RIP

The man who stabbed Morgan Freeman's step-granddaughter 25 times dodged a murder conviction ... but still got nailed for manslaughter.

The judge handed down the decision Monday in NYC. Lamar Davenport killed E'Dena Hines back in August 2015 outside of the couple's NYC apartment. Davenport was acquitted of second degree murder. His lawyer argued Davenport was high on PCP when he repeatedly stabbed Hines while screaming, "I love you. I always loved you. God would have wanted this." The judge agreed Davenport wasn't acting with malice, he was just messed up on drugs.

Davenport now faces up to 25 years in prison.

As we reported ... Davenport screamed several religious statements during the stabbing.

After her death, Morgan said, "her star will continue to shine bright in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. May she rest in peace."

Kokito, the French bulldog placed in the overhead bin of a United Airlines flight, died of suffocation ... TMZ has learned.

According to results of Kokito's necropsy, conducted at Cornell University, the 9-month-old puppy was the victim of the decreased oxygen levels in the overhead compartment. Stress combined with the animal's narrow airway -- which is common in the breed -- were also factors.

You'll recall Kokito's owner had the 20-pound dog in a carrier at her feet, but a flight attendant on the flight from Houston to NYC insisted the carrier be place in the overhead bin. Witnesses said Kokito was barking for a long time.

Prosecutors in NY and Texas are looking into the dog's death as a possible criminal matter, which is why the experts at Cornell were called on to conduct the necropsy.

United just announced it will resume allowing certain dog breeds in the cabin during flights. It had suspended that while flight crews went through mandatory "compassion training."

Avicii committed suicide with broken glass he used to cut himself ... TMZ has learned.

Multiple sources familiar with the circumstances surrounding the famous DJ's death tell us, he did indeed take his own life ... something his parents alluded to last week.

Our sources say the method of death was a shard of glass that caused massive bleeding. Two sources tell us Avicii broke a bottle and used the glass to inflict the fatal wound. One of the sources says it was a wine bottle.

Two sources tell us the point of injury was Avicii's neck but another strongly denies that, saying it was his wrist. We cannot confirm this, but the sources were privy to specific information about Avicii's death.

As TMZ reported ... the 28-year-old was found dead April 20 in the Middle Eastern country of Oman. He battled alcohol problems for years, and his friends worried those issues would eventually kill him.

Avicii's family released a statement that included the clear message it was suicide ... "He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace."

Mercedes-Benz is following the lead of fake news by its unspoken policy of "fake recalls" ... so customers claim in a new lawsuit.

The auto giant is being sued for allegedly issuing recall notices for the premature deployment of airbags, which by its own admission can cause grievous injury or death.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Mercedes has been issuing recall notices for the problem, but when customers have attempted to schedule a fix they were routinely told the parts were not available and the fixes would have to wait.

According to the class action lawsuit, it's all an attempt by Mercedes to shirk its responsibility with potentially grave consequences. The suit says it especially dices for people who lease Mercedes, because the company allegedly just stalls until the customer gives up and eventually returns the car.

The suit claims at least 18 people have died as a result of Mercedes airbags, and the auto company is aware of the "significant problems" associated with its airbags.

Attoney Ben Meiselas from Geragos & Geragos tells TMZ, "Consumers were let down, and their safety compromised, by fake recall notices. If Mercedes announces a recall because their products could kill people they have to be prepared to actually do the recall and not string consumers along until their leases are up."

TMZ has obtained a copy of Verne Troyer's

... and it reveals his family's plans for his remains.

As we previously reported, Troyer died April 21 at a Los Angeles-area hospital. His death certificate shows Verne was cremated, and his remains will be sent to his home state of Michigan for interment.

Verne's cause of death is listed as "deferred" pending further investigation. Toxicology testing has not been completed yet.

He was rushed to the hospital early in April after cops got a call that he was suicidal. Sources say he was treated for alcohol poisoning because his BAC was triple the .08 limit, and he'd been on life support since then.

Verne was 49.

Billy Bush says George H.W. Bush probably isn't going anywhere anytime soon -- 'cause he's been to the hospital bed and back before ... plus, he's got jelly jars to mug for.

We got Billy hanging with his kids Sunday at Pacific Park in Santa Monica, where we asked how his uncle was doing after being hospitalized just a day after Barbara Bush's funeral.

He says the POTUS 41 is "solid" -- noting he was hospitalized 5 years ago, and came back from that just fine. Billy also makes a prediction about H.W.'s short-term and long-term life goals -- namely, a potential plan to be the (literal) face of Smucker's. Give it 7 years.

Mike Posner's still coping with the loss of Avicii, and says the world-famous DJ's death has been a harsh reminder for him -- nothing lasts forever.

We got the singer at LAX Thursday and asked him how he feels about his hit track, "I Took A Pill In Ibiza" -- known for its mention of Avicii in the second line -- now that he's gone. He tells us it definitely has a much deeper meaning now ... and will always make him think of Tim.

Mike also says he wants his friend remembered for his music above all else, because that's the highest honor for musicians ... and what he hopes for himself. He shares some fond memories of working with Avicii, too ... even on the never-released stuff.

The daughter of Gary Canter, the late co-owner of L.A.'s famed Canter's Deli, is accusing his widow of sinister behavior ... and, as a result, she wants control of her father's estate.

Jennifer Canter says in new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, her dad's wife, Traci, waited hours before calling 911 when she found Gary dead in December 2017 ... insinuating foul play was involved. Gary reportedly died of a massive heart attack.

Jennifer claims Traci sent a photo of Gary's body to TMZ in order to get it published. We have not found any record of any such photo being sent to us ... plus we never posted anything about Gary's death.

In the docs, Jennifer says Traci's been selling off her dad's valuables and refuses to let her look through his belongings. Even weirder, Jennifer claims Traci had Gary kidnapped in 2014 in an elaborate move to find out where he'd stashed cash in their house.

She also says she doubts her father and Traci were legally married.

Jennifer's asking a judge to allow her to take over her father's estate -- which she claims is valued at around $500k -- to keep Traci from harming the family even more.

NFL prospect Derrius Guice -- who might hear his name called in the 1st round Thursday night -- just did one of the coolest things ever ... pimping out his car to honor his late father.

Guice was only six years old when his father was murdered ... so he decked out his Hyundai in rememberance of his dad ... with a picture of his pops on the hood with angel wings and an RIP message.

DG is projected by some to go in the 1st round, and it's clear his father is heavy on his mind, 'cause Guice has been tweeting a ton about his dad leading up to his big moment.

BTW -- he didn't stop at the car ... he also has a pair of custom cleats with the same type of tribute to his dad on them, and proudly displayed those for the world to see.

Avicii was struggling with major issues at the time of his death ... which his family is now strongly insinuating was a suicide.

The superstar DJ, whose real name was Tim Bergling, was found dead last week in Oman, and while there's been no cause of death released ... his family just released a statement referring to his struggles to find meaning in his life once he finished touring.

Here's the full statement:

Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions.
An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress.
When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most – music.
He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness.
He could not go on any longer.
He wanted to find peace.
Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight.
Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed.
The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive.

Obviously, the passage ... "He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace" ... seems like a reference to Avicii taking his own life. Authorities have ruled out foul play in the 28-year-old's death.

Meanwhile, Avicii was commemorated in his native Sweden where a choir performed "Wake Me Up!"

The "Cops" crew member who was shot and killed during a shootout got caught between officers and the robber who was trying to escape ... is now seen on video for the first time.

A judge just released the "Cops" camera crew footage of the 2014 incident, which left audio operator Bryce Dion dead. He was shot by a cop who was firing while chasing a suspect who'd just robbed a Wendy's in Omaha.

When the shootout ends you see the cameraman running out to the parking lot, trying to capture footage as the officers captured the suspect -- but first, he sees Bryce on the floor. He was still moving, but he eventually died from his wounds.

As we reported, Bryce's family sued the city of Omaha for wrongful death. The 3 officers involved in the shooting were cleared of criminal wrongdoing.

The hero who took down the Waffle House shooter is now bringing together Hollywood liberals and famous right wing conservatives -- they've all joined forces to raise money for him!

Jon Cryer, Kristin Davis and Busy Philipps -- along with conservative author Mike Cernovich -- have each made significant contributions to a GoFundMe page for James Shaw Jr.

In fact, Davis tweeted, "I just donated and it feels good! Good to help someone who stood up and did the right thing, thank you James Shaw Jr! And I love everyone who is donating too!"

The fundraising effort was launched by journalist Yashar Ali, who says he was so inspired by Shaw's story ... he wants to raise money for a college fund for Shaw's daughter or to help him take his family on a nice vacation, whichever he chooses!

So far, Ali has raised more than $50,000 for Shaw!!!

FYI, Shaw is a REAL LIFE superhero -- who singlehandedly charged the Waffle House gunman in Nashville and ripped away his gun, ending the killing spree.

Other stars who have contributed ... Ike Barinholtz and Natasha Ziff.

"Night Court" star Harry Anderson died of a stroke he apparently suffered in the night, which might've been triggered by the flu and a specific type of heart disease.

TMZ has obtained Anderson's

, which lists the actor's primary cause of death as cardioembolic cerebrovascular accident, which is a stroke that's caused by the heart pumping unwanted materials into the brain's circulation.

The contributing causes are listed as influenza -- the flu -- and a heart disease that affects the tissue of the organ by either enlarging it or disrupting its natural motor function.

As we reported ... Anderson was found dead on arrival last week after his wife called 911. She told the operator that his body was cold, and that CPR wouldn't help. She also mentioned he'd suffered a series of strokes earlier this year.

He was 65.

Rob Gronkowski celebrated Avicii's life EXACTLY the way the DJ would've wanted ... so says another world-famous DJ, who tells TMZ Sports Gronk put a little happy into a terribly sad situation.

We got Gianluca Vacchi (yes, he's Italian) -- the dude GQ once called "The Coolest Man On Instagram" -- and asked him what he thought of Gronk turning up to Avicii's song in Austin this weekend.

You can tell Vacchi (who's remixed Avicii's music in the past) was moved by the tribute, telling our camera guy having fun is the whole point of EDM, and the perfect way to honor the late DJ.

Sad story, but you know what's not sad? Vacchi's Instagram. Dude has over 11 million followers and we gotta say his lifestyle makes Gronk look like Peyton Manning.

Waffle House has offered to pay for the funerals of the 4 people killed in its restaurant in Tennessee over the weekend ... and will help to cover the medical expenses of those injured.

A rep for the company tells us they've reached out to the families of the victims of the attack to help in any way they can. We're told the restaurant chain has offered to pay for all funeral and medical costs associated with the attack.

Four people were killed and another 4 injured when 29-year-old Travis Reinking entered the restaurant with an AR-15 and opened fire.

WH's director of PR, Pat Warner, says the company's CEO and Senior Management team has personally visited with victims and their families to offer condolences and assistance during the difficult time.

We're told company honchos have developed a personal relationship with James Shaw Jr. -- the man responsible for disarming the gunman -- and have offered assistance to him as well.

Reinking was arrested in a wooded area Monday after more than a day on the run. His motives for carrying out the shooting are still unknown.

Prince's family is taking action after it was announced no one would be criminally charged in the singer's death by suing the hospital that treated his overdose a week before he died.

Prince's family -- repped in the lawsuit by trustee Michael A. Zimmer -- just filed to sue Trinity Medical Center out of Illinois for allegedly failing to properly diagnose and treat Prince's opioid addiction before he suffered another, and ultimately fatal, overdose a week later.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the family claims that Trinity's action -- or lack thereof -- was a direct and proximate cause of Prince's death. They're also suing one of Trinity's doctors, Dr. Nicole Mancha, as well as an unidentified pharmacist and Walgreens employee whom they claim were involved in providing care to him in his final days. They're suing Walgreens, too, btw.

We broke the story ... Prince made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, where emergency responders gave him 2 shots of Narcan to save his life. He was taken to a nearby hospital at the time, which apparently turned out to be Trinity.

In regards to Walgreens, Prince's family claims the drug store chain was dispensing narcotic prescription medications to Prince for an invalid medical purpose and failed to make sure he was using the drug properly.