Breonna Taylor Case Ex-Cop Hankison Pleads Not Guilty To Wanton Endangerment
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Brett Hankison -- the lone Louisville cop charged in connection with the Breonna Taylor case -- has just entered his plea in court ... not guilty.
Hankison appeared by audio conference call Monday to enter his plea during his arraignment for wanton endangerment. Remember, the grand jury did not indict him for shooting and killing Breonna ... the charges are for shooting into her neighbor's apartment.
The now-fired officer -- indicted on 3 counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree -- was later booked and released from the Shelby County Detention Center after paying $15k bail. Wanton endangerment carries a maximum penalty of 5 years if convicted.
As part of his bond conditions ... Hankison must surrender his weapons. His lawyer argued for him to keep them for self-defense since he's an ex-cop who lives outside the city and claimed he has gotten threats ... but the judge denied the request.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Hankison fired 10 rounds from outside, which went everywhere ... including into the neighboring unit.
Remember ... Cameron said after the officers received no response at the door on the night of the raid, they entered. Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly was the first one in, and apparently saw Breonna and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, standing at the end of the hall. He claims Walker was in a shooting stance with a gun in hand, and that he fired at Mattingly first, who was struck in the thigh.
Cameron says Mattingly returned fire -- shooting six times -- while another officer behind him, Myles Cosgrove, also returned fire ... unloading 16 rounds. Cameron stressed there wasn't conclusive evidence that any of Hankison's bullets hit Breonna -- it was only Mattingly and Cosgrove's ammo, and because of that, he couldn't look into any criminality around her death. He says Mattingly and Cosgrove were authorized and justified in their use of force, under Kentucky law.
Ben Crump, a member of Breonna's family's legal team, said the fact Hankison was charged for wanton endangerment of OTHER people besides Breonna is "outrageous and offensive."
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'My 600-lb. Life' Star Coliesa's Family Got to Say Final Goodbyes Despite Hospital COVID Restrictions
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The family of Coliesa McMillian -- who appeared on Season 8 of "My 600-lb. Life" -- was thankfully allowed to see her in the hospital before she died ... something they feared would not be possible due to COVID restrictions.
Coliesa passed away Tuesday at a hospital in Louisiana, but her mother, Sadie Courville, tells TMZ she'd been at the Baton Rouge facility for quite a while ... and they hadn't been able to visit her due to pandemic rules.
She says the hospital made an exception when it was clear Coliesa was on her deathbed, allowing her and Coliesa's 2 teenage daughters in to say their final goodbyes.
Sadie says she patted Coliesa's arm while her girls cried and held her hand.
"Living like this is not living." Tune in to a new #My600lbLife tonight at 8/7c. pic.twitter.com/JTN73ULoqQ
— TLC Network (@TLC) March 18, 2020 @TLC
According to Coliesa's mom ... the family doesn't know the exact cause of death, but she says her health went downhill after she underwent weight loss surgery and sadly, she never recovered.
A rep for the East Baton Rouge Coroner's Office tells us ... a review of Coliesa's medical records shows she died of natural causes due to complications from that surgery months ago.
Coliesa was 41.
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Breonna Taylor Case Folks In Louisville Find It Hard To Cope ... Seek Mental Health Help
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The decision not to charge the cops who killed Breonna Taylor has taken its toll on an untold number of Louisville residents, who are having a hard time coping.
We've learned there's been an increase in the number of Louisville residents seeking mental health help and are citing Breonna's case as the reason.
Joe Nalley, CEO of Kentucky Mental Health Care, tells TMZ ... the day after the announcement they saw 30 new clients, and a third of them cited Breonna not getting justice as the reason.
Millicent Cahoon, founder of Therapists for Protester Wellness, tells us their crisis hotline -- an emergency call line that provides people with psychological help -- has been ringing off the hook since the announcement ... and they've needed 10 therapists minimum on the line to handle the volume.
The organization has also set up booths offering free mental health services to protesters.
Tiffany Farmer, owner Best Life Mental Health Services in Louisville, tells TMZ ... she got 5 referrals for new clients the morning after the decision, directly in response to Breonna's case.
At Kentucky Mental Health Care, we're told 90% of clients are bringing up Breonna with their therapists, mostly saying any hope of justice is gone. There's also been a spike in prescriptions for anti-anxiety medication, including 17 new requests in a single day instead of the normal 4 or 5 Rx's.
Meanwhile, at Best Life Mental Health Services, we're told at least 70% of clients are frequently discussing Breonna in therapy and are seeking help processing what just happened.
We're told folks are unsure how to talk about the case with their loved ones, afraid of what it means for their life and safety, and some Black women are left thinking their lives don't matter.
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Amy Coney Barrett Republicans Selling 'Notorious A.C.B.' Shirts ... Democrats Outraged
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The best you can call this is bad taste, and the worst is despicable because a Republican group decided to jack the moniker of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- The Notorious R.B.G. -- by instantly printing shirts supporting Judge Amy Coney Barrett with the words "Notorious A.C.B." emblazoned on them.
The shirts are courtesy of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) ... a group that raises cash to elect Republicans to the Senate.
🚨 LIMITED EDITION: Show your support for Pres. Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, with your very own Notorious A.C.B. t-shirt! Claim yours here ⬇️https://t.co/qi1eWqTz17
— The Senate Majority (@NRSC) September 26, 2020 @NRSC
The org tweeted a photo of Barrett with the Biggie Smalls crown.
Barrett praised RBG when she spoke Saturday after being nominated by Donald Trump -- she called her "a woman of enormous talent" -- so we're guessing she had nothing to do with the shirt. But seriously ... to riff on something that became part of the public adoration for the late Justice -- it's just wrong.
Some Dems were outraged. California Governor Gavin Newsom said, "This makes me sick to my stomach."
The NRSC is selling the "limited edition" t-shirt for a minimum donation of $25.
Pass.
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Amy Coney Barrett I'm Ready to Serve on Supreme Court ... Trump Pushes Speedy Confirmation
President Trump just officially tapped his pick for the next Supreme Court justice to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg ... Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
The Prez nominated the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals judge Saturday, just over a week after RBG passed away from cancer. Barrett, a Trump appointee to the Circuit Court, was a Notre Dame law professor. He dished out her bona fides and respectable resume while naming her as his nominee, while also calling on the Senate to do their duty.
Barrett began her remarks by praising the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg for her laudatory and consequential life. She noted RBG smashed many glass ceilings. And, she had words about her mentor -- the late Justice Antonin Scalia -- and how he helped shape her vision of the law and how he taught her about collegiality even with people who are polar opposites.
Barrett said she'd learned a lot from Scalia and promised -- if confirmed -- to uphold the letter of the law as written, without any personal bias or otherwise. She also thanked her husband and her 7 kids, all of whom eventually came up on stage to pose for a photo op with the First Family.
Some more background on Barrett ... she is a die-hard conservative justice, who is a deeply religious, practicing Catholic. She's opposed to abortion, but has said she thinks Roe vs. Wade is more likely to be reimagined than overruled. In common parlance, reimagined means whittling away at the precedent.
Trump urged the public and the media to refrain from personal or partisan attacks against Judge Barrett, with a nod to how nasty and contentious Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation was. Trump went on to praise Justice Ginsburg, and explained why Barrett was the best choice to replace her.
If she's confirmed by the Senate -- which is highly likely -- the Supreme Court will have a solid 6-3 majority. The stakes are enormous, with abortion rights, health care, LGBTQ rights and voting rights on the chopping block.
Barrett has long been considered for a Supreme Court seat with Trump in office ... she was on the shortlist to replace Anthony Kennedy when he retired in 2018, a seat that is now occupied by Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
It's interesting ... when Trump filled Kennedy's seat, he reportedly informed advisors he was "saving" Barrett just in case RBG left SCOTUS during his presidency.
Barrett graduated from Notre Dame School of Law. She was in private practice before becoming a law professor at George Washington University and then Notre Dame.
Barrett has been serving on the Chicago-based 7th Circuit Court of Appeals since 2017. She's ruled on a pair of abortion-related cases, both times in favor of restrictions on access to abortion.
One key issue she's made herself perfectly clear on is the Affordable Care Act, arguing the birth control mandate is unconstitutional and the ACA overall is an overreach and abuse of Congressional power.
The ACA will go before the court the week after the election.
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg Trainer Does Push-Ups Before Casket
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's longtime trainer said goodbye to the late Supreme Court Justice with an ode to their notorious workouts ... doing push-ups in front of her casket.
Bryant Johnson dropped down and gave RBG 3 push-ups as he paid his respects before her casket Friday, which is lying in state in the U.S. Capitol.
It was a powerful moment ... and Bryant said farewell by doing the exercise in a full suit, though he made it look easy. It's not.
As you know ... Ruth was famous for her rigorous workout routine, which helped keep her working on SCOTUS until she was 87. RBG even invited Stephen Colbert to D.C. to show him how she kept fit in the gym, and Bryant was right by her side during the 'Late Show' segment.
Ruth passed away last Friday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, and her family is having a private burial next week at Arlington National Cemetery.
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Breonna Taylor's Mother The System Failed My Daugther!!! ... AG Cameron & Grand Jury Results Slammed
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Breonna Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, says the death of her daughter has indeed made her an angry Black woman … incredibly angry because Black people -- men, women and children -- keep dying at the hands of police and getting away with it.
Tamika’s powerful message following a grand jury's decision to not charge any of the cops for fatally shooting Breonna was delivered by Breonna’s aunt, Bianca Austin.
According to Tamika … she never had faith in Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron, and claims she felt from the get-go he lacked proper experience and had "already chosen to be on the wrong side of the law."
Breonna’s mom says Wednesday’s grand jury results solidified her belief that the legal system and law enforcement in America are designed to not protect Black people or give them justice … and the whole system failed her daughter.
Tamika makes it clear though — this has not defeated her, and she will continue to fight for her daughter. She says the system robbed the world of a queen … but she’s certain they will remember her and continue to say her name.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump opened the press conference with a fiery speech calling out AG Cameron and all the apparent discrepancies between the evidence he presented to the grand jury and evidence that’s been widely reported.
This led to a very public call for Cameron to release the grand jury transcripts, and Crump’s co-counsel, Lonita Baker, echoed that demand and took it a step further … by questioning whether the grand jury actually decided not to charge the officers who fatally shot Breonna, or if Cameron made the call himself.
Other speakers included Tamika Mallory from Until Freedom, and Jacob Blake’s father … who traveled from Kenosha, where his son is still recovering from being shot in the back by a cop.
Freshly out of jail after being arrested while protesting Thursday night, Kentucky State Rep. Attica Scott also said a few words. She’s known as the sponsor of “Breonna’s Law,” which helped put an end to “no-knock” warrants in the state in wake of her killing.
This was the first public appearance by Breonna's family together since it was announced only one of the 3 cops involved in her case was being charged ... and NOT for killing her.
As we reported ... on Thursday, the grand jury indicted now ex-officer, Brett Hankison, on charges of wanton endangerment. Hankison was not charged for the shooting of Breonna, but for firing his weapon into Breonna's neighbor's apartment.
The incident has sparked outrage across the country in the form of protests and angry words from celebs, athletes and politicians.
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Crump previously told us he had major concerns about what the AG presented during the grand jury proceedings ... and that the evidence should've led to more charges.
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg First Woman to Lie in State at Capitol ... Biden, Harris Attend
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is making history one final time -- she's now become the first woman to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol.
RGB's casket arrived Friday morning for a memorial service at Statuary Hall attended by Presidential candidate Joe Biden, Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other dignitaries.
A military honor guard carried RGB's casket into the Capitol and then Statuary Hall. For perspective, only about 30 Americans -- including 12 U.S. Presidents -- have lain in state at the Capitol since 1852, all men.
It should be noted ... Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks was given a lying in honor tribute at Statuary Hall in 2005, and the Rev. Bill Graham got the same honor in 2018. But, RGB becomes the first woman -- and the first Jewish person -- to receive this honor. It marks the close of 3 days of memorials.
As we reported, President Trump paid respects Thursday while she lied in repose at the Supreme Court, but was greeted with boos and chants of "vote him out". Neither Trump nor Vice President Mike Pence attended Friday's ceremony.
RGB's family will reportedly hold a private burial next week at Arlington National Cemetery.
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Danny Gonzalez Mayweather Boxing Prodigy 3rd Suspect Arrested In Murder Case
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A third man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Floyd Mayweather boxing prodigy Danny Gonzalez, TMZ Sports has confirmed.
Cops say 28-year-old Joseph Goldsmith turned himself in Monday and was arrested for 1st-degree murder.
He's now the third suspect officials have booked on murder charges stemming from the Sept. 7 incident.
As we previously reported, 22-year-old Gonzalez -- who signed with Mayweather's The Money Team in 2016 -- was killed on Labor Day in Moreno Valley, Calif.
Authorities say Gonzalez was shot along with two other victims ... and succumbed to his wounds shortly after they arrived on the scene.
Authorities booked 27-year-old Andre Richee and 32-year-old Lee Mooring earlier this month on first-degree murder charges ... and had been hunting for Goldsmith before he finally turned himself in this week.
All three men are now facing the death penalty if charged and convicted.
What's still unclear is motive surrounding the killing ... cops have not yet released why they believe Danny was targeted.
Gonzalez had major potential in the boxing world ... Mayweather had praised him as a bona fide future star, saying of the fighter when he was a teenager, "There are certain times when you know you've just struck gold and this is one of them."
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Breonna Taylor's Mom 'The System Failed Breonna'
Breonna Taylor's mom is breaking her silence about the grand jury indictment in Breonna's case, and seems to be pointing the finger, like many others, at Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
Tamika Palmer has not spoken publicly about the indictment, but on Thursday she did post a painting of her daughter with the caption, "It's still Breonna Taylor for me." She added 2 blue heart emojis, a red broken heart emoji and the hashtag #ThesystemfailedBreonna.
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Although Tamika didn't include Cameron's name in her post, the system she's referring to IS Cameron in the eyes of people angry the grand jury failed to indict any of the officers for shooting and killing Breonna.
Immediately after the grand jury announcement, Breonna's cousin, Tawana Gordon, told the Louisville Courier-Journal, "I'm not surprised but I'm mad as hell because nothing's changing ... today's decision was an additional injustice on our family and this country."
The family's attorney, Ben Crump, told us Thursday he has serious concerns about what Cameron presented during the secret grand jury proceedings ... and whether he fought to get justice for Breonna, or to exonerate the 3 cops.
As we reported ... the grand jury indicted just one officer, Brett Hankison, on charges of wanton endangerment. Hankison was not charged for the shooting of Breonna, but for firing his weapon into Breonna's neighbor's apartment.
The indictment is sparking outrage ... from Rev. Al Sharpton imploring voting over violence to comedian D.L. Hughley -- along with a score of pro athletes -- calling it a slap in the face.
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Skate Legend Keith Hufnagel Dead At 46 After Battle W/ Brain Cancer
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Legendary skater Keith Hufnagel -- one of the most influential skateboarders of all time -- passed away earlier this week at the age of 46.
Hufnagel had been battling brain cancer for the past 2 and a half years ... and fought to beat his original diagnosis.
Hufnagel -- who was born in NYC in 1974 -- had a massive impact on the East Coast skating scene in the '90s ... and beyond.
In addition to being a badass on the board, Hufnagel was also the founder of the immensely popular and important skate shop, HUF Worldwide.
"Keith loved skateboarding and the culture around it," the brand said Thursday. "He did things his way and did them for the right reasons. He inspired so many of us across the globe."
"But above anything else, Keith loved and supported the people around him. He would do anything for his friends, family and children. He passionately wanted to see others succeed. And we all loved him for it."
The skate legend is recognized as a streetwear and sneaker icon.
USA Skateboarding released a statement on KH's death, saying ... "We are devastated to hear that Keith Hufnagel has passed away. His impact on skateboarding, both on his board and off it as a designer, brand owner/founder and friend will live forever. Rest in peace, Keith"
Keith is survived by his wife, Mariellen ... and their children.
RIP
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Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump Cops in Breonna's Case Let Her Die ... Should Be Manslaughter
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Breonna Taylor's family attorney Ben Crump wants the grand jury transcript released to see if prosecutors tried to make a case for charging the cops with involuntary manslaughter ... or simply let them off the hook.
The civil rights attorney joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and tore into Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron, and got heated about something the 3 officers did NOT do the night they raided Breonna's home and shot her.
Police reportedly failed to give Breonna medical aid for at least 20 minutes after riddling her body with bullets -- and Ben explained why, under the law, that amounts to involuntary manslaughter. The question he has is whether Cameron even presented that potential charge to the grand jury.
For now, Crump says there's only one way to know, and he's calling for public pressure on Cameron's office to release the grand jury transcript ... something Cameron said Wednesday he would not do.
Crump also has an issue with the witness who claimed to hear police announce themselves before entering Breonna's home and gunning her down. Watch the clip, and it should be clear why he, and others, feel it's crucial to know what Cameron said to the grand jury.
Bottom line for Crump ... the wanton endangerment charge against Brett Hankison for shooting into Breonna's white neighbor's house instead of a murder charge underscores what he sees as different justice systems for Black and white Americans.
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Chadwick Boseman Powerful Mural Unveiled ... Wakanda Forever in Downtown Disney
Now this is cool -- a moving Chadwick Boseman mural, showing the late Marvel star giving the Wakanda salute to an adoring young fan wearing a "Black Panther" mask.
The powerful artwork by Nikkolas Smith was unveiled Thursday in Downtown Disney outside Disneyland in Anaheim ... and it's a fitting tribute to Chadwick's legacy in a number of ways.
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Nikkolas calls the mural his "King Chad" tribute and says ... "It is a full circle moment for me: my final two projects as a Disney Imagineer last summer were working on the Children’s Hospital project and the Avengers Campus."
The child in the mural appears to be wearing a hospital gown. As you know, Chadwick spent a lot of time visiting young cancer patients, even as he silently battled colon cancer.
Nikkolas adds, "To millions of kids, T'Challa was a legend larger than life, and there was no one more worthy to fill those shoes than Chadwick Boseman."
Since his death last month, Chadwick's continued to inspire fans ... especially kids who've been moved to create their own tributes to their hero, and this new mural captures that spirit.
Like Nikkolas says ... "This one is special."
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Homeless Man Shot and Killed by O.C. Sheriffs ... After Violent Confrontation
Two Orange County Sheriff's Deputies got into a physical confrontation with a homeless man who allegedly went after one of the deputies' guns. The homeless man was shot and killed, and it was all caught on video.
The incident went down Wednesday afternoon in San Clemente, in front of the Hotel Miramar. Cops were called after witnesses said they saw the homeless man walking in the middle of the street into oncoming traffic. Witnesses said cars honked and swerved to avoid hitting him.
According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, when deputies from the homeless outreach team arrived, they got into a tense, physical confrontation with the man. As you see in the video ... the man appears to push the deputies. A physical encounter ensues and you can hear a deputy say, "He's got my gun" -- suddenly, 2 shots are fired.
The deputies performed CPR on the man, who died at the scene. The Sheriff's Department says surveillance video clearly shows the man trying to grab a deputy's gun.
The Dept. is investigating.
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President Trump Gets Boos, 'Vote Him Out' Chants ... As He Visits RBG's Casket
President Trump is getting blatantly, and loudly, disrespected for his attempt to pay his respects to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ... and the chants he heard have a familiar ring.
First Lady Melania Trump and the President -- who was actually wearing a face mask -- went to the Supreme Court Thursday morning during the public viewing of flag-draped RBG's casket. Moments after the crowd of mourners saw him, a chorus of boos rained down on Trump.
Then came the repeated chant of "Vote him out!!!" In what Trump's opponents would call poetic justice ... the chant was done to the same cadence of the "lock her up" chants Trump himself has encouraged for years about Hillary Clinton.
The president didn't visibly react to the crowd's vitriol ... but there's no doubt he heard it, and he couldn't be too shocked.
Remember, POTUS has claimed RBG's reported dying wish -- to have her successor picked by whoever wins the presidential election -- was not real, and just propaganda created by the Democrats. BTW, Trump's said he'll nominate RBG's successor on Saturday.
So, yeah ... he had to know the boos would be coming.
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'My 600-lb. Life' Star Coliesa McMillian Dead at 41
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Coliesa McMillian -- who appeared earlier this year on Season 8 of "My 600-lb. Life" -- has died ... according to her family.
A relative tells TMZ she passed away Tuesday at a hospital in Louisiana. Coliesa was 643 lbs. when she appeared on the TLC show back in March. A mother of 4 daughters, she decided to do the show after a lifetime of eating to deal with trauma in order to regain control of her life for her girls.
Shortly before appearing, she suffered a heart attack and the loss of her fiance in a car accident ... and things only got harder for her after she opted for surgery to aid in her weight loss.
"Living like this is not living." Tune in to a new #My600lbLife tonight at 8/7c. pic.twitter.com/JTN73ULoqQ
— TLC Network (@TLC) March 18, 2020 @TLC
According to reports ... she suffered complications afterward and ended up on life support. Though her family said she was recovering, they said it was going to be a very long and difficult road ahead.
Coliesa's exact cause of death is unknown at this time. Her funeral services will be held on Thursday and Friday in Plaquemine, LA.
She is survived by her 4 daughters and several brothers and sisters.
Coliesa was 41.