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Scott Peterson's death penalty sentence may have been reversed, but the convicted murderer's family believes he could die in prison soon anyway due to COVID-19 ... and they're pushing for a transfer.

Peterson's attorney, Cliff Gardner, tells TMZ ... Scott's family is majorly concerned for his health following the widespread and deadly coronavirus outbreak at San Quentin State Prison.

Peterson's currently locked up at San Quentin, and in the last month, the prison reportedly saw cases surge with up to two-thirds of the prison getting infected. It currently leads California's prison system in infections and deaths.

With those grim numbers in mind, Gardner says his goal is to place Peterson in the safest possible prison permitted under California law to ensure his safety.

However, according to California prison officials ... there's no plans to move him, and he'll be staying put at San Quentin for now.

As we reported ... the California Supreme Court reversed Peterson's death penalty sentence for murdering his wife and unborn child in 2002 on Christmas Eve. The Court ruled the trial judge in the case made an error in dismissing prospective jurors.

Leonard Cohen's legendary song "Hallelujah" was not approved to be used at the Republican National Convention -- though it was, twice -- and now the late singer-songwriter's team is speaking out ... and threatening legal action.

Reps for both Cohen's estate and the publishing company say they rejected requests by the GOP to play or perform his song at the RNC, but President Trump's party ignored this and did it anyway.

Cohen estate’s lawyer, Michelle L. Rice, says they were surprised and dismayed the song was used at the RNC despite their declination, and described the move as a "brazen attempt to politicize and exploit" one of his most famous songs.

Rice also got a dig in at Trump, adding ... "Had the RNC requested another song, 'You Want it Darker,' for which Leonard won a posthumous Grammy in 2017, we might have considered approval of that song." She says the estate is now exploring legal options.

Likewise, Cohen's publishing company, Sony/ATV Music, also claims it was contacted about using "Hallelujah" on the eve of the RNC's final night, and said no, but they were ignored.

ICYMI ... a version of "Hallelujah" by Tori Kelly was played during the fireworks following Trump's Thursday night speech, and was then performed live in an operatic rendition by Christopher Macchio.

Remember, it was earlier this month when Neil Young sued the Trump campaign for using his songs "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Devil's Sidewalk" before rallies, after previously warning him not to.

Derek Chauvin -- the ex-Minneapolis cop charged with murdering George Floyd -- deserves an especially harsh sentence because, among other things, he killed Floyd in front of kids ... according to prosecutors.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison just informed the judge in the Floyd murder case he'll be seeking a harsher sentence for Chauvin, for several reasons.

The AG says the alleged murder was especially heinous because there were a number of children around who had to watch a man die.

In legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Ellison says Floyd was in a "particularly vulnerable" state because he was handcuffed and chest down on the pavement, repeatedly telling Chauvin and the other officers he could not breathe.

Ellison also claims Chauvin treated Floyd with "particular cruelty," by ignoring Floyd's pleas that he couldn't breathe and was going to die. Prosecutors also say Chauvin was heartless because he ignored horrified onlookers, and kept his knee pinned on Floyd's neck for nearly 9 minutes, including 4 minutes where Floyd was motionless.

The AG says the knee to the neck inflicted great pain on Floyd and claims Chauvin did not offer Floyd any medical assistance and discouraged others from doing so while witnesses watched him die.

The 17-year-old arrested in the fatal shooting of 2 Jacob Blake protesters in Kenosha allegedly killed at least one unarmed man, and could get life in prison for murder ... along with 4 other felony charges.

The criminal complaint against Kyle Rittenhouse was released Thursday, and it says the first person the Illinois teenager allegedly shot, Joseph Rosenbaum, "appeared to be unarmed for the duration of video" reviewed by investigators.

Prosecutors say Rosenbaum appeared to throw an object at Rittenhouse before the fatal shooting, and a second video apparently shows the object in question was nothing more than a plastic bag.

The complaint also says Rosenbaum leaned in toward Rittenhouse -- apparently trying to reach for his gun according to a witness -- and then fell to the ground after 4 loud bangs. Then Rittenhouse got on his cellphone to make a call, and prosecutors say he was overheard saying, "I just killed somebody" as he ran away. He's been charged with first-degree reckless homicide for Rosenbaum's death.

Rittenhouse is also charged with first-degree intentional homicide (murder in most states) of Anthony Huber. Prosecutors say Huber -- seen with a skateboard in several videos -- approached Rittenhouse, who was lying on his back, and appeared to reach for Rittenhouse's gun. According to the complaint, Rittenhouse fired a round, sending Huber staggering away before collapsing to the ground and dying from a gunshot wound.

All told, prosecutors charged Rittenhouse with 5 felonies -- the 3 others are 2 counts of first-degree reckless endangerment and one count of attempted first-degree intentional homicide.

That last count was for allegedly shooting Gaige Grosskreutz, who prosecutors say appeared to be armed, and suffered one non-lethal gunshot wound.

R. Kelly got a taste of jailhouse justice -- a frustrated inmate went on the attack and jumped Kelly in his cell ... TMZ has learned.

Federal law enforcement sources with direct knowledge tell us the incident recently went down inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago where Kelly was sitting on his bed when another inmate walked in his cell and started punching the crap out of Kelly.

Our sources say the inmate went on the attack because he was angry about the detention facility being placed on lock down a couple of times largely due to Kelly protesters outside the jail.

We're told the fight didn't last long, and it's unclear if another inmate or guards broke it up. Our sources say Kelly was examined by a doctor, who determined the singer was okay ... no broken bones or serious injuries.

A spokesperson for the Federal Bureau Of Prisons tells TMZ ... it cannot comment on an individual inmate's conditions of confinement or medical status due to privacy and safety reasons. We also reached out to Kelly's attorney, Steven Greenberg, for comment but he declined to discuss the incident and said Kelly's been a model inmate.

Kris Jenner's done amazing work as a momager, and now it looks like she’s eyeing another sweet business venture based on something she says to her daughters.

The Kardashians matriarch filed trademark docs last week to lock up the rights to what she likes to say ... "You're doing amazing sweetie" ... first delivered way back on a 2007 episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

Kris is looking to slap the catchphrase on a slew of products, ranging from cosmetics and clothing to baby supplies and home goods ... and even books and magazines.

As you may recall, Kris was on set for Kim Kardashian's nude Playboy shoot on the 'KUWTK' episode and snapped a few pics herself before offering the words of encouragement ... "Kim, you're doing amazing, sweetie."

The phrase got the meme treatment for years, but has also made a comeback of sorts after Kylie Jenner appeared in the much-talked-about music video for Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's "WAP."

As you can see ... Kylie's sexy guest spot on the vid gave Kris the perfect setup for the callback.

This isn't the first time Kris has aimed to capitalize on her famous reality TV mom status. She also scored a "momager" trademark in 2017, and parlayed that into an unforgettable cameo in Ariana Grande's "Mean Girls"-esque vid for "thank u, next."

The 11th time was not a charm for Mark David Chapman, the man who murdered John Lennon ... his request for parole was once again rejected.

The infamous killer had another interview with the Board of Parole last week in New York, and just like his 10 previous attempts ... the Board was unmoved.

Chapman will now have to wait 2 years before he can get another hearing with the Board ... he's scheduled to appear again in August 2022.

He was last denied parole in 2018 because the Board determined his release would be "incompatible with the welfare and safety of society."

He was given nearly the same reason in 2016 and 2014, but his requests to get out of prison date back to 2000. There was no explanation this time around .. at least, so far.

Lennon was shot and killed by Chapman on December 8, 1980, as he was walking into The Dakota by Central Park, where he lived. Earlier in the evening, Lennon had signed a book for Chapman.

Kanye West took advantage of a tech company to advance his Yeezy brand and launch his popular Sunday Service, then left them high and dry ... according to a new suit.

MyChannel, Inc. says it's a black-owned business specializing in video and e-commerce technology. The company claims it linked up with Kanye in Spring 2018 to help Ye maximize revenues for his Yeezy merchandise.

MYC -- repped by attorneys Ben Meiselas and Michael Popok -- alleges Kanye got the company to work around the clock for him for 6 months based on a series of business promises -- including a future $10 MILLION investment -- and estimates it put in 10,000 man-hours and invested $7 mil of its own into the Yeezy project.

According to the suit ... MYC even moved its headquarters -- once to Calabasas and once to Chicago -- all to please Kanye and make the partnership work.

However, after the 6 months, MYC claims it became clear Kanye had no intention of following through on his promises and he cut ties ... but not before allegedly jacking its technology for his newly-launched Sunday Service.

The company alleges Kanye's promises of a partnership were just an effort to fuel his Yeezy brand and steal confidential tech to make millions on Sunday Service ... so now they're suing him over it.

"Ink Master" star Daniel Silva has just been sentenced in his criminal case involving the death of his friend, YouTube star Corey La Barrie, but he won't be spending much longer behind bars.

Silva was sentenced Tuesday to 4 years in state prison but that sentence is suspended. He did, however, get 365 days in county jail with 216 days of credit. He's also getting 5 years of probation and 250 hours of community service.

His attorney, Mike Cavalluzzi, tells TMZ ... Daniel believes the sentence is fair, and in serving the probation there is a chance the charge can be reduced to a misdemeanor in the future. Cavalluzzi added, "It's important to Daniel to work with Corey's family to make sure the memory of his friend is never forgotten."

As we first reported ... Silva pled no contest to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence last month. As part of the deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the 2nd-degree murder charge ... this according to the L.A. County D.A.'s Office. Cavalluzzi was confident Daniel would beat the murder charge following the fatal crash of a McLaren sports car back in May.

TMZ broke the story ... Daniel was busted and charged with 2nd-degree murder after Corey died from injuries in a car wreck just hours after they left Corey's 25th birthday party. Corey was a passenger in the car. We were told Daniel was seen drinking before getting behind the wheel of the car.

Police in America don't hesitate to shoot and kill Black people in a confrontation because they consistently get away with it ... that's what Jacob Blake's family lawyer, Ben Crump, thinks anyway.

The civil rights attorney -- who's also representing the families of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others -- is going to work for Blake now as well, after the 29-year-old father was shot in the back 7 times by a white cop in Kenosha, WI.

Crump tells us the family's been assured by the Governor's office that an independent and unbiased investigation into the shooting will be launched ... but he says Kenosha residents are understandably skeptical.

Crump cites a pattern of cops killing Black people -- not just in Kenosha, but throughout the history of the U.S. -- and facing zero consequences ... to the point where it's become totally normalized.

That's why, according to Crump, we continue to see white officers pulling the trigger on people of color ... even when they know everything is recorded these days.

Crump adds that this isn't just a police issue ... it's a cultural pattern of condoning mistreatment of Black people that starts at the top, and continues to manifest itself in what he refers to as the "intellectual justification of discrimination."

As you know, Blake's story is just the latest example of an unarmed Black person being shot or killed by cops. The alarming trend has finally sparked massive outrage and nationwide protests against police brutality and racism this summer.

A group of teenagers broke into a New Jersey petting zoo and ran amok ... and cops say they turned the place upside down in the middle of the night and cruelly put lipstick on one of the animals.

Cops in Wyckoff, NJ say at least six teens illegally made their way onto Abma's Farm this weekend around 10 PM or so, well after business hours. The family that lives there and runs the place says they heard commotion outside, and ran out to see what was going on.

They claim they encountered a number of adolescents on the grounds in different animal pens. The family members say they tried chasing them down, but all the kids got away.

Afterward, the owner says he was sent a photo of a blonde girl riding one of his miniature donkeys, with her full weight on it ... and a Snapchat filter that read, "Abma's Farm." It also appears one of their ponies received a makeover ... with lipstick applied to its mouth.

The facility claims the kids also released a bunch of animals from their confined areas and interacted with the livestock in ways that were dangerous ... leaving the creatures frazzled after the fact. Luckily, Abma's Farm says all their animals are accounted for.

The place remained closed Monday as a vet went through and checked up on all of the 60 or so of the animals on the premises. Abma's Farm seemed irate in the Facebook post, saying this wasn't just teenage hijinks and pranks ... it was outright disrespectful and criminal.

Scott Peterson just got a big break, because the California Supreme Court has reversed his death penalty sentence for murdering his wife and unborn child.

The Court ruled the trial judge in the case erred by dismissing prospective jurors who opposed the death penalty but claimed they could still follow the law and impose it if the evidence so warranted.

The State's high court ruled unanimously ... opposition to the death penalty alone is not grounds to dismiss prospective jurors. They can be dismissed if they won't follow the law, but some people with strong opinions still have the capacity to follow the judge's instructions.

Peterson killed his wife, 27-year-old Laci Peterson, and their unborn son, Connor. Laci was 8 months pregnant when she and Connor were murdered on Xmas eve, 2002.

Rapper Lil Mosey can't legally drink yet, but he's old enough to have some adult trouble with the law after getting arrested for carrying a concealed weapon.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the 18-year-old "Pull Up" rapper was busted in Burbank when cops pulled over a 2016 Cadillac Escalade with 3 people inside -- Mosey, his driver/bodyguard and a juvenile.

We're told cops initially made the stop last Sunday around 1 AM because they didn't have plates. That turned out to be the least of Mosey and his crew's problems.

Cops say things got serious when they noticed an empty holster sitting on the driver's lap, which prompted an immediate search ... and the discovery of 3 loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistols.

One was allegedly on the juvenile, one in the glove box and one in the center console. And, bonus round ... our sources say cops also found 4 credit cards in the bodyguards backpack that did NOT belong to any of the occupants.

All 3 occupants were placed under arrest -- all 3 got booked for felony concealed weapons since no once claimed the 2 weapons found in the glove and console.

Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, have learned their fate in their college admissions scandal -- they’re both going to prison for a bit … bringing a case full of interesting twists and turns to a close.

The judge has accepted the plea deals the couple agreed to back in May. This means Lori’s sentenced to 2 months behind bars, a $150,000 fine and 2 years probation ... along with performing 100 hours of community service.

She appeared before the judge Friday via Zoom with her lawyer, just like her husband did hours earlier. During the hearing, one of the prosecutors sounded off on her, saying despite her family's advantages ... "her children stole tuition spots from more capable and deserving students."

Lori responded with a tearful apology, saying ... "I've made an awful decision. I went along with a plan to give my daughters an unfair advantage in the college decision process. I thought I was acting out of love for my children, but in reality, it only undermined my daughter's abilities and accomplishments. My decision helped exacerbate existing inequalities in society."

She said she wishes she could change the past, but takes responsibility for her actions. Lori added ... "I believe in God and I believe in redemption, and I will do everything in my power to redeem myself and do good and give back for the rest of my life. I am truly profoundly and deeply sorry."

The judge told her he believes she's remorseful and sorry, and hopes she's true to her word about making amends for what she did for the rest of her life.

Though the couple both pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, Lori’s hubby also pled guilty to an additional charge of honest services wire and mail fraud … so his sentence is a bit harsher.

The judge sentenced Mossimo to 5 months incarceration, a fine of $250k and supervised release for 2 years after his prison sentence. He must also perform 250 hours of community service.

He also addressed the judge, saying ... "I deeply regret the harm that my actions have caused my daughters, my wife and others. I take full responsibility for my conduct and I'm ready to accept the consequences and move forward with the lessons I've learned from this experience."

Based on their deals, house arrest is off the table ... they will actually have to go to prison. As for which one, Mossimo's lawyer recommended the Lompoc Prison in California ... and the judge agreed he should stay close to home. Lori's lawyer suggested one even closer for her.

The Federal Board of Prisons will ultimately decide though, but given that both are first time offenders, convicted of non-violent crimes, it's likely they'll go to a minimum-security facility -- not unlike the one in Northern California where Felicity Huffman did 11 days soft time.

You'll recall ... Lori and Mossimo were just 2 of the 53 people indicted in the college admissions scandal. They were accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to get their daughters Olivia Jade and Bella into USC, and faking a photo to make it look like the girls were college-caliber rowers.

One final thing ... given the COVID pandemic, once Lori and Mossimo start serving their sentences ... if the virus is spreading inside the prison, they could ask for compassionate release and serve the balance at home. That's already been done in a number of cases, so it's a real possibility for them.

Michael Jackson's Funko POP! dolls might belong on a shelf somewhere, but they had no business being on the company's site for years now ... and his estate just put an end to it.

Sources tell TMZ ... attorneys for the MJ estate recently noticed Funko POP! was still using images of the rare Michael Jackson collection that hit the market nearly a decade ago on their website in what the estate considered a way to keep fans engaged.

Fact is ... we're told the estate did do a 2-year licensing deal with Funko in 2011, but that expired in 2013. However, Funko collectors could still access images of the dolls in the website catalogues ... a no-no for Mike's Estate.

As for the dolls, the original collection featured 5 -- one for Bad, Smooth Criminal, Beat It, Billie Jean and one in a sequined jacket -- and they still do pretty well on the resale market. In fact, there's a Smooth Criminal doll on Amazon for nearly $300.

In any case, Funko got the message, and agreed to pull the images of the MJ dolls ... so the MJ Estate was satisfied.