TMZ

The Las Vegas Raiders tried to enter the chat after the Derek Chauvin verdict on Tuesday — but they’re getting torn apart on social media for what some are saying is an insensitive post. After Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd on Tuesday, the Raiders’ social media account tweeted out, “I CAN BREATHE” with the date and the team logo. The problem … people feel it’s very insensitive to Floyd, who told officers, “I can’t breathe” more than 20 times while being forcefully detained by Chauvin, who at the time was a member of the Minneapolis Police Department. The reaction to the Raiders’ social media post has been overwhelmingly negative … with THOUSANDS of responses piling in on Twitter. Here’s a sampling … — “Wow this is a huge miss” — “Delete this s**t.” — “Donate money to the inner cities of Oakland & delete this post.” — “Delete this wtf is this omg” — “This is what it looks like when u try to join the ‘woke’ side of social media and fail miserably” The tweet is still up as of 5 PM PT … but given the backlash, that could change. Read Full Article

Michael Richards allegedly pulled off a caper some people might call Kramer-ish — cutting down a neighbor’s 30-year-old trees … but they’re not laughing, in fact, they’re suing the “Seinfeld” star and his wife. Maxine Adams is suing Kramer and his wife, Beth Skipp, claiming they sauntered over to her Pacific Palisades property on April 2 and “maliciously cut mature Brazilian Pepper Trees and underbrush” on her property. In docs, obtained by TMZ, Adams says her property is right next door to the Richards’ — they share a border which is only separated by a narrow public walkway. Adams says Kramer and Beth had no business chopping down her two 18-foot trees just to improve their ocean views. Adams says the trees were 30 years old and providing significant privacy and shade. Adams claims the couple cut down the trees knowing full well they didn’t have Adams’s consent in order to “significantly enhance the value of their home as it would increase their view to the Pacific Ocean.” And, get this … Adams claims she can’t crane in new large box trees and instead will have to plant much smaller ones that’ll take 20 years to reach the height of her old ones — and will cost her more than $62k. She’s suing for that amount, plus at least another $200k for the loss of aesthetic value to property. We’ve reached out to Michael and Beth … so far no word back. Read Full Article

George Floyd’s family is feeling joy, relief and gratitude in the wake of Derek Chauvin being found guilty of murder, but they also understand the impact of this moment is greater than them … and say it’s a reminder to keep fighting for justice. George’s brother, Philonise Floyd was in the courtroom Tuesday when the ex-cop was found guilty of 2nd-degree murder, 3rd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter … and says he had faith a guilty verdict would come through. Philonise says he feels relieved today, but reminded everyone this has been a long journey that didn’t start with the video of his brother’s murder, but way back with the 1955 slaying of Emmett Till. He adds that this sort of injustice continues with the killing of Daunte Wright as a recent example — and it’s a reminder to keep fighting — but says at least for today, “We can breathe again.” George’s other brothers, Terrence and Rodney, also spoke … with Terrence calling the verdict a “monumental” moment in history. Terrence and Rodney both called it a victory for humanity and thanked all of the protesters and advocates who fought and marched for justice. As you know … George was killed on May 25, 2020, when Minneapolis police officers attempted to arrest him for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill — and Chauvin pressed his knee on George’s neck for more than 9 minutes, and George pled for his mother. Chauvin was arrested and charged with killing George less than a week later … and the video of the fatal incident sparked nationwide protests and riots. Chauvin’s sentencing will happen in 8 weeks, with the maximum penalty for 2nd-degree unintentional murder being 40 years in prison. Chauvin’s bail has already been revoked and he’s been remanded into custody. Floyd’s family previously got another measure of justice last month, when the City of Minneapolis settled a wrongful death lawsuit, agreeing to a $27 million settlement with the fam. Read Full Article

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. Read Full Article

Kourtney Kardashian is the queen of risqué this week — first she was sucking on Travis Barker’s thumb for the ‘Gram … now she’s openly asking the public about rough sex. KK posted a very racy pic — a photo of a stock image that captures the lower half of a woman, unbuttoned and fairly exposed near the groin area. A belly button and white panties are exposed, which have “Oui” embroidered right on the front … and in red, no less. On top of that, there was a question she posed to her followers — “ROUGH SEX: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT?” So yeah, it seems like she’s answering her own question a bit here. But also, she’s continuing this recent streak of not leaving much to the imagination. We’re not clutching our pearls here — just noticing a trend carrying over from the weekend. You’ll recall, Kourtney’s BF, Travis Barker, posted a video of her sucking on his thumb … which looked like something else at first glance. Either way, it’s been PDA times 10 lately. Speaking of being cuddly in public … Kourtney and Travis were doing a lot of that as well over the past few days — this after Kourtney turned 42 and celebrated her birthday. They were spotted out at some beaches in the OC … and on both occasions, getting cozy. They weren’t shy about it either … with Travis grabbing himself a handful while laying out on the sand, and later posting a pic with Kourtney laying on top of him — derrière in full view. Don’t get us wrong or anything … it’s good stuff. Maybe too much good stuff, though, at this point. Read Full Article

The teenager whose video was seen ’round the world of George Floyd being murdered by Derek Chauvin has spoken on the guilty verdict that just came down … and she’s elated. 17-year-old Darnella Frazier just reacted to the news Chauvin was found guilty on all 3 counts, and now faces a max sentence of 40 years. She says, “I just cried so hard😩This last hour my heart was beating so fast, I was so anxious, anxiety bussing through the roof. But to know GUILTY ON ALL 3 CHARGES !!!” Darnella shared her emotions on Facebook … the same platform where she first posted the infamous 9 minute-plus video, which was the critical piece of evidence in Chauvin’s trial. She added, “THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU😭🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽George Floyd we did it!!🥺❤️❤️❤️❤️justice has been served✊🏽” Darnella elaborated even further on IG, saying … “My heart goes out to George Floyd’s family!❤️🙏🏽Although no amount of charges will bring back a loved one, justice was served and his murderer will pay the price. We did it❤️❤️✊🏽#justicewasserved.” It’s no exaggeration to say Chauvin’s conviction is due in large part to the fact Darnella captured every painful minute his knee was on George Floyd’s neck … nearly 10 minutes. Her video was played almost daily during Chauvin’s trial and, in the end, clearly helped the jury reach its unanimous decision in under 11 hours. It’s been a long road for Darnella — you might recall, she was going through a hard time in the immediate aftermath of the video going viral — with some people questioning her motives and even asking why she didn’t do more. She and her fam told us she might need therapy. Something tells us her spirits have been lifted and then some … as she’s now being hailed as George Floyd’s ultimate hero, and rightly so. Read Full Article

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are reacting to the guilty verdict that was just handed down in the Derek Chauvin murder trial. A Minneapolis jury just found Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder and third-degree murder for killing George Floyd during his arrest on May 25, 2020. Chauvin was also found guilty of second-degree manslaughter. Earlier on Tuesday, the Prez commented that he had checked in on Floyd’s family and told them he was “praying the verdict is the right verdict.” He also called the Chauvin case “overwhelming.” The Chauvin verdict does not mean the overwhelming nature of the case is over … as the 3 other officers involved in Floyd’s arrest are due to stand trial soon as well. Along with that … Chauvin could very well appeal the verdict and there could be much more legal drama ahead, as his own trial judge even alluded to. Read Full Article

Magic Johnson believes justice has been served in the Derek Chauvin case — thanking God after the former police officer was found guilty in the murder of George Floyd. “Thank God … guilty! Justice has been served,” Johnson tweeted. Chauvin was found guilty of 2nd degree unintentional murder, 3rd degree murder and 2nd degree manslaughter stemming from the May 2020 incident in Minnesota. Moments after the verdict was read and Chauvin was taken into custody, athletes from all over the world spoke out on social media. NBA commissioner Adam Silver also issued a joint statement with the executive director of the NBPA Michele Roberts. “George Floyd’s murder was a flash point for how we look at race and justice in our country, and we are pleased that justice appears to have been served.” “But we also recognize that there is much work to be done and the National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Players Association, together with our newly-formed Social Justice Coalition, will redouble our efforts to advocate for meaningful change in the areas of criminal justice and policing.” Matt Barnes — “Condolences to the Floyd Family. This is just the first step of starting to change a broken system.” Reggie Miller — “Thank you JURY!!! ACCOUNTABILITY” Matt Forte — “I don’t celebrate the demise of another persons life no matter what they’ve done but I do celebrate JUSTICE, TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS because for so long that has been void of the criminal justice system in America for black and brown people.” Josh Hart — “Put his ass under the jail.” Torrey Smith — “I can’t believe what I just saw. They finally got one case right. GUILTY!!! Prayers up for the Floyd family.” Ex-NBA star Isiah Thomas — “Crying hard tears right now, maybe things are changing in America?” Karl-Anthony Towns — “Justice and Accountability! Things I never thought I would see. There’s much more work to do, but this is an amazing start working toward the reform this country NEEDS!” The Minnesota Timberwolves also issued a statement  saying the team is “hopeful that today’s decision will serve as a step forward, but it does not ease the physical and emotional pain that continues in an environment where systemic racism exists.” “To our BIPOC community, the Timberwolves and Lynx remain committed to influencing change, promoting impactful action, and using our platform to help heal and unite in pursuit of liberty and justice FOR ALL.” The WNBA says “while this verdict represents a step toward justice, we are reminded that justice is too often not the outcome for people of color.” Read Full Article

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 10 hours of deliberation. The maximum penalty for 2nd-degree unintentional murder is 40 years in prison. Sentencing will be handed down at a later date. 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 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. 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. Read Full Article

How’s this for an epic summer pool party?!?! Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel — two of the best swimmers on the planet — needed a pool so badly to train for the Olympics during the early goings of the pandemic in 2020 … they straight-up went to a man’s backyard for help!! The story is pretty wild … Ledecky and Manuel, who normally get their laps in at Stanford’s facilities, found themselves pool-less in March ’20 after the school closed due to coronavirus. The two REALLY needed water, their coach, Greg Meehan, told Yahoo Sports this week … ’cause the Tokyo Olympics had yet to be postponed, and trials were just weeks away. “We were scrambling to find any water because the reality was the trials were going to be in about 12, 13, weeks,” said Meehan, who also coaches the Stanford women’s swim team. “If we get stuck without being in water for a month or six weeks or something, it’s just not going to go well. I had thought a lot about what happens if we don’t find water. I was trying connections everywhere.” Enter Tod Spieker — a swim legend who was an All-American at UCLA and a backstroker at the 1968 Olympic Trials — who just so happened to have a great pool to offer up. Meehan contacted Spieker — who he knew through mutual friends — about using the water … and Tod told him no problem. So, everyone rolled up to Spieker’s house … and stayed training there for months! Meehan said the setup was incredible, given the circumstances — it was equipped with clocks, starting blocks and backstroke flags — and the two Olympians put in WORK there until their regular facilities opened back up in June. “It wasn’t three months of the greatest training of their life,” Meehan said, “but it was enough to keep the engine running.” Imagine … a backyard pool really might have just paved the way for a ton of Olympic gold this summer!! Read Full Article