Karen Read Documentary Director Done ... No Further Filming After Retrial Acquittal

Published

The Karen Read documentary series -- which provided a BTS look at her first trial, and her preparation for the retrial for the murder of her Boston cop boyfriend -- was a big hit ... but TMZ's learned the creators won't be rolling the cameras on her life after acquittal.

Terry Dunn Meurer, who directed "A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read," tells TMZ ... her team has NO plans to follow Karen after the trial. Terry believes Karen's story has been told.

Terry tells us her documentary series will get a small update now that Karen's been found not guilty of second-degree murder in the 2022 death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe ... a text update card will be added to the end of Episode 5, explaining what happened during the trial and the jury verdict this week.

Justin Baldoni Taylor Comms With Blake Are Fair Game ... Judge Rules

Published | Updated

Taylor Swift is still very much involved in the Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively beef ... after a judge's latest ruling.

In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a judge ruled Justin's Wayfarer company can seek communications between Taylor and Blake that relate to the drama on "It Ends With Us."

Blake was asking the judge to stop Justin's camp from getting his hands on her messages with Taylor, claiming Justin was using her relationship with Taylor to "prop up a public relations narrative outside of court."

'Party Of Five' Star Scott Wolf Wife Called Police Hours Before Getting Cuffed ... Claims Psychological Abuse!!!

Published | Updated

Kelley Wolf made a desperate call to 911 from her Utah home hours before she was shockingly cuffed by police on video -- and TMZ has now obtained dramatic 911 audio from the first incident.

Check out the audio clip released by the Summit County Sheriff's Office ... Kelley called the dispatcher at 3 AM June 13 ... and she sounds totally emotional.

During their convo, Kelley asks police for assistance to grab her belongings from the Park City home she shares with "Party of Five" star Scott Wolf -- her soon-to-be ex-husband.

Cassie Threatens Man Over 'Freak-Off' Video ... New Diddy Defense Exhibit

Published | Updated

Diddy's defense played jurors an audio recording of Cassie confronting a man who she says had told her he'd been shown a video of her doing a "freak-off" ... and now we're finally getting to hear what was played for the jury.

In a batch of freshly released Diddy defense exhibits, there's an audio file that Diddy’s defense team says features Cassie making death threats to a man she calls Sugit.

051625_doug_wigdor_cassie_statement_kal_v2
CASSIE'S EMOTIONAL STATEMENT

The recording was played in court over a month ago during Cassie's testimony but it's only now being made public.

Cuba Gooding Jr. Prayers Up For Diddy, and Alleged Victims ... Won't See Me Throwing Stones

Published | Updated

Cuba Gooding Jr. says he's turning to the Lord during this trying time for Diddy ... revealing he's praying for the fallen mogul as his federal trial creeps on.

We caught up with the actor at LAX Wednesday ... and, we asked him if he's been keeping up on the developments in Diddy's sex trafficking trial -- which he tells us are darn near impossible to avoid these days.

Cuba says he's keeping Diddy and his alleged victims -- pointing to Cassie Ventura and her family specifically -- in his prayers.

R. Kelly Scared Out of His Mind in Prison ... Let Me the Hell Out!!!

Published

R. Kelly is scared out of his mind and desperately begging to be let out of prison, according to members of his legal team -- who say the singer broke down in tears during a recent phone call, as he fears for his life, and his health spirals behind bars ... TMZ has learned.

Nicole Blank Becker, one of Kelly’s attorneys, tells TMZ ... the 57-year-old is petrified to find himself back in prison after he was released from the hospital, and he's fretting about his health and safety. Kelly is currently locked up in the Special Housing Unit in a North Carolina prison.

"He’s emotional, and he cried intermittently on the phone call" on Monday, Becker tells us, adding, "Again, out of fear for his life."

Wendy Williams I Have Nothing To Do With Lawsuit My Ex Filed ... Feels Like Money Grab!!!

Published | Updated

Wendy Williams' ex-husband is taking legal action over her guardianship ... but she tells TMZ she has NOTHING to do with his lawsuit, and she feels it's a money grab.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Wendy and her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, filed a federal lawsuit in New York to release her from the shackles of her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, and claims the guardianship is not a shield to protect her, but a weapon used against her.

Thing is ... we talked to Wendy on the phone after the lawsuit was filed, and she told us she's not involved here in any way ... despite the docs showing Kevin trying to sue on her behalf.

Karen Read Mass Hysteria in Massachusetts ... Speaks to Ecstatic Courthouse Crowd!!!

Published | Updated

Karen Read's acquittal turned the outside of the courthouse into pandemonium ... with her assembled supporters exploding into cheers -- and, Read herself even said a few words.

The Massachusetts woman -- who was just acquitted on second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death -- walked out of the courthouse in Dedham, MA, with her lawyers and father to meet a crowd of chanting, cheering fans screaming for her.

061825_karen_read_verdict_kal JUNE 2025
NOT GUILTY!!!

Read started off by thanking her legal team for keeping her afloat over the last couple years during both of her trials.

Diddy Trial Dismissed Juror 6 Wasn't Starstruck By Diddy ... More Into Spanish Music!!!

Published

The juror who got booted from the Diddy trial was NOT in awe of Diddy's celebrity or his rap empire ... we've learned the guy was indifferent about Diddy and is mostly into Spanish-language music, so there was no celeb wow factor for him.

A source close to Juror 6 tells TMZ ... the guy never wanted to be part of the high-profile trial, but he got a summons and ended up being picked for the jury.

We're told he's a quiet person who likes to get his work done without being hassled ... and he's not comfortable with all the media attention now that he's been kicked off the jury.

Diddy Trial Vertigo!!! Court Canceled Over Medical Issue

Published | Updated

It's like right out of a Hitchcock movie, but not really ... the judge pulled the plug in the Diddy trial Wednesday after learning one of the jurors came down with vertigo.

We don't know the underlying condition of the juror in question, but the evidence was truly head-spinning this week, with jurors fixated on various freak-off videos.

Jurors put on their headphones Tuesday and watched around 10 minutes of the vids, featuring sex scenes between Diddy, Cassie, and male escorts. You could hear a pin drop in the courtroom, as the peanut gallery heard moans bleeding through the headphones.

R. Kelly Joycelyn Savage's Family Blasts His Pardon Push ... He Still Has Our Daughter!!!

Published | Updated

R. Kelly should absolutely not be pardoned -- 'cause one of his alleged victims, Joycelyn Savage, has been missing for years and is still believed to be in his grip and under his control, her family’s attorney tells TMZ.

Gerald Griggs -- attorney for Joycelyn’s family -- tells TMZ they’re slamming Kelly’s push for a Trump pardon ... insisting the singer still has a grip on Joycelyn, who they haven’t heard from since a short phone call back in 2019.

Watch the video ... Joycelyn's family has only heard from individuals claiming to represent her -- though it's unclear in what capacity. ICYDK, Joycelyn is R. Kelly's one-time fiancée, who many say is a victim. Her family believes she’s alive, hopes she’s healthy, and says they’d love nothing more than to hear from her directly.

Diddy Trial Highlights Big Spending On 'Freak-Offs' ... More Footage Too!!!

Published
image (5)
DAY 25 WRAP-UP

We've reached the home stretch in the Diddy criminal trial and on the 25th day of witness testimony, prosecutors tried to lay out for the jury how they say Diddy spent big to transport male prostitutes across the country for sex romps.

DeLeassa Penland, a special agent with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York -- the agency prosecuting the case against Diddy -- was back on the stand and she testified about a bunch of charges Diddy incurred flying sex workers across state lines.

The testimony mostly went towards the Mann Act and some of it to the RICO charge against Diddy.

'Empire' Star Bryshere Gray Allegedly Beat Up Man Over Bill Dispute ...

Published | Updated

Update

3:30 PM PT -- The Family of Bryshere Gray tells TMZ ... "Bryshere and the family are still trying to understand everything from this past weekend. Bryshere appreciates all the well wishes as he resumes working on his mental health. Both Bryshere and Chosen (Dustin) are doing fine. Mr. Gray loves all his fans and supporters.

"Their friendship is equivalent to brothers & this was not a payment dispute. This was an issue concerning Bryshere’s safety and health. We kindly ask for privacy as we are all working to find peace and move on from this matter."

Former "Empire" star Bryshere Gray allegedly lunged at a man and punched him at a hotel last Friday before assault charges were filed ... this according to the criminal complaint obtained by TMZ.

The alleged assault went down in Chesapeake, Virginia ... where a man named Dustin Wilkins was trying to help the actor with a payment dispute at the Homewood Suites.

Wilkins says he told Gray he can't just skip out on the bill for his stay -- reasoning he has plenty of other issues to worry about and that he was simply trying to "save" his life -- which seemingly angered Gray. It's unclear if the two men know each other.

Diddy Trial Defense Shows Jurors More 'Freak-Off' Footage

Published | Updated

Diddy's defense team isn't backing away from the jury seeing the alleged "freak-off" videos  ... because Diddy's lawyers are now showing jurors even more footage from them.

The viewing went down Tuesday in Day 25 of Diddy's federal trial in Manhattan ... as defense attorney Teny Geragos was cross-examining a Department of Justice special agent.

Geragos cued up a few videos ... and jurors put on headphones and watched the freak-off footage on screens not viewable by lawyers, prosecutors, or those in the gallery.

061725_tmz_live_diddy_kal_v2
FREAK-OFFS PLAYED IN COURT!!!

R. Kelly BOP Tried To Off Me Again!!! Alleges Plotted Overdose Left Him Hospitalized

Published | Updated

R. Kelly is doubling down on his claim that his life is in grave danger in prison ... now alleging Bureau of Prisons staff at his federal center in North Carolina purposefully gave him too much medication -- causing an overdose that left him in the hospital.

A court filing submitted by his attorney, Beau B. Brindley, Monday claims R. Kelly was left bedridden in a hospital after a solitary confinement staff member instructed him to take additional medication the night of June 12.

The next morning, the Pied Piper allegedly awakened feeling faint and dizzy, and when he attempted to get up, he fell on the floor, "crawled to the door of the cell and lost consciousness."

061725_tmz_live_r_kelly
RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL

Diddy Trial Male Escorts' Travel, Hotel Expenses Paid for by Diddy

Published | Updated

Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial resumed Tuesday in NYC for the 25th day ... and a federal special agent testified about travel and hotel expenses involving alleged male escorts that Diddy paid for.

DeLeassa Penland, a special agent with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York -- the agency prosecuting the case against Diddy -- testified Diddy's American Express account was charged nearly $47,000 for damages at a single hotel in New York in one instance.

P-Diddy---Timeline-Thumbnail
DIDDY SCANDAL: TIMELINE OF EVENTS

Penland told the jury Diddy, Cassie Ventura and Jules Theodore -- an alleged male escort -- stayed at the London Hotel on a particular date, which was paid for on Diddy's AmEx, as well as Virgin America plane tickets for Jules.

061725_tmz_live_diddy_kal_v2
FREAK-OFFS PLAYED IN COURT!!!