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The NTSB says an initial investigation into the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash shows no outward evidence of engine failure.

The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary findings into the Jan. 26 crash saying it appears the engine was working at the time of the crash because there was a cut tree branch at the crash scene.

The NTSB report says the helicopter's instrument panel was completely destroyed in the wreckage.

The main wreckage was 127 feet from the impact site -- and that's where investigators found both engines, the entire fuselage, portions of the cockpit instrument panel and other key pieces of the aircraft.

According to the report, the pilot's final transmission to the Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (SCT) was to let the controller know he was trying to climb to 4,000 feet to get above the thick fog/cloud layer.

However, radar data collected by investigators shows the aircraft only reached 2,300 feet before trying to make a left turn. Eight seconds later the aircraft began descending (while trying to turn) at a VERY high rate of speed, dropping at rate of 4,000 feet per minute before crashing into the mountain.

As we reported ... NTSB officials said Kobe's Sikorsky S-76 chopper was NOT equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), nor was it outfitted with a flight data recorder (FDR) or cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

In the seconds prior to crashing, the pilot, Ara Zoboyan, took the helicopter from 1,200 feet to 2,000 feet within a matter of seconds. It appeared he cleared one hillside, only to strike the next when it crashed at about 1700 feet. Photos taken by a mountain biker on a nearby trail show the intensity of the crash.

In the days following the crash, a team of NTSB investigators combed the crash site ... rummaging through debris. The agency released drone footage showing most of the aircraft in tiny pieces.

All of the parts were shipped to Arizona, where the NTSB reassembled the aircraft.

The NTSB says it will release its final report in 12 to 18 months. That one is expected to include findings, recommendations and probable cause for the crash.

As we told you, the NTSB says back in 2006 it recommended the FAA require all helicopters carrying 6 or more passengers to have TAWS, and for all rotorcraft to have an FDR and CVR. The FAA didn't mandate either.

Jordan Belfort's not showing Bernie Madoff any sympathy following his request to get out of prison early, due to a terminal illness ... and he doesn't think the judge will either.

The "Wolf of Wall Street" has some history with the notorious Ponzi scheme mastermind, but he tells TMZ regardless of that ... the notion of Madoff getting released -- when he was sentenced to 150 YEARS -- is utterly ridiculous.

Belfort says Madoff got a life sentence for a reason -- because his crimes were horrendous, staggeringly affected people's lives and resulted in suicides ... including his own son's. Jordan doesn't see any justifiable reason to let a guy like that off the hook, even if Madoff claims he only has 18 months to live because of kidney failure.

As for their personal beef ... Belfort reminds us Madoff went after him when Bernie was the chairman of NASDAQ. Jordan admits that was justified, but says Madoff was just diverting attention from his own heinous crimes ... the ultimate hypocrite move.

The Newport Beach surgeon and his girlfriend, who were charged with drugging and raping women and facing decades in prison, are breathing a huge sigh of relief Friday ... the charges against them will be officially dropped.

Dr. Grant Robicheaux and his GF, Cerissa Riley, have been in the crosshairs of a former O.C. prosecutor for a year-and-a-half ... for allegedly using their good looks and drugs to lure women to their home and rape them in an unconscious or semiconscious state.

Robicheaux was charged with 17 felonies, including 5 counts of rape. Riley was charged with 13 felonies, including rape. The prosecutor who filed the charges -- Tony Rackauckas -- claimed at the time he filed the charges there were thousands of photos and videos to support his case and claimed there could be as many as a thousand victims.

But, the D.A. who defeated Rackauckas -- Todd Spitzer -- claims the prosecution was bogus and there was no evidence of sexual assault. Spitzer says not a single video shows any evidence of an unconscious victim or sexual assault, adding this was a shocking and transparent attempt by Rackauckas to win reelection.

Today Spitzer will formally drop all charges against the couple. The alleged victims may be allowed to testify during the hearing.

The couple has maintained their innocence from the start, and Riley told "Good Morning America" the decision by O.C. District Attorney Todd Spitzer to drop the charges has allowed her to "breathe again" and she feels like she's finally awoken from a nightmare.

Robicheaux says they're still in a state of shock and disbelief this happened to them, and they both insist they never even thought they were crossing a line with any of the women they had sex with.

Despite their relief, Robicheaux and Riley feel their lives have been ruined by the allegations and the story going nationwide ... and it's going to be a struggle going forward for quite some time.

Liam Hemsworth's going with a sleeveless look these days ... but it might be because he can't find shirts big enough for his massive guns.

Seriously, the youngest Hemsworth bro is giving Thor a run for his money in terms of bulging shoulders, biceps and forearms ... and The Hulk for that matter.

Liam could barely straighten his arms as he was seen leaving the gym in Beverly Hills, but he looks pretty pleased with his jacked status. Of course, we're told he was heading to meet up with his new reported girlfriend, Australian model Gabriella Brooks, for lunch ... so that probably put some extra pep in his step.

It's nothing new for Liam to be in peak physical shape, but his muscular transformation in just a few short weeks since he was spotted on the beach in Byron Bay is pretty incredible.

Michael Douglas is among the many celebs who poured in from afar to bid Kirk Douglas goodbye at his funeral.

Michael, his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Steven Spielberg are among the many who are at the funeral Friday morning at Westwood Memorial in L.A. You can also see Kirk's wife, Anne Buydens, arriving as well.

As we reported ... the legendary actor died Wednesday. Michael announced, "To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard of us all to aspire to."

Kirk, who earned Oscar nominations as an actor and producer, served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the U.S. State Department and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981 by President Jimmy Carter.

Kirk's survived by Anne, his 3 sons and seven grandchildren. He was 103.

The Kobe and Gigi Bryant public memorial has been set for Monday, Feb. 24 at Staples Center -- with organizers expecting a MASSIVE turnout, and Vanessa Bryant just announced it.

The date (2/24) is significant -- #24 was Kobe's jersey number and #2 was the number his daughter, Gigi, wore. Worth noting, Vanessa's IG post announcing the event has 24 butterflies.

We're told the event will take place in the morning -- because the Clippers have a game against the Memphis Grizzlies later in the evening. Our sources say the Clippers had to sign off, because, technically, they have Staples rented for the whole day.

We're told owner Steve Ballmer, and head coach Doc Rivers gladly agreed because there's such solidarity and love for Kobe and his family. Plus, the significance of the 2/24 date was not lost on them.

The other issue will be crowd control around Staples. When Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle's memorials were held there ... all the surrounding streets were shut down to anyone who didn't have a ticket. You simply couldn't get near the arena. They haven't announced yet how it will work for Kobe and Gianna's memorial.

Event organizers had been discussing a venue for days -- going back and forth between Staples and The Coliseum over concerns about the size of the crowd.

Staples -- where Kobe played for most of his 20-year NBA career -- only holds about 20,000 people. The Coliseum in Downtown L.A. holds closer to 80,000.

As for the event itself, we're told several high-profile people will speak about Bryant -- but organizers are still nailing down the official list.

Kobe and Gigi passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan 26 in Calabasas, CA., along with 7 others.

The Lakers held a massive tribute for all of the victims before and during the Lakers' January 31 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Not only was the arena filled with fans -- all wearing Kobe shirts -- but outside, hundreds of people packed the surrounding area to remember the Lakers legend.

Here's Demi Lovato slapping dollar bills on dancers inside a Miami club after the Super Bowl ... and even though she's hanging with Julian Edelman, we're told they are NOT dating.

Our sources tell us ... Julian is boo'd up, but not with Demi. We're told the NFL stud is dating a smokin' hot model who is close with Demi, and during Super Bowl LIV Jules and his girl went over to Demi's private box to say hello, setting the stage for this wild rager.

Sources say the trio ended up going clubbing with Eiza Gonzalez after the Chiefs beat the 49ers ... and they all partied at E11EVEN night club from midnight until 6 AM.

Demi actually posted the video on her Instagram ... but for some reason, she quickly deleted the post. We're told she had a full security detail around her table, and she was having a great time with the dancers.

Plenty of reasons for Demi to live it up on South Beach ... remember, she was fresh off singing the National Anthem at the big game, fulfilling her own 10-year prophecy.

And, Julian is a party animal ... just ask the folks in Bev Hills.

For those scoring at home, we've shot down two Demi dating rumors this week ... Machine Gun Kelly and now Edelman.

Aerosmith's hoping to get back in the saddle with its original drummer after a couple weeks of awkward tension and not-so-sweet emotions ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the rock band tell us ... Joey Kramer has been working with Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford the past several days to help him return to his spot on the drums, but he's not quite there yet.

We're told Joey's been practicing to get his skills back to where they were before his absence, and once Kramer proves he's up to the task ... the fellas will let him back in to start beating the skins again.

Our sources say the other 4 band members never intended to push Kramer out, and never wanted him to feel that way -- they're all trying to make amends after the recent drama.

We broke the story ... Joey sued Aerosmith for making him audition in order to come back for a couple once-in-a-lifetime 50th-anniversary events over Grammy weekend -- something he claims no other member ever had to do.

He says the band blocked him from returning because he lacked the proper energy, and things got even more awkward when Joey was turned away from a rehearsal by security -- and the judge rejected his request to rejoin the group for the Grammy performances.

Still, Joey kept his head up and was with the other guys when they accepted an award last week ... and we're told they're all getting along great. Kramer's even been with them at their recent Vegas shows -- just not playing yet -- and he has dismissed his suit against the band.

Our sources say he could be back on stage soon too -- the band just wants Joey to nail one final audition ... and he'll no longer have to miss a thing.

Antonio Brown just took a HUGE loss in his condo-trashing case ... the former NFL All-Pro was found liable for the damage done to his pricey apartment after an April 2018 incident.

... and now the only question is, how fat will the check be that Brown will be forced to write??? (insert "Whole Lotta Money" joke here).

As we previously reported, Brown is being sued after his former apartment complex, The Mansions at Acqualina in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., accused him of destroying his fancy pad.

Attorneys for the complex claim Brown threw cushions and a vase off his balcony in an April 24, 2018 incident ... and trashed his apartment during the fit of rage as well.

The Attorneys say Brown did everything from cracking mirrors, to breaking tables, to staining couch cushions ... and they provided pictures to the court of the alleged damage.

Brown fought the case in court throughout the past year and a half (remember, he famously caused headaches during the case's depositions), claiming it was actually his former trainer who did the damage.

But a judge just ruled Brown IS responsible for it all, regardless ... ruling in favor of the apartment complex this week.

Gayle King got set up to look like an insensitive troll because her network posted a salacious promo ... that's how some staffers at "CBS This Morning" feel anyway.

Sources connected to the show tell TMZ ... some of Gayle's coworkers are incensed over the backlash she's getting because a promo clip of her interview with Lisa Leslie about Kobe Bryant, included a question about his 2003 sexual assault case. Lisa pushed back, making it clear ... in her book, it's not relevant to Kobe's legacy.

We're told the staffers believe CBS never should have let the clip see the light of day.

Gayle was being shredded on social media after the promo ran, and she was beside herself, saying she was blindsided and making it clear ... she was going to make her displeasure known to the network. She did just that, and the network folded, saying it erred.

The staffers we spoke with say ... the interview is actually flattering to Kobe and covers his achievements in both life and career.

Fact is ... CBS and every other network chooses promos that sizzle ... promos that will draw people in, and often times it's the salacious stuff that gets put out. At CBS, you'll recall, they made lots of news when they released a promo with R. Kelly going off the rails, screaming uncontrollably. The difference between that and Kobe ... Gayle didn't look bad in the R. Kelly promo.

Our sources say CBS failed by not protecting its undisputed star of the morning show. They should have realized the promo -- out of context -- would subject Gayle to great criticism, but that didn't happen. CBS promises it won't happen again.

Our sources say staffers feel the network owes it to its talent to keep them out of messes like this, especially when King's full interview with Leslie painted a very nice picture of Kobe and his legacy ... and should have been the focus of any excerpts.

Our sources say the person who was responsible for the posting the clip has not been fired but feels awful about what transpired.

A high school basketball coach in New Jersey was violently attacked in front of his own school in a disturbing incident caught on video ... and now, cops say it was his own players who delivered the beating.

Police say at around 9 PM ET Tuesday, they responded to a call at Malcolm X Shabazz H.S. in Newark, N.J. regarding an assault of a school employee. Multiple reports identify the victim as a coach on the basketball team.

You can see in video of the alleged incident ... the victim was kicked and punched REPEATEDLY by at least four people.

Cops say after they saw the footage ... they identified the attackers as members of the school's basketball team -- but wouldn't release the names of the suspects because they're all minors.

Police say the teens jumped the man after they got off the team bus upon returning from a road game ... but they say the victim declined medical attention when they arrived.

Now, cops say a criminal investigation is underway.

"Our detectives are investigating this incident to identify and to appropriately charge those individuals involved," Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose says ...

"Those found to have participated in this senseless act of violence will face criminal charges."

Jennifer Aniston's keeping her friends close and her exes damn near as close these days ... this time it's John Mayer.

"The Morning Show" star dined out Thursday night at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Hollywood, where she likely crossed paths with her old flame. They were spotted leaving the popular restaurant just moments apart.

Jen and John dated from 2008 to 2009 after meeting at an Oscars party, so it's fitting they'd have a close encounter again with the 2020 Academy Awards coming up. It's unclear if they actually did make contact or mingle inside.

Things didn't necessarily end amicably for the ex-couple -- John put it out there that he broke up with her, and Jen called him out for doing so. Still, they both claimed they remained friends.

We'll say this ... John had to know there was a good chance he'd bumped into Jen. It's a well-known fact Sunset Tower is her jam -- she's hooked on the chicken salad.

Aniston's making a trend out of reunions with her exes lately ... as everyone knows, she and Brad Pitt have been getting closer and closer over awards season, and finally shared a loving embrace at the SAG Awards.

Kobe Bryant wasn't just a UFC fan -- he was a big investor -- and got a huge distribution check from the company just days before he passed away ... so says Dana White.

The NBA legend was famous for his business savvy off the court -- and White says part of Kobe's portfolio was an ownership stake in UFC and Body Armor, the official energy drink of the UFC.

White tells TMZ Sports ... that 2019 was the most successful year in UFC history which resulted in massive payouts for all of the investors.

"Kobe got a distribution from the UFC the Wednesday before the incident and he was so pumped up and excited and he said what everybody always says, 'I wish I had invested more!'"

White says he'll remember Kobe as a great dude and an important part of the UFC fabric -- and tells us the organization plans to honor Kobe on Saturday at UFC 247 in Houston.

As for the fight card, White says he's extremely fired up about the main event -- Jon Jones vs. Dominick Reyes -- telling us Reyes is a dangerous man with a real shot to beat the G.O.A.T.

And, if Reyes wins, there will no doubt be a rematch.

There's more ... after the controversy between Joe Rogan and Stephen A. Smith following the Conor McGregor vs. Cowboy Cerrone fight, we asked if the two TV stars would be working together at UFC 247, Dana replied, "I don't think so."

Remember, Rogan said he was upset with the ESPN host for crapping all over Cowboy's "atrocious" performance during the UFC 246 post-fight show.

Smith said he felt like Cowboy quit -- to which Rogan essentially said Smith's opinion was uninformed and just plain wrong.

Conor McGregor felt Smith disrespected Cowboy and publicly called for Stephen A. to apologize.

Ryan Cabrera is spending more and more time with WWE superstar Alexa Bliss ... and we've learned they're together ... as in, together.

Our sources tell us the singer and wrestler first met back in October at the Smackdown on FOX premiere in Los Angeles, with Ryan's buddy The Miz seemingly playing matchmaker while they all hung out backstage.

Seems Ryan and Alexa immediately hit it off, because a few weeks later they were spotted together in Chicago. Ryan was in the Windy City for a concert and Alexa was wrestling in a WWE PPV event.

The Ryan and Alexa tour picked up again in St. Louis, where they were once again were spotted, this time on New Year's Eve ... a tell-tale sign of a couple, right?!?

When the Grammys rolled around last month, Ryan and Alexa posed for a ton of pics together at a gifting suite ... adding more fuel to the dating fire.

Want more proof?!? Consider last week's trip to Disneyland, and notice how Ryan's got his arm draped around Alexa's shoulder. Super cute!!!

Lynn Nottage -- a notable playwright -- suffered one hell of an ordeal getting locked in the bathroom at the Lincoln Center. And, thanks to her Twitter fingers ... she got help getting out!!!

Nottage -- the only woman to have won a Pulitzer Prize for drama twice -- didn't mince words when she tweeted Thursday morning to her nearly 20k followers she's locked in the bathroom, saying, "I have been banging and yelling if you see this tweet send help!"

Worth noting ... it appears she's tweeting from an iPad. Anyway ... about 13 minutes later the Lincoln Center's official account tweeted, "All is well! Thank you everyone for the speedy response. Lynn has been found and rescued. On with #IntimateAppaarel rehearsals!"

Yeah, that's the current opera being produced at the famous theater. Lynn -- who won a Pulitzer for her plays "Sweat" and "Ruined" -- is producing the show's libretto.

What's libretto you jabronis may be asking ... it's the text of an opera.

Shaquille O'Neal made a video to help sell his L.A.-area home -- but what it shows is the NBA star has honored 3 late rappers with some VERY cool art.

Of course, Shaq is a BIG rap nerd -- not only has he dropped albums, but he LOVES the genre and has a particular affinity for guys like Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac.

So, when he posted a brand new video tour of the Bell Canyon mansion he put on the market for $2.5 million ... the art on the walls caught our eye.

He's got two Biggie pieces along with a portrait of Pac and a newer image of Nipsey Hussle -- three great rappers who are all gone, but not forgotten.

If you're interested in the actual property, yeah -- it's pretty sick!!

5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, 5,217-square-feet with a chef's kitchen, wet bar, media room, sick pool, wine closet ... and it's all walking distance to the community center gym and tennis courts.