L.A. Store Good Samaritans Cuffed and Detained ... Woman Explains Why She was There to Protect
The woman in the blue shirt at the center of the video -- her name is Monette -- later explained to the Fox11 reporter what happened ... and why she wasn't going to let looters get into the liquor store owned by her longtime friend.
Monette says her husband and brother-in-law were detained along with her before cops realized they were trying to help. Monette adds that she understands what these protests are all about and supports them ... but she doesn't want her community destroyed. She warns, though, that there will be further unrest until justice for George Floyd is served.
It's one of the most incredible things so far to play out on live TV following the brutal killing of George Floyd.
Several people who were protecting their community liquor store from would-be looters were grabbed, put up against a wall and cuffed ... and it might even underscore the root problems that have been festering for decades.
As you see in the video ... an African-American woman tries to protect the store. She's a community leader who was trying to restore peace, and she was joined by one or two people who either owned or worked in the store.
There were people right in their faces, and it's reasonable to believe the store was in danger. The woman ran for help, calling out for the police. When they came, they targeted her. The reporter, Christina Gonzalez, from Fox11, was pleading with the police to let them go, explaining they were not the looters. The police, who knew Christina well, were unmoved, at least temporarily.
Words don't do this justice ... watch the video.
Originally Published -- 6/1 7:14 PM PT
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George Floyd Protests TX Homeless Man Replenished Anew After Rioters Screw Him
6:41 AM PT -- 6/2 -- The homeless man based out of Austin who had his literal street-side home and belongings torched by out of control looters just got blessed and then some by good people who came to his rescue.
Somebody followed up with the dude, and he told them he'd been gifted a brand new tent to sleep in, as well as an air mattress, new clothes, food and even some cash. Looks like folks saw the video of his stuff getting burned up this week and jumped on the good deed train.
It's a full 180 to how this guy sounded when it was all happening in real-time -- he sounded so broken and hurt ... now, he's overjoyed, and ya love to see it. Just goes to show you that, yes, even during these unruly times ... love trumps hate in the end. Good stuff.
This is heartbreaking and so hard to watch ... but rioters in Austin destroyed the small comfort of a homeless man by setting his mattress ablaze, and you hear his anger and torment.
It happened over the weekend ... you see a rioter toss the mattress onto a bonfire on the sidewalk, and the homeless man cries out, "I live here!"
He says, "I live here. What the f*** are you doing?" He's not yelling at the perpetrator ... that person fled as soon as he did the damage. The homeless man was speaking to the camera ... as if pleading for help from anyone who would listen.
Originally Published -- 6/1 9:24 AM PT
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George Floyd Video Teen Who Recorded It ... Getting Psychological Help
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The girl who captured George Floyd's killing by Minneapolis PD officers on video is getting through the trauma of the ordeal thanks to therapy and a change of scenery, while remaining an important part of the case ... TMZ has learned.
We broke the story ... 17-year-old Darnella Frazier says she's utterly traumatized after recording the incident in which officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to suffocate George, largely because she's been the target of unfair criticism and backlash since the video got released.
She's also been facing a media frenzy -- dealing with reporters and an onslaught of attention -- and, of course, there's the trauma of just witnessing George's death firsthand.
Darnella's attorney, Seth B. Cobin, tells us that she and her family are no longer staying at her house in South Minneapolis, which is literally around the corner from the scene where Floyd was brutally killed.
We're told the family decided to relocate to an undisclosed spot -- police were not involved -- to remove themselves from the constant attention and strangers coming to their door.
Darnella's neighborhood has understandably become a flashpoint for Minneapolis protests, so the family felt it was best to get away from that for now.
Cobin tells us Darnella's also begun seeing a therapist who specializes in trauma, and it's working for her. Otherwise, she's keeping her mind busy with her school work.
5/25/20
As for her role in Floyd's murder case ... Darnella -- along with her mother and Attorney Cobin -- met with investigators from the FBI Civil Rights Divison and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Saturday to give them her statement.
Cobin says it was a very important step for them to speak to the main witness, and Darnella is doing her part. Cobin says, "It's not an easy story to tell. You're going back to that place in your head and that's not an easy way to go back. It was emotional for her to recount her story, and for all of us to hear it."
Darnella's phone was taken to a crime lab so they can extract the original video and use it as evidence in Chauvin's trial. We're told investigators are trying to get in touch with other witnesses seen or heard in her video, as well.
For all that she's been through, a GoFundMe campaign's been started to help Darnella get some peace and healing ... it's raised nearly $50k in 2 days.
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Apple Store Looters Can't Use Stolen Gadgets ... Safeguards Already In Place
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Folks who looted the Apple Store at The Grove are in for a rude awakening ... they won't be able to use or pawn the stolen gadgets, thanks to some tech foresight and amateur thievery.
Here's the deal ... while looters probably thought they were getting away with grabbing an expensive toy off the showroom shelves at the Apple Store, they basically ended up with paperweights.
Our sources tell us ... the phones and laptops stolen from the Apple Store are demos, and they come equipped with special programs that prevent the products from being reset to factory settings, rendering them almost useless.
APPLE DISABLED THE PHONES THAT WERE LOOTED pic.twitter.com/9xp1HhOAeR
— mJ (@disposablefilms) May 31, 2020 @disposablefilms
The looters are already figuring it out ... looted phones are displaying messages that read, "This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted."
We're told the looters, who ransacked the popular outdoor shopping mall over the weekend, were unable to break into the Apple Store's highly-secured area, where the goods for sale are kept.
It's good news for Apple ... our sources say the recent looting at Apple Stores across the country, which includes at least two Apple Stores in L.A., is not as bad as it looked at first glance.
Apple Store at Aventura Mall getting boarded up as a precaution right now. The mall closed early (at 2 pm) today. pic.twitter.com/cZ8y5DnNcm
— David Vergel (@DavidVergel97) June 1, 2020 @DavidVergel97
Still, Apple is being extra cautious with no end to looting in sight ... the company tells us it's still keeping a number of stores across the country closed.
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Floyd Mayweather Offers To Pay For George Floyd's Funerals ... 'Following My Heart'
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Here is the $88,500 check that Floyd Mayweather is sending to the Fort Bend Memorial funeral home ... to cover the costs of George Floyd's funeral services.
A rep for Mayweather tells us George Floyd's family has accepted FM's offer to pay for the funeral services.
Floyd Mayweather has offered to pay for George Floyd's funeral services ... with the boxing superstar personally vowing to help Floyd's family grieve their loss.
TMZ Sports has confirmed ... Mayweather is offering to finance all 4 services for Floyd in Houston, Minnesota, Charlotte and another location to be named at a later date.
We're told Mayweather felt it was the right thing to do after learning Anzel Jennings -- CEO of the TMT music label -- grew up with George.
Mayweather's people added ... Floyd is just doing what he feels is right in his heart.
It's unclear if George Floyd's family has accepted Mayweather's offer.
Hollywood Unlocked first reported the story.
Originally published -- 10:24 AM PT
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George Floyd M.E. Says He Died from Heart Attack Had Fentanyl, Homicide is 'Manner of Death'
George Floyd had fentanyl in his system when he was killed, and died from a heart attack ... according to the medical examiner.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner released its toxicology findings and say George died from cardiopulmonary arrest ... which complicated law enforcement's subdual, restraint and neck compression of him. That is critical, but the report also says this under "how the injury occurred" -- it says George experienced "a cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement."
In other words ... he suffered a heart attack while they were arresting him, and that complicated their efforts to subdue him.
The report says George had fentanyl in his system, and they also found signs of recent methamphetamine use. It also says his manner of death is homicide.
The results were released just hours after the Floyd family's independent autopsy showed he died from "mechanical asphyxia" ... due to Derek Chauvin's knee on his neck, and another officer on his back.
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George Floyd Independent Autopsy Findings ... Death from Asphyxia
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Baden said George Floyd was dead 4 to 5 minutes into the time Chauvin and the other officers had him pinned -- and yet, Chauvin kept his knee there for another 4 minutes-plus.
Dr. Michael Baden -- a famous forensic doctor who has been involved in the O.J. Simpson case, the Jeffrey Epstein case and many others -- concluded compression pressure on Floyd was the direct cause of death. The medical examiner concluded it was a combination of asphyxia, underlying medical conditions including hypertension and possible drugs or alcohol.
Dr. Baden said there was one cause of death, and you don't really have to go beyond the video to understand. He said Floyd was unresponsive 4 minutes in, yet the cop kept his knee there for nearly 5 minutes longer. Baden says Floyd was in good health and no medical condition contributed to his death.
Dr. Baden said Floyd was deprived of his blood flow to the brain. He also says Floyd couldn't breathe ... something he repeatedly said as he was dying. Baden scoffed at cops who say if you can talk you can breathe. He says simply not the case.
This is a hugely significant development. Anyone charged in this case will almost certainly glom on to the M.E.'s findings and argue the knee didn't cause Floyd's death ... that it was hypertension or something else. Baden says BS ... it was Chauvin's knee to Floyd's neck, and the weight of the officer on his back that caused Floyd's death.
Floyd's family attorney, Ben Crump, and the family have always believed what Baden found, saying they "reject the notion from the Minneapolis Medical Examiner that the knee from the police officer on George’s neck for almost nine minutes was not the proximate cause of his death."
5/25/20
As we reported, Chauvin's been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter for Floyd's death. According to the charging docs, the fired cop had his knee on George's neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds ... including 2 minutes, 53 seconds AFTER George became unresponsive.
Originally published -- 11:30 AM
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LAPD Officers Encourage White Gal Who's Tagging ... Don't Forget 'Floyd'
Sure enough, this too is now being investigated. We're told LAPD is aware of the video and they're looking into what went down here.
A white woman tagging 'BLM' graffiti on a building was egged on by none other than cops from 8-feet away ... who seemed to be telling her to include the name of George Floyd.
The video was shot in what appears to be downtown Los Angeles, where an LAPD squad car is parked up next to a curb alongside a lady who's going to town with spray paint, tagging "BLM" messaging on the side of a building's windows ... taking up at least 3 panes.
While the person who recorded this was filming from across the street, you can still make out the cops apparently instructing the woman to make sure to include George Floyd's name in her graffiti ... at one point, even seemingly telling her how to spell it correctly.
She heard the message loud and clear, and sure enough ... went ahead and tagged "Floyd" on the window as well. The officers are just standing by and watching the entire time. The person who posted this says they were laughing too, but we can't quite make that out.
In any case, it's an utter disgrace ... regardless of what the context is, which we're sure LAPD brass will be scrambling to reach for now that this is out. Policemen literally encouraging active criminal activity right in front of their faces -- ya can't excuse it.
We've seen "bad actors" screwing with the protests and hijacking the message under the guise of justice -- but this takes it to a new level. Some cops appear to be in on it too.
Originally Published -- 11:29 AM PT
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Liverpool F.C. Players Kneel For George Floyd ... 'Unity Is Strength'
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Liverpool F.C. players decided to team up and send a powerful sign of support on Monday ... with the whole team taking a knee together to honor George Floyd.
LFC shared the image of 29 players kneeling near the center of the field at the Anfield stadium ... featuring the words "Unity is strength. #BlackLivesMatter."
The players reportedly came up with the idea to kneel as a sign of support for the movement while training ... and several players like Virgil van Dijk, James Milner and Andy Robertson have also shared the impactful shot
The gesture adds to the global outcry for justice ... with celebrities and athletes coming together to protest following Floyd's death.
Jadon Sancho of Dortmund also dedicated one of his goals to Floyd over the weekend ... wearing a shirt that read "Justice for George Floyd."
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Sancho received a yellow card for removing his jersey ... but the act caught the attention of pros like Todd Gurley and Joel Embiid.
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Conor McGregor Eats Dead Bees Out Of Jar ... 'What The F**k Is This?!'
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Here's video of Conor McGregor eating bees straight out of a jar ... all while saying what everyone else is thinking -- "WHAT THE F**K IS THIS?!?!?"
It's unclear why the UFC superstar decided on the unique snack Monday morning ... but the video of his chow down is pretty wild.
Check out the jar the Champ Champ opens up ... it's straight-up dead bees -- and on the label, it says they're flavored with macadamia nuts from Australia and Jamaican pepper.
You can see in the clip ... Conor ain't exactly stoked to taste the insects -- and when he accidentally drops some on his stomach, it'll send a shiver down your spine!!
It's also pretty hilarious when he asks his infant son if he wants a piece of the snack ... 'cause Baby McGregor wants ZERO PART of it all!!
As for how they tasted ... it didn't seem too awful -- at least judging by Conor's reaction -- 'cause after he finished chomping down, he had a very "meh" reaction.
There's a bees-spiders-Anderson Silva joke in here somewhere ... but we're kinda too grossed out right now to make it. Sorry.
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Ex-Cop Derek Chauvin Wife Officially Files for Divorce ... I Want Nothing From Him
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Ex-Cop Derek Chauvin's wife has filed for divorce, and the only thing she wants from him is her name back.
Kellie May Chauvin says she doesn't want a dime from Derek, citing "irretrievable breakdown" of the marriage, which "cannot be saved" ... this according to legal docs obtained by TMZ.
In docs, Kellie -- who works as a realtor and is the former Mrs. Minnesota -- says she doesn't want spousal support and she doesn't want him to get spousal support either. She also wants an even split on their assets and she wants her maiden name restored. Kellie also wants the title to their home in Windermere, Florida.
As far as the date of separation goes ... she lists May 28, three days after Floyd's killing. They got married on June 12, 2010. Kellie says she's currently unemployed but was a realtor with ReMax.
As we reported ... Kellie announced Saturday she was ending their marriage after 10 years ... one day after Derek was arrested for killing Floyd.
Kellie's rep said, "Her utmost sympathy lies with [Floyd's] family, with his loved ones and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy" ... "While Ms. Chauvin has no children from her current marriage, she respectfully requests that her children, her elder parents, and her extended family be given safety and privacy during this difficult time."
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Derek has been charged with 3rd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter in George Floyd's death. He's been moved to a max-security prison.
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Seattle Cop Accused of Macing Little Girl ... Police Investigating
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A Seattle police officer has been accused of using mace on a little girl -- and video of the alleged aftermath is gruesome ... it's also something the department is now investigating.
The incident went down over the weekend during the George Floyd protests. You don't see any macing happening on camera, but what you do see is a young girl crying out in pain with her eyes closed shut as her parent tries to comfort her.
People around her also rush to help -- one guy immediately comes over and starts pouring milk over the kid's face (it's supposed to help neutralize the tear gas) but it obviously wasn't enough to stop the pain right away. The girl continued to cry and shriek in agony.
Afterward, someone filming the encounter approached a group of bike cops standing nearby -- and he gets in the face of the alleged mace user ... an officer wearing a helmet and glasses, who's also rocking a mustache. He doesn't speak, doesn't even make eye contact.
People on the ground also claim the guy refused to give his name or his badge number in order to identify himself.
It's unclear if the officer the camera ended up focused on was the alleged culprit or not, but the Seattle Police Department has said they're looking into the claims in question.
A rep for the department says, "Uses of force, including pepper spray, during the demonstrations will undergo a high level of scrutiny and review by the chain of command. This incident in particular has been referred to the (Office of Police Accountability) and an investigation has commenced."
No word if this cop is still out on the streets, or if he's been reassigned.
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Baltimore Police Officer Knocks Out Woman ... She Smacked Fellow Cop
A cop in Baltimore got a little more than handsy with a woman after she started smacking around one of his fellow officers ... leaving the woman out cold on the street.
The wild incident went down when the woman argued with a cop Friday night as officers appeared to be clearing traffic or doing protest crowd control. She was clearly fed up with talking, and turned around and straight-up smacked the cop hard across the face, which he just took at first.
Then, she wound up for a second go and unleashes ... this time landing a punch. That's when his cop buddy, standing behind her, lets his own hands fly, striking her in the face and knocking her out cold. Both the woman and the cop who hit her are black.
As she lays motionless in the street ... bystanders who saw the incident started surrounding the cops, calling out the officer who hit her. More cops quickly responded and set up a perimeter to block off the crowd.
The woman was eventually cuffed and arrested, and police say she was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Baltimore PD tells us, "Commissioner Michael Harrison viewed the video and ordered an immediate investigation into this incident by the Department's Special Investigations Response Team unit which is part of the Public Integrity Bureau. The Deputy Commissioner for PIB has directed a full review and has suspended the officers police powers during the investigations."
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George Floyd Murder Ex-Cop Derek Chauvin Moved to Max-Security Prison ... New Mug Shot
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Here's Chauvin's mug shot after getting transferred to Minnesota's only Level Five maximum-security prison.
Derek Chauvin -- the former Minneapolis PD officer charged with the murder of George Floyd -- has a new jail cell for now ... he's been transferred to a maximum-security prison.
Chauvin's been sent to the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights near the city of Stillwater, after spending part of Sunday at the Hennepin County Jail. It's protocol for inmates to get new mug shots when they're transferred.
The ex-cop was originally held at the Ramsey County Jail after being arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death.
According to the Department of Corrections ... the Oak Park Heights prison is the highest custody level in Minnesota's system, and several inmates -- like Chauvin -- need a higher level of security.
DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell says this kind of transfer is not uncommon -- the same thing happened when former Minneapolis cop, Mohamed Noor, was taken into custody in the killing of Justine Damond -- and it was requested by the Hennepin County Sheriff.
Chauvin was one of 4 officers fired over Floyd's death, but so far he's the only one arrested and charged. Chauvin was the cop who pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for close to 9 minutes ... including more than 2 minutes after Floyd was unresponsive.
Still, there's outrage that the other cops have still not being arrested. The entire incident -- along with other cases of black people being unjustly killed -- has incited several straight days of protests, riots, looting, violence and destruction across several major cities in the U.S.
Originally published -- 7:07 AM PT
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J.R. Smith Regrets Beating Alleged Vandal's Ass 'Random Act Of Stupidness'
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J.R. Smith says he's disappointed in himself for opening a can of whoop-ass on an alleged vandal ... saying it was a "random act of stupidness" on both sides.
TMZ Sports posted the video of the incident ... where Smith is seen unloading a bunch of violent kicks on a man who allegedly smashed his car window during the protests in L.A. this weekend.
Smith joined the "Pat McAfee Show" on Monday to give more insight into the situation ... and the NBAer admits he wishes the incident never happened in the first place.
"Granted, if he would've seen me, and seen somebody outside the car or outside the house or whatever, do I think he would've broke it? Absolutely not," Smith says.
"It was just a random act of stupidness, and I give him that. But, that ass whooping was a random act of stupidness on my behalf."
J.R. says he's supporting the peaceful protests in honor of George Floyd, but condemns the looting and vandalism.
"This man was down there for 8:46 for no reason. Literally, taking the life from him. Calling for his dead mother."
"And then, we go out here and try to represent his name in a good way and between tarnishing people's shops -- like so many people have nothing to do with the situation."
Smith continued ... "We should be able to lock arms and stand in front of somebody's store and say no this is not right. Being able to do stuff like this isn't right."
As for the moment he unloaded on the alleged vandal, Smith says he regrets how it went down.
"When it happened, I seen red. Then when I finally snapped to... I'm still disappointed with myself."
"For me, I'm 34 years old. I have 4 little girls at home. I don't want that image, regardless of the fact whether it was right or wrong, I don't want them to have that image of their dad being capable of doing that, and doing something like that."
Smith DID have a sense of humor about his kicking form, though ... saying, "I was trying to go Bones Jones or Anderson Silva."
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NFL's Marcus Spears In Tears On TV Over George Floyd's Death ... 'It Broke Me'
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"My son had to ask me, 'Why didn't he get off of him?'"
Former Dallas Cowboys stud Marcus Spears broke down live on television talking about a white police officer's role in George Floyd's death ... and the scene was VERY emotional.
.@mspears96 gets emotional when discussing the death of George Floyd and the effect it had on his 11-year-old son. pic.twitter.com/YUdx4rR7ND
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 1, 2020 @GetUpESPN
The NFL analyst explained on ESPN's "Get Up" on Monday he's so torn up by the tragic killing of the 46-year-old in Minneapolis, Minn. last month ... he's having a hard time putting his feelings into words.
"This spirit broke in this country. It broke," said Spears, who has three children. "It broke me."
Marcus -- who needed several seconds to wipe away tears, continued, "Everything that I've done in my life culminated to me having my children. And trying to give them a better situation."
Spears added, "This is a heart condition, man. What we're asking for help, and when we're asking for white people to understand, we need you to be against this."
"Not to tell us, not to ease and soothe by having conversations," the 37-year-old said. "We need you to be against this."