a week later. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide, caused by "complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint" as well as "excited delirium" and PCP intoxication.

Daniel's family released the footage Wednesday, claiming it shows the excessive police force used during the incident. Prude's brother said ... "I placed a phone call for my brother to get help. Not for my brother to get lynched."

Protests are erupting in upstate NY over his killing, which looks tragically similar to what happened to George Floyd 2 months later ... sparking the worldwide Black Lives Matter movement.

The 4 cops involved in Prude's arrest are still on the force. New York's Attorney General Letitia James said she is investigating the incident.

Damian Daniels, the African-Amerian Army vet killed by cops in Texas, was desperately in need of mental counseling, and not sheriff's deputies responding with force ... according to the family's lawyer.

Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt and Damian's brother, Brendan, joined us on "TMZ Live" to discuss the case which is stirring outrage in the San Antonio area and beyond. Brendan says his family was doing everything they could to avoid having police check on Damian -- a combat veteran who was experiencing some mental distress.

He told us why they purposely called the Red Cross, and not cops, to do a welfare check on his brother just over a week ago -- but in the end, he says the Red Cross ended up calling the Bexar County Sheriff's Department. Brendan and Lee believe that's where things took a horrible turn.

When deputies arrived at Damian's home he was armed, and a struggle ensued with deputies who ended up fatally shooting him. The Sheriff's Dept. claims Damian was suicidal, but Lee and Brendan say that's just not true.

They know Damian was hurting, struggling with mental issues brought on by several recent deaths in their family -- but they don't believe for a second he was threatening to anyone. As for his weapon ... Texas is an open-carry state and the gun was legally owned. Brendan says his brother actually got it while serving America in the Army.

A Bay Area police officer's been charged with voluntary manslaughter for shooting and killing a black man who was wielding a bat in Walmart.

The San Leandro cop, Jason Fletcher, made no attempt to de-escalate the situation before fatally shooting 33-year-old Steven Demarco Taylor ... according to Alameda County District Attorney, Nancy E. O’Malley.

The D.A. claims Taylor didn't pose an imminent threat of death or great bodily injury to Fletcher or others in the store, and says she made the decision Wednesday to charge the officer with manslaughter.

As we reported ... cops responded to the Walmart outside Oakland on the afternoon of April 18, and encountered Taylor with an aluminum bat in his hands.

Police say they used Tasers on him first near the shopping carts area, but video showed he was shot multiple times by either a Taser or a gun ... even after he had dropped the bat and fallen limp to the ground.

Prosecutors claim Fletcher did use a stun gun on Taylor first, but then shot him in the chest. The entire encounter lasted roughly 40 seconds.

Chadwick Boseman's hometown is already hard at work on a statue that'll pay tribute to the "Black Panther" star ... but those who want it to replace a Confederate memorial shouldn't hold their breath.

A spokesperson for Mayor Terence Roberts' Office in Anderson, SC tells TMZ ... the city is enthusiastically working on a permanent public tribute to honor the late actor.

We're told the City has already contacted an artist and they're brainstorming ideas on how best to honor the hometown hero who played legendary roles. We're told the statue will include a mix of sculpture with mural and/or art elements.

The spokesperson conceded they don't have plans nailed down but he assured us it'll be suitable for a king. We're told the Mayor's office wants public input, to ensure it does the entire city proud.

A Change.org petition is gaining steam ... after calling for a Chadwick Boseman statue to replace a Confederate memorial currently in front of the city's courthouse. Thing is ... that's not the Mayor's call, because removal of a Confederate monument requires a two-thirds vote from the state legislature.

But, what can move forward ... a fitting tribute in the late star's hometown. As we reported ... Chadwick's sudden death shocked the world following a 4-year, very private battle with colon cancer.

Tom Seaver -- one of the greatest Mets players of all time -- died Monday after a battle with dementia and COVID-19. He was 75.

"We are heartbroken to share that our beloved husband and father has passed away," his wife Nancy and daughters Sarah and Anne told the National Baseball Hall of Fame. "We send our love out to his fans, as we mourn his loss with you."

Seaver passed away peacefully at his home in Calistoga, California surrounded by his family, according to the HOF.

The HOF says Seaver's death was more specifically caused by complications from Lewy body dementia and COVID-19.

Seaver was a part of the legendary "Miracle Mets" of 1969 ... which went on to win the World Series over the Baltimore Orioles.

Seaver played in the majors from 1968 to 1986 and was a 13-time All-Star and 3-time Cy Young winner.

He ended up becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer and was inducted into Cooperstown in 1992.

Seaver went public about his dementia diagnosis in 2019 -- and announced that he would "retire from public life."

Seaver is one of the greatest to ever wear a Mets jersey -- he had his No. 41 jersey retired in 1988 and was given the nicknames "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise" during his playing days.

Seaver also played for the Reds, White Sox and Red Sox ... raking in 311 wins.

After he retired from baseball, Seaver went into broadcasting ... and worked as a Yankees analyst on WPIX from 1989 to 1993 ... and on Mets telecasts from 1999 to 2005.

The Mets addressed the loss of a legend ... saying, "We are devastated to learn of the passing of Mets Legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Tom Seaver."

"Beyond the multitude of awards, records, accolades, World Series Championship, All-Star appearances, and just overall brilliance, we will always remember Tom for his passion and devotion to his family, the game of baseball, and his vineyard."

MLB commish Rob Manfred released a statement on Seaver's passing, saying, "I am deeply saddened by the death of Tom Seaver, one of the greatest pitchers of all-time."

"Tom was a gentleman who represented the best of our National Pastime."

Manfred added ... "On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my condolences to Tom’s family, his admirers throughout our game, Mets fans, and the many people he touched."

L.A. County Sheriff's deputies gunned down a Black man in South L.A. this week -- which can now be seen in full view through new surveillance video that was just released.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump posted footage obtained by a security camera at a nearby home, not far from where 29-year-old Dijon Kizzee was shot multiple times and killed on the spot Monday afternoon. His death has come under scrutiny and sparked protests.

LASD says officers were attempting to stop Kizzee after they found he was "in violation of vehicle codes" while riding his bike. They say they pursued him when he fled ... and things escalated into a physical confrontation between Kizzee and at least one deputy, which you can see here.

The Sheriff's Dept. goes on to say that during the struggle, some items Kizzee was carrying fell on the ground ... one of which they claim was a handgun. LASD claims at that point, Kizzee broke free and tried fleeing once again, but officers fired multiple rounds and took him down.

Crump and others contend that even if a gun was in Kizzee's possession during the altercation, he didn't point it at them and was not a threat by the time he ran a second time. They're demanding Sheriff Alex Villanueva release the names of the deputies who fired the shots ... while also asking for their arrest and eventual prosecution. The case is under investigation.

Unprecedented Roberto Clemente honor coming up for the Pittsburgh Pirates ... team officials say they'll unretire the Hall of Famer's #21 so their players can wear it for Clemente Day next week.

The team says the tribute will go down when the Buccos take on the White Sox on Sept. 9 ... with each Pitt. player set to don Clemente's famous number for the game.

Afterward, Pirates officials say they'll auction off the unis ... with all proceeds going toward the Clemente Foundation and other Pirates charities.

Of course, it's a HUGE honor ... no one in the org. has worn the number for a Pirates game since Clemente tragically died in a plane crash back in 1972. He was only 38.

"Our staff and players are excited to wear the number 21 with pride as we constantly search for ways to not only honor Roberto's legacy but to keep his memory alive through our community actions," Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said.

"We recognize what this moment represents for all of us within the organization, the Clemente Family, our fans, and the people of Puerto Rico. We take great pride in representing such a great ambassador of the game."

The Pirates and MLB as a whole have honored Clemente every September since 2002 with Clemente Day ... with Pittsburgh doing different things every year to carry on RC's legacy.

The tributes to Chadwick Boseman keep pouring in, and the latest honor for the late "Black Panther" star is all about education.

Walter Mayfield, principal at T. L. Hanna High School in South Carolina where the actor attended, tells TMZ ... they're forming the Chadwick Boseman Memorial Scholarship for a yearly honor to a deserving student.

Mayfield says the goal is to create a sustainable scholarship for years to come, and the school is aiming to raise $100k toward that end. The principal says a bunch of people have already reached out about contributing in Chadwick's honor -- without even publicizing the idea yet -- so they're off to a good start.

We're told the school is trying to work with Boseman's family on the plan -- Mayfield feels it's essential they be involved to help formulate criteria for the award.

Chadwick's former H.S. basketball coach, Wayne Jones, is pushing for the school to retire the number he used to wear -- 32 -- in his memory.

He tells us the cinematic superhero was an all-around solid player on the court who played 4 years on the varsity squad ... and could do a little bit of everything. T. L. Hanna has never retired a number before, but Principal Mayfield says this is the time to consider it.

If the Boseman scholarship gets up and running, it will be the second one in honor of a T. L. Hanna legend ... the first is James "Radio" Kennedy. His scholarship goes to a student pursuing a career in special ed.

As we told you ... Chadwick's South Carolina hometown is also set to honor him soon.

Chadwick Boseman fans will be able to see his iconic performance as Jackie Robinson on the big screen one last time ... with "42" getting re-released days after his tragic death.

Boseman's main role as the baseball hero was one of his first major gigs on the silver screen ... leading to projects like "Draft Day," "Get on Up," and the legendary character of T'Challa in "Black Panther" and the 'Avengers' series.

AMC Theaters announced it will show the 2013 film -- which also stars Harrison Ford and Nicole Beharie -- in 300 different locations later this week ... as a tribute to the beloved actor.

Tickets will be made available on Tuesday ... and the showings will begin as early as Thursday.

As we previously reported, Boseman died at age 43 on Friday after a 4-year battle with colon cancer.

The entertainment and sports worlds have been grieving the loss ever since ... including a tribute from LeBron James prior to the Lakers vs. Blazers game on Saturday and a lengthy farewell from co-star Michael B. Jordan.

DJ Erick Morillo -- best known for his 1993 hit, "I Like to Move It" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us the DJ and music producer's body was found this morning in Miami Beach ... the circumstances surrounding his death are currently unclear.

Best known for his work in international house music, Morillo produced his biggest hit in the '90s with the electro-dance track "I Like to Move It" ... which he put out under the stage name Reel 2 Real.

He's a 3-time winner of the DJ Awards' Best House DJ and a 3-time winner of Best International DJ ... including his most recent win in 2009.

Morillo's death comes a few weeks after he was arrested in Miami on sexual battery charges. The alleged victim claims she and Morillo went to his place after they were both DJing. She alleges she resisted his sexual advances, and then went to sleep at his place, but woke up nude ... with Morillo standing next to her, also nude.

He'd turned himself in on August 6.

Morillo was 49.

"Sucks so hard that some a-holes live forever and some really cool people die young."

That's Joe Rogan keeping it honest on the death of Chadwick Boseman ... saying he was crushed when he heard the news of the actor's death.

"I just looked at the news and said, 'F*ck!!!!'" Rogan said on SiriusXM's "Unlocking the Cage with Jimmy Smith."

"Just instantly, "F*ck. That guy was cool."

Didn't seem like Rogan knew Boseman personally -- but it's clear from the interview Joe had a tremendous amount of respect for the "Black Panther" star ... for what he did both on and off the screen.

"He was such a brilliant guy."

Rogan says he understands the impact the movie "Black Panther" had on the Black community -- and credits Boseman for playing the lead role to perfection.

"He was so perfect in the role -- as a human being outside of the movie, he was so perfect."

So, when Rogan learned Boseman passed away Friday after a secret 4-year battle with colon cancer, he could barely contain his emotions.

"It also speaks to his character that he suffered in silence like that and he didn’t make a big deal of the fact he was trying to get through cancer. It's a bummer man."

RIP

Chadwick Boseman's still playing the hero, because his life story's inspiring people to take action ... in the ongoing fight against colon cancer.

Several leading organizations focused on beating colorectal cancer -- the third leading form of cancer in both men and women in the U.S. -- tell TMZ ... the "Black Panther" star's shocking death instantly brought about a massive increase in awareness, donations, and love for those dealing with it.

Anjee Davis, President of Fight Colorectal Cancer, tells us along with a huge outpouring of grief for the actor, her org got a major boost in social media engagements and support ... which resulted in raising nearly $10,000.

She says the funds will go toward research to seek better treatment options and a cure for colon cancer, but just as important ... she hopes the heightened awareness pushes people to get early screenings, look into their family history of cancer, and be on alert for signs and symptoms.

Likewise for Michael Sapienza, CEO of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, who says Chadwick's death -- at 43, after a 4-year cancer battle -- has already brought on "the most monumental change" to how people view the disease.

Though the Marvel superhero chose to keep his battle shielded from the public, Sapienza's encouraging the public to be more open to discussing colon cancer to shed the stigma ... especially since it's increasingly affecting younger people like Boseman.

Cindy Borassi, Interim President for the Colon Cancer Foundation, also points out the increasing impact on younger Americans, and adds, to make matters worse ... screenings have gone way down due to the pandemic.

She tells us it sometimes takes a "larger-than-life personality" like Boseman to boost outreach, awareness and support, and while it's tragic ... that's what is happening here.

Borassi says donations to the org have increased at least 300 percent since Friday, and she believes his death will result in huge companies like Disney and Marvel joining forces in the effort to eradicate colon cancer.

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka wore a Breonna Taylor tribute mask to her 1st round match at the U.S. Open on Monday ... and says she's got more tributes planned.

The 22-year-old has been very outspoken about social justice issues lately -- and even "boycotted" a match at a different tournament last week in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting.

So, when she arrived at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, she rocked the Breonna mask to help "spread awareness" about the Taylor case.

"I'm aware that tennis is watched all over the world, and maybe there is someone that doesn't know Breonna Taylor's story," Osaka said.

"Maybe they'll like Google it or something. For me, just spreading awareness. I feel like the more people know the story, then the more interesting or interested they'll become in it."

26-year-old Taylor was shot and killed at her apartment back in March when Louisville cops executed a no-knock warrant. Her boyfriend says he fired a warning shot because he thought the officers were intruders but they returned fire, striking Taylor 8 times.

After Osaka won her opening match Monday against Misaki Doi, she said she has 6 more masks she plans on wearing throughout the tournament to honor other victims of police brutality.

"It's quite sad that seven masks isn't enough for the amount of names, so hopefully I'll get to the finals and you can see all of them."

Osaka is expected to return to the court Wednesday to take on Camila Giorgi.