Luke Perry Death Certificate Reveals Burial in Tennessee

Published | Updated

Luke Perry's death certificate confirms what we already know -- he died as a result of a massive stroke -- and it also reveals his final resting place is in Tennessee.

The document was released Wednesday and it lists the cause of death as an "ischemic cerebrovascular accident" -- a stroke -- that occurred 5 days before his death at 12:44 PM on Monday, March 4.

According to the certificate, obtained by TMZ, Luke's fiancee, Wendy Bauer, is listed as his next of kin, or "informant." It also says Luke's body was transported to Dickson, Tennessee and he was buried there on Monday, March 11.

Luke was a part-time resident of Tennessee, and had owned a farm there since 1995.

TMZ broke the story -- Luke died in Burbank at St. Joseph's Hospital, where he'd been since suffering the massive stroke.

As we first reported ... paramedics rushed to Luke's home in Sherman Oaks on Feb. 27 after he suffered the stroke. He was responsive and talking when EMTs arrived, but his condition deteriorated. Doctors sedated Luke in hopes his body could recover -- but the damage was too extensive and his family made the decision to remove him from life support.

Luke was 52.

Lamar Jackson Records Himself Going 105 MPH ... Sorry For 'Bad Decision'

Published | Updated
031319_lamar_jackson_kal MARCH 2019
CRUISIN' FOR A BRUISIN'

5:57 PM PT -- Lamar just apologized for making "a bad decision" ... and says he'll "set a better example going forward."

Here's Baltimore Ravens superstar QB Lamar Jackson apparently breaking some laws ... speeding at 105 MPH -- all while holding his phone and recording!

C'mon man -- BE SAFE!!!

LJ posted the (not so smart) footage on his Instagram Story Tuesday ... presumably to show off his icy bracelet and fancy Mercedes.

The problem? You can see in the vid, the speedometer is PASSING 105 MPH ... with his phone locked in one of his hands.

Yeah, ain't exactly a look the Ravens want to see.

Plus, there's a seat belt light on the dashboard, which shows someone in the car ain't buckled up. It seems Lamar's alone in the car. We're HOPING it's a mistake and he's buckled up for safety.

What makes things even tougher for the Ravens to swallow? They've had an up-and-down offseason so far, losing studs like Terrell Suggs and Eric Weddle -- and Jackson also posted he isn't happy about that.

"Lol I wish we could've kept everyone," Jackson said ... "us players have 0 say so."

We've reached out to the Ravens for comment on Lamar's vids ... but so far, no word back yet.

Originally Published -- 10:00 AM PT

Antonio Brown And Derek Carr ... Crush First Raiders Workout!!!

Published | Updated
031219_antonio_brown_KAL
RUNNING PLAYS

Antonio Brown is hitting the ground runnin' in Oakland ... 'cause he's ALREADY working out with his new QB, Derek Carr -- and TMZ Sports has the video!!!

The newest Raider superstar and the team's stud QB hit a park near the team's practice facility in the Bay Area on Tuesday ... and crushed their first-ever workout as Raiders teammates.

You can see in the video ... Brown's catching passes from D.C. like the two have already been teammates for years!!!

At one point, Brown even practices his TD celebration by jumping on a light pole and sliding down!

It's interesting ... 'cause AB blasted Ben Roethlisberger for never meeting up with him to play catch in the offseason -- so, seems Carr already knows how to keep his new receiver happy.

Brown was just traded from Pittsburgh to the Raiders on Saturday for a 3rd-round pick and a 5th-round pick in next month's NFL draft ... a move some are calling a steal for Oakland.

Seems AB's all fine with it ... the receiver's posted non-stop about the move -- even shouting out Carr on social media saying, "Love at first Sight."

Clearly!!!!

Paul Manafort Almost 4 More Years in Prison And New NYC Indictment!!!

Published | Updated

12:27 PM PT -- A sketch artist caught Manafort in court Wednesday.

10:00 AM PT -- Manafort just got hit with 16 NEW charges in an NYC indictment tied to a mortgage fraud scheme. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. says Manafort will now face 16 felonies for alleged residential mortgage fraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records ... to name just a few.

What's that thing about raining and pouring? It's a monsoon for Manafort.

Paul Manafort is nearly doubling his time behind bars -- another judge just sentenced him to an extra 43 months .... nearly 4 more years in the pen.

President Trump's former campaign manager went through his second sentencing Wednesday in D.C., where a judge presided over the criminal case Robert Mueller's office prosecuted. Manafort got an additional 43 months in prison ... on top of the tax and bank fraud sentence he got last week.

You'll recall ... Manafort got 47 months in that matter. This additional time will bring his full prison sentence to 7 1/2 years.

This second case includes 2 conspiracy charges. Federal prosecutors accused Manafort of witness tampering and obstruction of justice after he was released on bail ... saying he urged 2 witnesses to commit perjury in his defense.

060818_paul_manafort_kal
NOT MUCH OF A CHATTERBOX

That got him sent back to the slammer, where he's been ever since last June. For the record ... Manafort pled guilty to the 2 conspiracy charges.

Manafort apologized for his crimes during Wednesday's sentencing -- he read a statement from his wheelchair, and begged the judge to "let my wife and I be together." He reminded the judge that he is about to turn 70, and his wife is 66.

Manafort actually got sentenced to 73 months, but the judge allowed 30 of them to be served concurrently with the 47 months for fraud.

Originally Published -- 9:48 AM PT

College Bribery Ringleader Auditioned for Reality Show on College Admissions ... Here's How You Play the Game

Published | Updated

The man who pulled all the strings in the massive college bribery case auditioned for his own reality show back in 2010 ... a reality show on the pressures of families trying to get their kids into colleges, and he makes it clear -- traditional donations don't cut it anymore.

TMZ has obtained Rick Singer's audition tape, which was shot by a production company and submitted to a network. You hear Singer explain that even his clients with big, big money can't afford to plunk down a donation to a University that will guarantee admission. He says bluntly, $10 million isn't enough ... it won't even get noticed by the big universities.

He explains the pressures of college admission on his clients and makes it clear ... the clients are not just the students but their parents as well. He says there's so much craziness in these families, he wishes he could prescribe meds for the parents.

The reality show never sold.

As we reported, Singer copped a plea Tuesday to racketeering conspiracy, money laundering, tax conspiracy and obstruction of justice. He faces a maximum of 65 years in prison, but he'll clearly get way less by singing like a bird.

TMZ broke the story, there are scores of very rich, nervous parents who were calling around Tuesday after the indictments were announced, wondering about the records Singer kept.

Brody Stevens Death Certificate Confirms Hanging .... History of Mental Illness

Published | Updated

Stand-up comedian Brody Stevens' struggle with mental illness is listed as a factor in his suicide on his death certificate.

TMZ obtained the document which confirms Brody died by hanging. Specifically, it says he used a belt to hang himself from a door. It also says his "history of depression and bipolar disorder" was a significant condition contributing to his death.

As we reported ... the comedian and actor was found dead last month at his home in L.A. He had been hospitalized in 2011 after suffering a bipolar episode, and tackled topics like depression on his Comedy Central series, 'Enjoy It!'

Despite that, Brody was famous for preaching positivity during his popular stand-up act. He also had roles in movies, such as "The Hangover" and "The Hangover II" -- and was an avid baseball fan. Brody pitched in college at Arizona State University until he suffered an elbow injury.

He was 48.

College Bribery Scandal Triggers Scores of Nervous, Rich Parents

Published | Updated

10:40 AM PT -- We just got Jay Leno out in NYC and asked him about the scandal ... Leno certainly didn't hold back, calling the whole thing "the definition of white privilege."

The 50 people who were indicted for allegedly paying bribe money to get their kids into college may just be the tip of the iceberg, and scores of very nervous and very rich parents are calling around L.A. trying to get recon.

Sources familiar with the case tell TMZ, FBI agents have seized numerous cell phones and other evidence they believe will lead them to other parents, college employees and others who might have participated in admissions bribery.

We know a number of wealthy parents from some of the most exclusive private schools in L.A. were calling around Tuesday, asking if Rick Singer, the ringleader who just copped a plea, kept lists of clients. As one source put it, "These parents are sweating bullets."

On a different front, sources at USC familiar with the scandal tell us the University has known about the investigation for around 2 months, but they did not investigate ... because they didn't want to undermine the feds. Our sources say they've dealt with the U.S. Attorney's Office before, and they know if they conducted a simultaneous investigation it could tip off witnesses and targets, and result in the destruction of evidence.

As for what USC will do with the students whose parents got them into the school via bribery, well-connected sources tell us the students will not all be evaluated the same way. We're told if the students knew they were admitted because of bribes, they will be expelled. If they were in the dark, the University will evaluate all of the circumstances and the decisions will be student-specific.

And, one final thing, as for USC ... we know officials are furious at the parents who engaged in bribery. They say it has tarnished the school, the students and the athletic programs.

Originally Published -- 1:00 AM PT

R. Kelly Arrives at Court ... Lower My Child Support, Your Honor!!

Published | Updated

8:15 AM PT -- The hearing just ended, and R. Kelly's lawyer says there's been no change in child support yet. He says they're setting a new court date to argue the matter.

R. Kelly's back in a court of law, shooting his shot with the judge in his child support case.

The singer and his legal team made their way into the Chicago court Wednesday morning, hoping to score a reduction in his monthly payments to his ex-wife, Drea Kelly.

As you know, Kelly was arrested last week, and sat in jail until he coughed up $161,633 ... the back child support he owed Drea.

Kelly was supposed to be paying Drea $20,833 per month as of January 2009 but he fell way off schedule last year. Sources close to the singer told us he scraped together the $161k with the help of a "benefactor."

As we reported ... Kelly's camp says the singer got into a huge fight with Drea back in 2017 and, after that, she didn't allow their daughter and 2 sons to talk to him.

Drea calls BS ... saying Kelly cut her off as a means of controlling her when she spoke out publicly about him allegedly abusing her.

Ultimately, the child support is the lesser of Kelly's legal issues right now -- with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse in Cook County hanging over his head.

Originally Published -- 8:02 AM PT

Luke Perry & Fiancee Wendy Summer Wedding Had Been Planned

Published | Updated

Luke Perry and his fiancee, Wendy Madison Bauer, were planning on getting married later this year before his shocking death -- this according to their "save the date" cards.

TMZ obtained one of their "save the dates," and it forecast a late summer wedding in L.A. It looks like Luke and Wendy planned to get hitched August 17. The card doesn't get into more specific detail, but it does say a formal invite would follow.

BTW ... the "save the date" card was elegantly designed, featuring a grey and gold color scheme as well as a Naive Inline-type font. Very Gatsby-esque.

Wendy broke her silence over the weekend, expressing gratitude for the outpouring of love and support she's received in the wake of Luke's passing earlier this month.

We broke the story ... Luke died in the hospital a few days after suffering a massive stroke at his Southern California home. Doctors sedated him, hoping he'd recover, but he never did.

Regarding Luke himself, Wendy said, "The past 11½ years with Luke were the happiest years of my life, and I am grateful to have had that time with him,” she continues, “I also want to thank his children, family, and friends for their love and support. We have found comfort in one another and in the knowledge that our lives were touched by an extraordinary man. He will be dearly missed."

It's unclear when exactly Luke and Wendy got engaged, but what is clear is that they were aiming to make things official very soon.

John Stamos & Jodie Sweetin Visibly Shocked by Lori's Indictment

Published | Updated

Lori Loughlin's "Full House" and "Fuller House" co-stars John Stamos and Jodie Sweetin are rallying around her ... in maybe the only way they can for now on the heels of her indictment in the college bribery scandal.

We got Uncle Jesse leaving Madeo Tuesday night in Bev Hills -- where our camera guy, of course, asked him about his TV love interest getting busted for allegedly committing bribery and fraud to get her kids into college.

John whipped out a "no comment" real quick, and even though he flashed a peace sign before driving off -- with a sweet doggy bag, BTW -- it's still clear Lori's castmates are concerned.

We got Jodie Tuesday afternoon right after she flew into LAX. She seemed even more upset than John when we asked if she was surprised by the news. Of course she is.

A lot of stunned silence from Lori's pals ... which is kinda how many of her fans feel.

Trouble in the Tanner household, for sure.

Felicity Huffman Released After FBI Arrest with Guns Drawn ... Loughlin to Surrender Wednesday

Published | Updated
031219_felicity_huffman_kal_v2 3/12/19
A QUICK ESCAPE

7:58 PM PT -- We just got Felicity and Mossimo after posting bail ... and it was clear they didn't want to talk.

5:28 PM PT -- Multiple law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Lori Loughlin will turn herself in to federal authorities Wednesday morning. The FBI showed up at her doorstep early Tuesday morning, and she was going to receive the same treatment as Felicity. Turns out, Lori was shooting in Vancouver and wasn't there. FBI agents arrested her husband in the college bribery scam, and then made arrangements with Lori's people for her to surrender when she returns to L.A.

Felicity Huffman knew she was a target of the federal investigation into bribery in the college admissions process ... but she had no idea 7 feds would show up at her door Tuesday morning with guns drawn.

Sources familiar with the arrest tell TMZ, 7 FBI agents showed up at Felicity's Hollywood Hills home at 6 AM and drew their weapons as they ordered Felicity to come out and surrender.

We're told Felicity, her husband William H. Macy and their 2 daughters were asleep when the agents ordered her out. Our sources say she knew the arrest was looming and would have gladly surrendered on her own, but the feds saw it differently.

An FBI source familiar with the arrest tells TMZ guns were drawn as a precaution. It's always left to the agents' discretion whether to draw a firearm during an arrest.

The agents took Huffman to a federal building where she was processed by federal marshals.

As we reported, Huffman was indicted for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. The indictment claims Huffman made a charitable contribution of $15,000 to participate in a college entrance exam cheating scheme on behalf of her eldest daughter. The indictment claims the daughter was given twice the amount of time to take the SAT as other students and the paid proctor agreed to secretly correct her answers afterward.

The docs claim the girl got a 1420 score ... approximately 400 points over her PSAT.

Originally published -- 3:40 PM PT

Lucky Whitehead Wasted DUI Arrest ... 'I'm Not Alright To Drive'

Published | Updated

Lucky Whitehead was so wasted during his DUI arrest back in December ... he told cops, "I'm not alright to drive" -- and it's all in police footage obtained by TMZ Sports.

The ex-Dallas Cowboys receiver was pulled over on Dec. 23 in Gainesville, Virginia around 2:12 AM after he ran a red light ... and when cops got him out of the vehicle -- it was clear he was DRUNK.

Whitehead was slurring his words, babbling incoherently and absolutely bombing field sobriety tests. Oh, and he admitted to having beer and mixed drinks before getting behind the wheel.

Lucky ultimately refused a breathalyzer -- despite the cop's repeated warnings it would be an additional charge on his crimes ... but the officer says on video Lucky might have blown a 0.25 if he cooperated!!

26-year-old Whitehead was ultimately hit with FIVE charges for the incident, including DUI, refusing a breath sample, driving without a license, failure to obey a traffic signal and a seat belt violation.

By the way, Lucky tried to (very drunkenly) play the Do you know who I am? card at one point during the stop ... telling cops he's the same guy that was involved in that wild shoplifting arrest mix-up back in 2017.

And, yeah ... the cops didn't care.

Per court records, Lucky didn't enter a plea at his initial court date for the arrest last month ... but he's due back again in May to face the charges.

YBN Almighty Jay Still Recovering from Brutal Attack ... Stab Wounds from Knife AND Henny Bottle

Published | Updated

YBN Almighty Jay is finally out of a hospital bed but still recovering from multiple stab wounds from a weekend beating that was way worse than what video showed.

Sources close the rapper tell TMZ ... Jay was hospitalized for a couple of days to get treated for injuries sustained Friday after a street fight was followed by a separate attack and robbery later in the night.

030919_ybn_almighty_jay_kal
KICKED ON THE CURB

We're told Jay was jumped by several guys around midnight in the lobby of a residential building in Manhattan, and after he tried to flee he got dragged back into a more serious assault.

Our sources say along with getting stomped on and having his chains jacked, Jay got stabbed several times with a blade ... and suffered head and facial lacerations when someone cracked a Hennessy bottle over his head.

His face was sliced up so badly, he reportedly required 300 stitches.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... cops responded to a call about a brawl in the lobby around 12:30 AM Saturday, and found Jay bleeding from the face. He was rushed to the hospital and treated for his injuries.

We're told the rapper initially reported the incident but became uncooperative with police when they tried to interview him. A large group of witnesses on the scene also refused to talk to cops.

As we reported ... YBN Almighty Jay's alleged attackers, including Zae Numbafive, are flaunting the rapper's stolen chain in a new music video -- right on the heels of J Prince putting out an APB to his "mob ties" to nab Zae and his crew.

Our sources say the alleged attackers posted on social media about jumping Jay after the incident -- showing off personal items they jacked like his shoes and ID.

Police are still investigating.

Floyd Mayweather Trolls McGregor ... In Bev Hills

Published | Updated

Floyd Mayweather is finding new ways to get at Conor McGregor -- this time, he's mocking the UFC star's Miami meltdown by BEGGING paparazzi to shoot him in Beverly Hills.

Remember, McGregor was arrested this week for taking a fan's phone and smashing it because he didn't want to be shot on the way out of the Fontainebleau hotel Monday morning.

Enter Mayweather -- wearing a super bright yellow sweatshirt so everyone could see him -- instructing the photogs to "Shoot me, man! Shoot greatness!"

Floyd knew exactly what he was doing ... and so did everyone in his massive entourage -- just look at the smirks while Mayweather puts on his show in the middle of the most famous part of L.A.

Meanwhile, Conor is still in Florida where he's facing criminal charges for the cell phone incident.

Conor recently tweeted about wanting a rematch with Floyd after getting beat up in their boxing match back in 2017.

Conor says he realizes what he did wrong in that fight and believes he can make the adjustments to give Floyd his first loss.

But now, he's gotta worry about fighting Johnny Law before he gets another crack at TBE.

Nicki Minaj Tour We Got the Juice!!! Upcoming Venues Prep to Avoid Tech Problems

Published | Updated

Nicki Minaj's concert venues are scrambling to avoid the wrath of the Barbs by making sure they have enough wattage for the show, and to spare Nicki from hearing more "Cardi B" chants.

We've reached out to 4 of her upcoming tour stops and they all confirmed what seems like a "no duh" -- but yes, they do indeed have enough electricity to meet her show's technical requirements.

Like we said, that SEEMS basic, but as you know ... Nicki had to scrap performances in Slovakia and, most recently, France due to power problems.

022219_nicki_kal Slovakia 2/22/19
I'LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU

While she eased the disappointment for Slovakian fans by signing autographs from the stage -- the French got a little nasty.

As we reported, some fans who were already inside the Bordeaux theater when the show was canceled started chanting "Cardi B" -- about the lowest blow they could throw at Nicki.

All told, Nicki has 10 shows left on her WRLD Tour. Like we said ... venues in Birmingham, Glasgow, Amsterdam and Zurich assure us they're good to go.

Things could get a little tricky for the other 6 shows. She has a March 22 gig in Frankfurt, Germany, and reps for that venue tell us they're relying on her production team's technology. Doesn't exactly exude confidence that they can pull it off.

We're still awaiting word on the status of her other 5 concerts in Ireland, England, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Cross your fingers, Europe!!!

YNW Melly Murder Victim's Mom Speaks Out ... We Treated You Like Family!!!

Published | Updated

YNW Melly was super tight with the family of one of his alleged murder victims -- so much so, he has the guy's mother's name tattooed on his neck.

Jana Thompson tells TMZ ... her son, Anthony Williams, loved YNW and the other suspect, Cortlen Henry, like brothers. She says, "We opened up our homes & our hearts to them."

Anthony is one of 2 men YNW and Henry allegedly killed ... and Jana is, understandably, shell-shocked. She says the fact that they entered not guilty pleas "feels like another stab in the heart to myself & my family."

Jana adds, "It’s inconceivable that these very people are the ones responsible for this horrifying murder. I will not stand idle and will fight vehemently for justice!”

YNW has a neck tattoo that reads "Jana" ... it's crystal clear in his mug shot. We're told it's a tribute to Mrs. Thompson and shows just how close he was to Anthony and his mother.

Jana says it's entirely possible she will file a civil suit against Melly and Henry. We're told she's hired the firm of Steinger, Iscoe & Greene to explore her options.

As we reported ... cops believe Melly and Henry killed Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr., but hatched an elaborate scheme to make it seem like the murders were the result of a drive-by shooting pulled off by unknown assailants.

Cops say after Williams and Thomas were shot, YNW and Henry drove around with the dead bodies "for a period of time" before driving to the hospital.

Melly and Henry have each been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.