Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Oprah Already Knows Her After Neverland Interview Will Get Hate Oprah Winfrey already knows that she’s going to be sparking some controversy with her new special After Neverland , an interview with the two men who have accused Michael Jackson of sexually abusing them when they were young. “I’m gonna get it,” the talk show host predicted during a taping of the broadcast on Wednesday. But, Oprah argued, the issue of sexual abuse is too important to remain silent no matter how much her program angers the “gloved one’s” fans. “This movie transcends Michael Jackson,” she told an audience of over 100 abuse survivors. “It allows us to see societal corruption.” The program is set to air on March 4, which comes after the second and final episode of the upcoming HBO documentary. Leaving Neverland is a four-hour investigation into the claims of Jackson accusers, Wade Robson and James Safechuck and Winfrey was joined on stage by the two men along with the director Dan Reed for a talk that was filled mixed emotions. Winfrey made it clear that she finds the men’s allegations credible, but the Jackson estate has continued to push back against Robson and Safechuck. Before going public with his abuse claims in 2013, Robson was known for being one of Jackson’s most avid defenders, denying the pop star had ever behaved inappropriately while serving as a key defense witness in the pop star’s 2005 child molestation trial. Safechuck also testified that he was never abused as part of the singer’s 1993 molestation trial, but declined to testify on his behalf in the follow-up trial. Both men say they were groomed by Jackson to stay quiet as he repeatedly told them that their lives would be ruined if they broke their silence.
Source: Theo Wargo/Phillip Faraone/Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty / Getty Khloe Kardashian Confronted Jordyn Woods Over James Harden Hook Up Well, well, well, what do we have here? According to US Magazine , this is not the first time that Jordyn Woods and Khloe Kardashian have bumped heads over a mutual man. A source tells the magazine that Jordyn Woods also had a lil’ sum’n sum’n going on with James Harden previously… “Jordyn definitely didn’t have Khloé’s blessing to hook up with James,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively, adding that Kardashian “was definitely pissed at the time” when she found out. Let the “source” tell it, Khloe and Harden weren’t together at the time, but Jordyn “has a history of omitting facts and crossing lines.” Word is that Jordyn initially denied getting some of that beard, but at some point we assume she came clean. No pun intended.
Jassy Correia’s Body Found After Manhunt The body of a missing Boston woman has unfortunately been found, according to her family and authorities close to the investigation. A nationwide manhunt was underway for a suspect in connection with the disappearance of Jassy Correia, a 23-year-old Boston woman who was last seen leaving a nightclub after midnight on Sunday with an unknown man. That man was later identified as Louis D. Coleman III who was stopped in Delaware during a police chase. #BREAKING NEWS, PLEASE RT: @bostonpolice say Louis D. Coleman III is wanted in connection to the #Kidnapping of 23-year-old Jassy Correia https://t.co/JHiZE4lsZi pic.twitter.com/YBGKcm1AdZ — WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) February 28, 2019 Police and family of Jasmine Correia are confirming that a body was found in Coleman’s trunk. “Louis D. Coleman III has been located and placed under arrest in Delaware,” Boston police released a statement. “A body has been recovered and we are awaiting a positive identification at this time. The cause and manner of death are pending. This remains an active and ongoing, multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional investigation. Additional information will be provided when available.” We’re sending our sincerest condolenes to the family and friends of Jassy Correia. #BREAKING : Family members confirm that Jassy Correia was found dead in the trunk of the suspect's car found in Delaware. https://t.co/LiVme4iBKi pic.twitter.com/rIgFZTWuSZ — WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) February 28, 2019
Source: VALERIE MACON / Getty Chicago PD Classify Jussie Smollett As Suspect In False Police Report Investigation The chief communications officer from the Chicago Police department has confirmed today Jussie Smollett is now being investigated as a criminal. Anthony Guglielmi wrote in a tweet: “Case Update: Jussie Smollett is now officially classified as a suspect in a criminal investigation by # ChicagoPolice for filing a false police report (Class 4 felony). Detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County Grand Jury.” Case Update: Jussie Smollett is now officially classified as a suspect in a criminal investigation by #ChicagoPolice for filing a false police report (Class 4 felony). Detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County Grand Jury. pic.twitter.com/FhDcbBKsuU — Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 20, 2019 Previously, Jussie filed a report saying he was the victim of a completely random racist and homophobic attack as he walked to a Subway in Chicago. As evidence unfolds, the details of the attack seem to make less and less sense to investigators. Today, before a Grand Jury, Chicagp Detectives presented evidence that the “attack” may have been staged. Two Nigerian brothers also thwart Jussie’s story during a police interview, claiming he paid them to attack him. Today, store video of the Nigerian brothers purchasing MAGA hats and ski masks has surfaced. The brothers reportedly told police Jussie asked them to stage the entire attack and this supports their story. CBS Chicago found the footage of them purchasing the item right before they allegedly attacked Jussie. (If the video below fails to play click here .) Details of this investigation are unfolding rapidly, but we will keep you updated.
The investigation into Jussie Smollett has taken more twists and turns than an Empire season finale. In the latest unexpected development to emanate from what had originally appeared to be a simple (albeit horrific) case of assault against the star, Smollett has released a statement through his legal team. It seeks to end speculation that Smollett actually staged the attack late last month in which he was allegedly beaten and taunted by a pair of racist assailants. This is what Smollett’s attorney said late Saturday on his client’s behalf: As a victim of a hate crime who has cooperated with the police investigation, Jussie Smollett is angered and devastated by recent reports that the perpetrators are individuals he is familiar with. He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. N othing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying. How did we possibly get to this point? It’s a long and convoluted story… Smollett told Chicago police that he was savagely beaten early on the morning of January 29. He told authorities back then that the two suspects screamed yelled that he was in “MAGA country,” that they tied a rope around his neck, that they poured bleach all over him and that he eventually took himself to a hospital for treatment. The case made national headlines. Numerous 2020 Presidential candidates sent their thoughts to Smollett, celebrities everywhere showered him with support and Donald Trump told the press it was a “horrible” incident. Donald Trump Comments on Jussie Smollett The beating was referring to in the press as a “hate crime” and a “modern-day lynching.” Shortly after this story went viral, however, the police and the media were given reason to have some doubts. Smollett, for example, reportedly refused to turn over his full cell phone records to the cops. According to a new TMZ article, the police were also suspicious after Smollett took them to the scene of the alleged crime and immediately pointed out an obscure security camera in the vicinity. Questions were raised internally over how Smollett know about this camera and whether he actually planned the attack to occur within the sight of it. Then… two arrests were made in the case . However, the men arrested were brothers from Nicaragua who actually worked in the past as extras on Empire. They knew Smollett somewhat well. This raised even more questions, along the lines of: Would two African-Americans really scream racial epithets at Smollett? Might Smollett have paid these associates off as part of an elaborate hoax? This theory is now gaining quite a bit of momentum. For starters, the brothers were released without being charged — and the reason given by Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi certainly raises a bunch of eyebrows: “We can confirm that the information received from the individuals questioned by police earlier in the Empire case has in fact shifted the trajectory of the investigation.” View Slideshow: Jussie Smollett: Did He REALLY Stage His Own Attack?! Empire Star Under Investigation [UPDATED] Shifted the trajectory of the investigation . The latest update from CNN also begins as follows: Two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation tell CNN that Chicago Police believe actor Jussie Smollett paid two men to orchestrate an assault on him that he reported late last month… Multiple outlets claim that Smollett paid the siblings $4,000 in exchange for their role in the assault. Why would he do this? Presumably, sources have alleged, because he was being written off Empire and thought producers would change their minds after he became such a sympathetic figure on the national stage. It’s worth noting, however, that all executives and writers associated with Empire have strongly denied having any plans to let Smollett go. As you can see, this is a confusing and disturbing case all around. Either Smollett really was the victim of a violent hate crime… or he’s lying about it. There’s no in between at this point. Speaking to Robin Roberts of Good Morning America last Thursday, Smollett insisted he was telling the truth. “It feels like if I had said it was a Muslim or a Mexican or someone black I feel like the doubters would have supported me a lot much more,” Smollett said. “And that says a lot about the place where we are as a country right now.”
Is Brielle Biermann Dating Patriots Player Jeremy Hill? Kim Zolciak’s oldest daughter Brielle was spotted celebrating the New England Patriots’ big win along with Patriots cornerback Jeremy Hill at the final night of Bootsy Bellows x E11EVEN Miami’s Big Game Weekend Experience. Source: Paras Griffin / Getty The pair was seen dancing, cozying up and kissing all night during performances by DJ Kaskade and a surprise set by DJ Carnage. Brielle showed her support for the winning team sporting a Champions hat and a cropped jersey. Did y’all know Brielle was WAG? Definitely news to us, but we guess we shouldn’t be surprised! Source: ADINAYEV / ADINAYEV Around 2:00 a.m., the pop-up ordered pizzas for the entire crowd. Other notables in attendance included NFL legend Michael Irvin, David Arquette, DJ Irie and model Ashley Haas.
Source: Prince Williams / Getty The Group Goes After ICE’s Targeting Of The Black Community On Sunday, the Internet was left in shock when word hit that 21 Savage was arrested by ICE and could be deported to the U.K. Well the Black Lives Matter network isn’t about to sit around and not do anything about the rapper’s detainment. The movement’s co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors started a petition on OrganizeFor.org demanding a stop to 21’s deportation. The petition explains how 21, born She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, is just one example of a larger issue of Black deportation: “The circumstances of Mr. Abraham-Joseph’s detention stand as a testament to the consistent and historically under-reported harassment and targeting of Black immigrants,” the petition reads. “The US’ violent history of criminalizing Blackness intersects with its deadly legacy of detaining and deporting Black and Brown immigrants. This needs to stop today!” The petition is aiming for 200,000 signatures and has already received over 128,000 as of Tuesday morning. The hashtag #Free21Savage has also been created to push the cause. According to WSB-TV 2 , 21’s legal rep Charles Kuck released a statement saying 21’s arrest was “based upon incorrect information about prior criminal charges and [ICE is] now refusing to release him on bond of any amount, despite the fact that he has a pending U-Visa application (as the victim of crime) with USCIS, and that he has relief from removal available to him.” A U-Visa is a special category for victims of specific crimes “who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity,” according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Only 10,000 U-Visas are available every year. Kuck didn’t explain the incident based on which 21 applied for the visa. Kuck said that his client isn’t currently being charged with any crimes, thus 21’s detainment is a “civil law violation” and “serves no other purpose than to unnecessarily punish him and try to intimidate him into giving up his right to fight to remain in the United States.” Kuck also mentioned that “Mr. Abraham-Joseph has US citizen children that he supports and is eligible for relief from deportation. We and he will fight for his release, for his family, and his right to remain in our country.” If you’re interested in signing the petition for 21’s release, you can check it out here .
Source: ALEX EDELMAN / Getty Former Walmart Santa And 4 Others Charged With Murder A Georgia dad–who formerly worked as a Walmart Santa–is now facing murder charges along with four other people in the death of his 14-year-old daughter after her body was found buried in her father’s backyard back in December. Mary Crocker was last seen in October while her 14-year-old brother, Elwyn Crocker Jr., was last seen in November of 2016, according to the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office. Neither children were reported missing, but the remains of both were discovered in the yard outside the home of their father, Elwyn Crocker Sr., on December 20, 2018. Authorities initially announced charges for concealing the death of another and first-degree cruelty to children against Crocker, the teen’s stepmom Candice Crocker, their step-grandma Kim Wright, and Wright’s boyfriend, Roy Anthony Prater. Similar charges later were filed against Candice Crocker’s brother, Mark Anthony Wright. On Monday the charges against all five were upgraded to felony murder for the death of Mary Crocker, the spokesman for the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, told PEOPLE . Charges have not been brought in the death of Mary’s brother because “the last time he was seen was in November 2016,” Sullivan says. “We believe that his death was about two years ago, so finding evidence linked to his death was a little more challenging.” Authorities have not revealed a motive or a cause of death and say the investigation is ongoing. Sullivan says the suspects remain jailed without bond in separate facilities in Effingham County and neighboring counties.
Source: Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Nelly wants the case thrown out. The St. Louis rapper is hoping a judge dismisses a lawsuit brought against him by a British woman who claimed he raped her in England. Report the Associated Press : The federal lawsuit was filed in November in St. Louis, the rapper’s hometown. The woman accuses Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes Jr., of assaulting her in a dressing room at the concert venue in Essex in December 2017. Nelly hasn’t been criminally charged and has denied the allegations. The woman is identified only as Jane Doe in the lawsuit. Nelly’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, filed a response to the lawsuit Thursday, arguing that the woman shouldn’t be allowed to remain anonymous and “avoid public scrutiny.” The woman alleges that she paid to have her photo taken with the 44-year-old rapper after the concert before he took her to a separate room and sexually assaulted her. The woman’s attorney, Karen Koehler, said the woman reported the incident to police more than a year ago and she believes the investigation is ongoing. Essex police didn’t immediately respond to an after-hours phone message from The Associated Press seeking information Friday. If this sounds familiar, Nelly settled a similar lawsuit (the accuser claims there was a settlement, the rapper lawyers say it was dismissed) in September 2018 from a woman who claimed he raped her on his tour bus. Nelly might not want to make this a habit or a cancellation is on deck. — Photo: Getty
