Lena Headey My Son's Going Hollywood!!!
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Lena Headey's bringing her son back to her California kingdom ... a court just granted her permission to bring him over from the U.K. to live under Cersei's rule.
The "Game of Thrones" star and her ex-husband Peter Loughran were in a U.K. court a few months ago for a custody battle over their 11-year-old son Wylie -- and according to legal docs, the judge granted Lena's wish to take Wylie across the pond. He's now cleared to move to L.A. with Mom.
As we first told you, Lena -- best known as Cersei Lannister on 'GoT' -- previously wanted Wylie to live in England because she felt the U.K. had a far superior school system. It's unclear what changed for Lena, perhaps a role that requires her to be in Hollywood ... we've reached out to her camp.
Lena's son will be racking up frequent flier miles ... the court says Wylie will have contact with his dad in England 12 times a year for up to 6 hours on each occasion over the Christmas and summer holidays.
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Oscars 2021 L.A. Train Station Location Turns into high-crime nightmare for crew
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The Academy Awards are being held at a famous L.A. train station this year -- and while that might satisfy COVID needs ... it's also become a dangerous place for the Oscars crew.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a man was arrested Sunday morning at Union Station, where the Oscars are set to take place later this evening. We're told the guy tried running past security and breaking into a secured area ... and even pushed past a guard.
Our sources say the dude was detained by security ... and was eventually booked for battery by the LAPD. It might sound like an isolated incident and just a one-off ... but we're hearing that's far from the reality ... there was at least one other violent run-in this week.
We've heard that as crew members were setting up for the big award show over the past several days ... one of those people was actually mugged by somebody in the area. Sources close to the production tell us the guy ended up getting jacked ... and the suspect fled.
It's unclear if that person was caught or not -- but it's just another example of why it might've not have been the greatest idea to host the Oscars at Union Station this year.
Our law enforcement sources tell us this is, indeed, a high-crime area -- Union Station's right in the heart of DTLA -- and sketchy stuff like this goes down often. With more foot traffic than usual ... we're told that could naturally lead to more targets, which is exactly what appears to have happened.
We're being told by law enforcement that folks need to be wary ahead of the big show ... which obviously applies to the stars who are gonna be in attendance. This ain't the Hilton or the Dolby Theater -- so keeping an eye out for trouble would be in everyone's best interest.
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Derek Chauvin Allegedly Under Investigation ... For Brutalizing Black Teen
Derek Chauvin faces 40 years behind bars for murdering George Floyd, but that may be just the beginning, because there's another incident that is eerily similar to the killing of Floyd.
Authorities have received video of Chauvin allegedly brutalizing a 14-year-old Black teen, and the feds are now on the case.
The incident occurred in 2017, and the video allegedly shows Chauvin violently subduing the teen ... viciously striking him in the head with such force he needed stitches to close the wound. Chauvin allegedly held him down on the ground with his knee for 17 minutes as he gasped for air ... oblivious to the teen's cry that he couldn't breathe.
One of the prosecutors said there's another similarity with the 2 cases ... "Those videos show a far more violent and forceful treatment of this child than Chauvin describes in his [police] report."
The incident is now under criminal investigation. Federal prosecutors reportedly have convened a grand jury to review the case.
The incident did not escape state prosecutors, who tried to introduce evidence of the incident in the trial that just ended to show a pattern of brutality. The judge turned thumbs down on that request.
As for specifics in the 2017 incident, a woman had called police for help after she said she was attacked by her 14-year-old son and daughter. When Chauvin arrived, he ordered the boy to get on the ground, and when he refused Chauvin allegedly hit him with a flashlight as he grabbed his throat. The now-former cop allegedly used a neck restraint that he held for so long the teen lost consciousness. The prosecutor who reviewed the video says 8 minutes in Chauvin changed positions and put his knee on the teen's back for another 9 minutes.
It's unclear if the incident will result in another criminal prosecution.
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Michael Lohan Arrested for Allegedly Getting Drug Addict Kickbacks
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8:17 AM PT -- Michael Lohan's lawyer, Heidi Perlet, tells TMZ ...
"Michael Lohan has helped countless individuals suffering from addiction issues. Michael should be applauded for his efforts in saving lives-not arrested for them. Michael has devoted much of his life to helping those in need. This fact has been conveniently overlooked by the Palm Beach County State Attorney."
"According to the State Attorney, Michael is the 117th person arrested in Palm Beach County by the Sober Home Task Force. Michael is not a number, and he will not be reduced to one of the State Attorney’s statistics."
"Justice does not revolve around statistics, it revolves around truth. The whole truth will come out when Michael has his day in Court."
Michael Lohan has been arrested again ... this time for allegedly getting illegal kickbacks from a rehab facility.
Lindsay Lohan's dad was taken into custody on 6 counts of illegal patient brokering ... this according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's website.
The 60-year-old allegedly cut deals where he referred drug addicts to a Florida facility and got money for each referral. According to authorities, "Patient brokering corrupts our health care system because decisions are motivated by greed instead of patient needs."
Lohan allegedly got checks totaling more than $25,000.
South Florida, where Lohan has been in the rehab biz for years, is considered the recovery capital of the world. Authorities say the prime patient is someone with good health insurance, so some recovery centers will give these kickbacks because the facility will in turn get paid through the insurance company.
Lohan has had his issues with the law in the past ... domestic violence and restraining order issues among others.
Originally Published -- 7:51 AM PT
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VHS Embezzlement Case Be Kind, Rewind & Oh, Plz Return it ... Or Else You're a Criminal!!!
A woman got a blast from the past in the worst possible way -- learning of embezzlement charges against her ... all 'cause she supposedly never returned a rented tape in the '90s.
This story comes out of Oklahoma -- where Caron McBride told KOKH FOX25 she'd recently stumbled across a stunning discovery re: her criminal record -- namely, that she was wanted for felony embezzlement because she never returned a VHS movie from 1999.
The film in question is "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" ... and prosecutors say she rented it from a video store called Movie Place ... which ain't a thing anymore. Because the movie never made it back to its rightful owner, the Cleveland County District Attorney's Office filed the embezzlement charge in 2000, and it's been sitting ever since.
Remember these? Yeah, that's a VHS tape.
— Erika Stanish (@Erika_Stanish) April 22, 2021 @Erika_Stanish
TONIGHT- an Oklahoma woman is trying to clear her record after learning she was charged w/ felony embezzlement for never returning 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' on VHS tape from a 'Movie Place' 21 YEARS AGO. Hear from her on @OKCFOX at 9. pic.twitter.com/CE4aModOhI
McBride says she was never aware of the charge, or the fact that she'd even rented that movie. As a result, the charge has been sitting in limbo, with her wanted by authorities. McBride says she only became aware of it after trying to change her surname at the DMV.
She says she tried clearing it up with the D.A.'s office, but it took a while before they ultimately decided to dismiss the charges against her. Thing is, she's still gotta get that charge expunged from her record -- which will undoubtedly be another pain in the ass.
McBride says she'd been cut loose from several jobs over the past 20 years -- but without any explanation. Now, she says it's probably due to that lingering charge employers might've seen on a criminal background check. Thank God streaming services came along. 😅
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'Duck Dynasty' Willie Robertson Family Sued by Drive-By Suspect ... Guy Claims Defamation
The man who was arrested and charged for a drive-by shooting of "Duck Dynasty" star Willie Robertson's house is now suing Willie and his family, claiming he was wrongfully arrested ... and defamed by the family.
This is a strange one, for sure, but Daniel Dean King is suing Willie, Willie's son John Luke Robertson, and John's wife Mary Kate ... alleging he's suffered from being incarcerated and took an unfair hit to his reputation.
In docs, obtained by TMZ, King says John and Mary reported they were targets of a drive-by shooting on April 24, 2020 while they were home with their child -- which led to King's arrest -- but he claims their statements to cops were "calculated, false and ultimately defamatory."
According to the suit, King claims the cops did not properly investigate the case before arresting him, and wrongly -- he believes -- charging him with felony aggravated assault by drive-by shooting.
Despite his allegations in the lawsuit, there's still an active criminal case against King -- and according to the 4th Judicial District DA's Office ... the charge against him has been changed to felony illegal use of a dangerous weapon.
King -- who appears to have filed the suit without a lawyer -- goes on to accuse Willie and John of publicizing his arrest and making defamatory statements, which he claims were intended to hurt his rep.
Along with suing Willie's family for damages, he's going after Robertson's Duck Commander company and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office too.
As we first told you ... when King was arrested, he allegedly admitted to police he was the shooter and told them he "had been drinking Vodka during this incident." The Robertsons were also granted a restraining order against him. So, his lawsuit reads like a desperate attempt to get some revenge on the family.
We've reached out to Willie, but no word back yet.
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'Love is Blind' Star Mark Cuevas My Fiancee's Getting Death Threats ... Suspect Arrested
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"Love is Blind" star Mark Cuevas claims a woman from his fiancee's past is now threatening her and their baby ... and cops have made an arrest.
To better understand his death threat story, Mark says his fiancee -- Aubrey Rainey, who is about to give birth to their son -- was one of the victims of a series of hit-and-run crashes last year in Ohio.
According to Westlake PD PIO Gerald Vogel ... the suspect in those crashes is Shayla Harris and she was charged with attempted murder. He says Harris was involved in 2 other crashes similar to Aubrey's accident.
Vogel tells us Harris was released on bond, and she recently sent Facebook and IG messages to Aubrey threatening her and threatening to kill her unborn child.
We're told Mark and Aubrey filed a police report about Shayla's threats, and she's now been arrested by Westlake Police for misdemeanor aggravated menacing.
In Mark's video -- which was seemingly posted before he knew about the arrest -- he claims Harris sent more than 100 messages referencing Aubrey and their baby.
By the way ... Mark and Aubrey's due date is today.
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Police Brutality Numerous Departments Have Duty for Cops to Intervene When Fellow Officers Use Excessive Force
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ORANGE COUNTY WEDNESDAY
The 3 officers who watched Derek Chauvin choke the life out of George Floyd will soon go on trial for doing nothing to stop the murder. We surveyed a number of police departments around the country to see if they allow/encourage officers to step in when another officer -- even if it's a senior officer -- crosses the line ... like what happened in the O.C. this week.
What we found was interesting. Virtually every department we contacted said they have a policy in place requiring officers to intervene when another cop uses excessive force. The question is, of course, are these regulations really followed? Here's what we found.
MIAMI PD -- "The MDPD has a policy on an officer's duty to intervene. This policy is specific to seeing another officer using force that is clearly beyond that which objectively is reasonable ... they are mandated to take action and stop these acts from taking place."
INDIANAPOLIS PD -- "Officers are required to take appropriate action when they are aware of violations of department policies. It does not matter the rank or seniority of the people involved."
5/25/20
NYPD -- "All members of the service must intervene to stop another member of the service from using excessive force. Failure to intervene in the use of excessive force, or report excessive force, or failure to request or ensure timely medical treatment for an individual is serious misconduct that may result in criminal and civil liability and will result in Department discipline, up to and including dismissal."
CHICAGO PD -- "A Department member who directly observes a use of force and identifies the force as excessive or otherwise in violation of this directive will, except in extraordinary circumstances, act to intervene on the person's behalf. Such action may include, but is not limited to, verbally or physically intervening to try and stop the violation."
LAPD -- "Regardless of rank, officers have a duty to intercede and report misconduct."
D.C. POLICE -- "The MPD has policy on an officer's duty to intervene. This policy is specific to seeing another officer using force that is clearly beyond that which objectively is reasonable."
ATLANTA PD -- "Any employee present and observing or who becomes aware of another employee exhibiting behaviors or performing actions that violate any department policy ... shall intercede to prevent such behavior or actions, when in a position to do so safely."
DALLAS PD -- "It shall be the duty of every employee present at any scene where physical force is being applied to either stop, or attempt to stop, another employee when force is being inappropriately applied or is no longer required."
CHARLOTTESVILLE PD -- "Any law enforcement officer who, while in the performance of his official duties, witnesses another law enforcement officer engaging or attempting to engage in the use of excessive force against another person shall intervene, when such intervention is feasible, to end the use of excessive force or attempted use of excessive force, or to prevent the further use of excessive force."
NEW ORLEANS PD -- "The core component of the training teaches officers, regardless of rank, to intervene and de-escalate an encounter before harmful action is taken."
OKLAHOMA CITY PD -- "Intervening to prevent excessive force where officers observe another officer using excessive force and they have a realistic and safe opportunity to stop the other officer from using the excessive force, they should attempt to stop the other officer."
We contacted a number of other departments as well, and virtually all of them said they have a policy requiring officers to intervene when they see a fellow cop using excessive force. Furthermore, almost all of the departments say this policy was in place BEFORE the murder of George Floyd.
This raises a serious question ... has this policy been followed and were there consequences for officers who violated it? Judging from the videos and stories over the last few years, it seems like it has not been enforced -- at least in many cases.
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Kendall Jenner Granted 5-Year Restraining Order Against Nude Swimming Intruder
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Kendall Jenner has now been granted her second restraining order in as many days ... this time against the guy who allegedly tried to take a naked dip in her pool.
The 27-year-old man, Shaquan King, was ordered by the judge at a Thursday hearing to keep at least 100 yards away from Kendall for the next 5 years. The restraining order also protects Kris and Kylie Jenner, whose gated community King made a beeline for after spending 6 hours in jail for the alleged intrusion at Kendall's home.
King can't contact the 3 Jenner women, directly or indirectly, in any way, shape or form. He also can't get near their homes, workplaces and vehicles. Kendall, who's recently increased her security dramatically, was represented at the hearing by her attorney, Kate Mangels. King did not appear, nor did he have representation there.
As we reported ... cops say King got naked by Kendall’s pool and banged on windows at her home before her security apprehended him. Cops came and arrested him, but his jail stay was brief due to COVID protocols.
Kendall also got a 5-year restraining order this week against Malik Bowker, who allegedly traveled across the country with a plan to shoot her and then himself. Kendall has left her home since the incidents with Bowker and King.
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Rapper Lil Mosey Charged with Rape Wanted by Cops in Wash.
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Lil Mosey's in big trouble in the state of Washington ... he's been charged with rape, and there's a warrant out for his arrest after failing to appear for a court hearing.
The “Pull Up" rapper was supposed to appear in court Wednesday, just weeks after he was charged with second-degree rape. We’re told Mosey never showed up ... so now he's a wanted man.
This all stems from an alleged incident back in January after a woman says she and a girlfriend went to a cabin to see Mosey but claims they ended up getting raped by him and another man.
According to the affidavit, obtained by TMZ, one of the alleged victims says she consented to having sex with Mosey in a vehicle but goes on to says she blacked out afterward in the cabin after drinking White Claws and champagne. She claims a short time later Mosey got on top of her and was pushing her legs up and apart while he was having sex with her. She said she recalled having pain in her leg muscles while Mosey was pushing her legs.
She says she blacked out again and woke up to find the other man forcing himself on her.
In the affidavit, the woman says she suffered injuries, including bruising on her arm, neck and inner knee. She also claims she got a message from one of the people at the party that said the guys were talking about "training two girls."
If convicted, Mosey faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
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FL Stop & Search Cops Make 2 Black Cyclists Crawl ... Matched Suspect Description
9:47 AM PT -- 4/22 -- A spokesperson for the Orlando PD tells TMZ ... the 2 guys who were detained were not minors. The rep adds cops were investigating an armed robbery in the area after a victim who was on vacation claimed 2 individuals attacked him, took his wallet, digital camera and Apple Watch.
The victim also told police the suspects -- described as 2 Black/darker complexion males on bicycles -- claimed to have a gun. Cops say 9 minutes later responding officers detained the 2 guys riding their bikes but were released after the victim said they were not the attackers.
Police officers stopped and detained 2 guys riding by on their bicycles ... apparently because they looked like two other guys they were after, but considering the current climate, it was a pretty scary encounter for the cyclists.
Check out this video ... you see 2 young men -- possibly minors -- cruising on the sidewalk in Orlando, when all of a sudden they come across a few police cruisers that have their lights flashing. The cops tell them to stop, get off the bikes and to get on the ground.
The guy recording -- who seems to be shooting from a GoPro -- asks what's going on and why they're being stopped. He even asks why the officers have their guns drawn, but it's hard to make out if they're actually pointing weapons from his vantage point.
Anyway, the video continues ... and you see the guy filming seated on the ground with his legs crossed, continuing to ask why they were stopped. One cop tells him they're being detained for matching the description of a couple suspects.
Unclear what crime was committed, but the dude recording -- who is Black -- continues to insist he and his pal are innocent, and that they'd just come from shopping at a 7-Eleven.
In a later video ... he further explained what happened after they were stopped and searched. He says the officers actually trotted out an alleged robbery victim to ID them -- but he told the officers the 2 guys on bikes weren't the ones who did him wrong ... so they were cut loose.
Originally Published -- 4/21 11:03 AM PT
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Daunte Wright Family Hopeful for Justice After Chauvin Verdict
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George Floyd's family getting justice -- with Derek Chauvin being found guilty of murder -- is providing a morale boost for Daunte Wright's family, even as they prepare for a very difficult day.
Daunte's aunt, Naisha Wright, tells TMZ ... with Tuesday's verdict, she feels like real change has begun in this country, and Daunte's loved ones are feeling more confident they will also get justice for his killing at the hands of police.
4/20/21
Naisha says there's a major parallel in the 2 cases, in that Floyd's killing was a cold-blooded murder that people across the world witnessed on video ... and she believes her nephew's killing is the same situation.
She says now that they've seen Floyd's family get justice, it's helping lift their spirits as they prepare to lay Daunte to rest. The 20-year-old's wake is being held Wednesday, and the funeral will be on Thursday -- it's obviously a very heavy time, but Naisha tells us the Floyd family has been incredibly supportive throughout this tragedy.
She says the Floyds are truly an amazing family and even though it's sad they had to meet under these circumstances ... she's happy they've been there for the Wrights.
4/11/21
As we've reported ... Daunte was killed last week during a traffic stop in Minnesota by ex-Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter. Potter fatally shot Daunte as he was trying to get back into his car, but claims she meant to fire her Taser.
Potter resigned after the incident and was arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter shortly afterward.
Naisha and other family members have already made it very clear they don't think that's enough and want a life sentence for Potter ... and they're more hopeful now they will get what they deserve for Daunte.
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George Floyd's Murder Chauvin May Never Have Been Prosecuted ... But for Civilian Video
Derek Chauvin's conviction was a stunning statement by a diverse jury that brutalizing a citizen will even get cops punished, but it's critical to know how close Chauvin came to getting away with it.
The way these cases have gone in the past ... the police department issues a statement, and if there's no citizen-generated video, it's often the end of it. In Chauvin's case, the initial police report -- written before any video surfaced -- made absolutely no mention of his conduct ... cutting off George Floyd's air supply for more than 9 minutes.
The Minneapolis PD issued a statement after Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, passing his death off as a "medical incident."
With the trial over and Chauvin heading to jail, the original Minneapolis police report of the George Floyd killing hits hard. pic.twitter.com/wbzER0g33D
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) April 20, 2021 @ianbremmer
The day after Floyd's death, the PD put out a statement, saying police responded to a "forgery in progress" and advised the suspect "was sitting on top of a blue car and appeared to be under the influence."
The statement goes on ... "Two officers arrived and located the suspect, a male believed to be in his 40s, in his car. He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died a short time later." It went on to say "At no time were weapons of any type used by anyone involved in this incident."
The statement notes there was body cam video, but there was no mention of what it showed.
MPD eventually updated their release to call it a "critical incident" and to say that as more info became available, it'd been determined the FBI was going to get involved.
The case flew under the radar until Darnella Frazier posted video of what REALLY happened. There was a clear cover-up by cops who never said anything about Chauvin's knee, and we may never have known what really happened if it weren't for 17-year-old Darnella and her cellphone.
5/25/20
Remember ... Chauvin had issues with excessive force on the PD before he encountered George Floyd, yet he remained on the force and he might still be a cop if it weren't for Frazier's video.
It just goes to show ... if it isn't captured on civilian video, justice can be elusive.
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Derek Chauvin New Mug Shot Settles into Jail Until Sentencing
This is Derek Chauvin ahead of his first night in jail as a convicted murderer ... he had his new mug shot taken Tuesday evening after he was led out of court in handcuffs.
Chauvin is being held in Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights. The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office checked him into the jail -- which he'll call home, until sentencing in about 8 weeks -- around 5 PM Tuesday, immediately after he was found guilty of murdering George Floyd.
We know Chauvin prepped to make at least one phone call after arriving at the jail -- TMZ broke the story, Chauvin scribbled the phone number for Eric Nelson, his defense attorney, on the palm of his left hand. The smudged pen marks were visible on his hand as the bailiff led him out of the courtroom.
Chauvin posed for his first mug when he was arrested for the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.
He faces a maximum of 40 years in prison. The average sentence in Minnesota for second-degree murder for first offenders is around 15 years, but there are aggravating circumstances here that could lead to a harsher sentence.
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Derek Chauvin Wrote Lawyer's Phone # on Hand ... In Case of Conviction
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TMZ now knows what was on Derek Chauvin's hand ... he wanted to make sure he had his lawyer's phone number in case he was convicted and sent directly to jail.
Chauvin's lawyer, Eric Nelson, tells TMZ, his client wrote the number ahead of the conviction, because the convicted former cop knew if the jury found him guilty of second-degree murder he'd almost certainly have his bail revoked and he'd be remanded to custody.
Chauvin clearly knew given his former profession, he would have limited access to a phone but would be allowed to call his lawyer ... thus the scribble on his left hand. Chauvin has been in court many times, so he clearly knew a conviction would lead to swift incarceration, with no opportunity to speak to his lawyer in court after the verdict.
Nelson didn't say what the nature of such a call might be, but clearly, Chauvin wanted to discuss the next steps with his attorney. There are issues of sentencing and appeal that the defense will certainly address.
We're guessing Chauvin wrote the phone number on his hand because he was concerned if he wrote it on a piece of paper it might be confiscated when he was booked into jail.
As you know by now, the jury found Chauvin guilty on all 3 counts of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter. He faces a maximum of 40 years in prison.
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Derek Chauvin Guilty of Murdering George Floyd
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4/20/21
Chauvin was booked at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights, he was booked at 4:55pm local time.
George Floyd's family attorney, Ben Crump, is introducing George's family members ... who are about to speak about the verdict as well.
Earlier, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, along with several other members of the prosecution team, addressed the media about the Chauvin verdict.
Rev. Al Sharpton also spoke and delivered a prayer, praising God for justice being served.
Derek Chauvin -- the former Minneapolis officer who pressed his knee on George Floyd's neck for more than 9 minutes during his fatal arrest on May 25, 2020 -- has been found guilty of 2nd-degree murder.
The jury delivered the verdict after more than 10 hours of deliberation. The maximum penalty for 2nd-degree unintentional murder is 40 years in prison. Sentencing will be handed down in 8 weeks. Chauvin's bail was revoked and he was remanded into custody.
WATCH: George Floyd's family reacts to the conviction of Derek Chauvin on all three counts in the death of George Floyd. https://t.co/6nN46Fosol pic.twitter.com/15Q5jiE3oB
— ABC News (@ABC) April 20, 2021 @ABC
The jury also found Chauvin guilty of 3rd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter, but the 2nd degree takes precedence since it was the highest charge.
The Floyd family attorney, Ben Crump, tweeted just minutes after the verdict was read, "GUILTY! Painfully earned justice has finally arrived for George Floyd’s family. This verdict is a turning point in history and sends a clear message on the need for accountability of law enforcement. Justice for Black America is justice for all of America!"
Crump continues, "We thank AG Keith Ellison & his team, along with our legal team, for fierce dedication to justice. But it does not end here. We still have work to do! We must pass George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to hold police accountable & prevent unjustified killings of marginalized POC."
The decision came after the jury heard from 38 prosecution witnesses, including the Minneapolis Police Chief and use-of-force experts who criticized Chauvin ... and medical experts who explained Floyd died from more than 9 minutes of pressure from Chauvin's knee.
5/25/20
The defense called 7 witnesses, but Chauvin did not take the stand himself as he invoked his 5th Amendment right.
Chauvin was the first of the officers involved in Floyd's arrest to stand trial for the incident. He was charged with killing Floyd less than a week after video of him pressing his knee into Floyd's neck spread like wildfire online, and sparked nationwide protests and riots.
Chauvin's main defense in the case was that Floyd allegedly died from drugs and a heart condition and not from the ex-cop's actions. Chauvin's lawyers claimed Floyd "put drugs in his mouth" to conceal them when confronted by cops, and the drugs exacerbated his heart condition and caused his death.
But, prosecutors insisted drug use was a bogus defense, and Floyd was killed by Chauvin's unforgiving knee ... which he held to Floyd's neck as he struggled to breathe for more than 9 minutes.
Several witnesses supported the prosecution's theory, including Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, who took the stand to testify Chauvin's actions "absolutely" violated police policy.
Chauvin, however, defended his actions at the time by telling a witness he and the other cops had to stay on top of Floyd to control him because he's a "sizable guy" and because he was "probably on something."
During the trial, a couple paramedics testified Floyd's heart had already stopped by the time they arrived on scene. The ER doctor who pronounced Floyd dead at the hospital testified he believed oxygen deficiency was "one of the more likely" causes of his death.
Floyd's family already got a measure of justice when the City of Minneapolis settled a wrongful death lawsuit, agreeing to pay the family $27 million.
Originally Published -- 2:07 PM PT