NEW ORLEANS — In a city like New Orleans, where there's no shortage of restaurants, Clement Leach Jr. couldn't have picked a worse one — at least for his sake.
"We probably get, like, maybe 10 cops average in here a day just ordering because we give them a 10 percent discount,” said Kayla Filostrat, who was working the counter Tuesday at Sammy’s Deli on Elysian Fields Avenue.
And as usual, there were a handful of officers eating lunch there Tuesday afternoon.
It's not clear who called in the tip, but just after 2 p.m., U.S. Marshals and Orleans Parish sheriff's deputies showed up in force.
"I thought they were all coming in to eat. I was ready to take their orders. I chugged my coffee. I was ready to go," Filostrat said Wednesday.
Instead, they were there to take Leach, 49, into custody.
"I didn't notice anything unusual. He just kind of came in, ordered, sat down and sat with a group of people," Filostrat said. “I think it was a sandwich he ordered. Probably a hot sausage if I had to guess.”
The burglary suspect had been on the run since he escaped from his job at the Orleans Parish jail on Lundi Gras.
Leach was sitting at a table in the corner with a few other people when he was arrested.
"They kind of just scooped him and took him out. I feel like he just knew he was caught,” Filostrat said. “He was just like, 'Alright. Let's go.' He didn't put up a fight or anything."
Filostrat said the arrest didn't faze anyone in the restaurant.
"Well, being that it's New Orleans, nobody was surprised,” she said. “Everyone just kind of turned, stared at the situation and kept going. You know? Wasn't out of the ordinary for them. Just kept going on their business, eating their food."
J. Prince, is speaking out after being named in a lawsuit filed by Roc Nation & Megan Thee Stallion against 1501 Certified Ent.
Megan is currently in a legal battle against her record label. She claims that 1501 CEO, Carl Crawford, tried to prevent her from releasing new music after she asked to renegotiate her contract. The Houston rapper took the matter to court this week & obtained a temporary restraining order allowing her to drop a new project titled "Suga" on Friday.
Prince, who has been acting as an adviser to Crawford, took to his IG account on Thursday to speak on this latest lawsuit.
"Houston we have a problem Megan, along with Roc Nation Employee Geetanjali Grace Lyer decided to include my name in a lawsuit wrapped around lies and stupidity. We gone get this shit straight," Prince wrote. "Now let’s deal with the root of this issue. The root is a familiar one for me coming from a successful independent record labels perspective. We as independent record labels make many sacrifices along with our artists. After we do all the hard work together with artists, it’s a known fact that major record labels & established managers attempt to poach the fruits of our labor.
"One of the first things they do is criticize the deal that raised that artist from the dead," Prince continued. "These record labels and managers don’t want shit to do with these artists until the hard work, risk, sacrifices, and resources have been spent by the little guys. This is the same technique of the culture vultures. I didn’t allow this to happen to me when New York and LA record labels attempted to take my artists- so they labeled me as malicious for fighting back. I didn’t allow it then so I damn sure ain’t gonna allow it to happen to 1501 Records or any of the other independent record labels that I’m associated with.
"For the record we have no problem with negotiating with Megan but we do have a problem with dictators. I find it very interesting that Roc Nation would allow their employee to sign an affidavit & statement full of slanderous lies on my methods of doing business when we have partnered together on several occasions. I don’t think Jay Z is aware of this but only time will tell."
Super producer and Serious Soundz CEO, V Don, comes through as promised with his fire "Black Mass" album. Features include Dave East, Dark Lo, ElCamino, 38 Spesh, Da$h, Eto, Smoke DZA, Willie The Kid, Rigz, Adonis, Sauce Heist, D. Polo and Kadeem.
Peep this official music video for "Engraved" featuring Rigz of Da Cloth.
Grafh links up with Rittz and legendary rapper Bun B for a collaboration titled "Let Me See It." This DJ Green Lantern-produced banger is off of Grafh's upcoming album "THE ORACLE III" – available everywhere music is streamed and sold March 6, 2020! The new 15-track project features Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, Hopsin, Crooked I, Bun B, Rittz and Dope Gang Porter. Cop it today!
Nicki Minaj's husband's past is coming back to bite him in the ass -- he's been arrested by U.S. Marshals on an indictment for failing to register as a sex offender ... TMZ has learned.
Kenneth Petty was in federal custody Wednesday -- we're told he turned himself into the Marshals. According to court docs, he'll face a judge later today. Petty moved to California in July 2019, but according to law enforcement he got pulled over in Beverly Hills in November and that's when his legal troubles started.
We're told Bev Hills PD made a traffic stop on November 15 and determined Petty was a registered sex offender in New York state but had not registered in California ... as required.
He was arrested and released on a $20,000 bond. The L.A. County D.A. charged him for failing to register as a sex offender.
It appears he still didn't check in after that because now the feds are in on the case. He was indicted in federal court for the same thing ... failing to register.
As we've reported, Kenneth's rap sheet includes a 1995 conviction for first-degree attempted rape. He served almost 4 years in NY state prison for the crime and was required to register as a sex offender. If convicted on the federal charge for failure to register, Kenneth faces up to 10 years in prison.
TMZ broke the story ... Nicki and Kenneth hit up the Bev Hills Courthouse to get a marriage license in July ... around the time the couple moved to Cali.
South Bronx, New York spitter Yung JB continues to promote his latest project titled "Drug Dealers 3" by releasing a banger off of it titled "Fuck Your Feelings."
A local public health emergency was declared Wednesday after new novel coronavirus cases were reported in Los Angeles County.
The announcement came at a news conference with health officials, who said the county now has six new confirmed coronavirus cases. The six new cases are linked to an assumed known exposure source, meaning the county still does not have any known cases of community transmission.
"There's either a travel history to an area with an outbreak, there's exposure to known travelers coming from areas where there's an outbreak, or the person is in close contact with a confirmed case," said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, head of the county health department.
The declaration allows greater coordination among various levels of government. It was made out of "an abundance of caution" and not panic, officials said at the Wednesday news conference.
Ferrer laid out a series of steps the department will be taking in the days and weeks ahead: "We are increasing our capacity for testing at our local public health lab. (It is) among 10 California health labs that have received CDC test kits and we have additional kits on the way. We are currently testing and have been since last Wednesday," Ferrer said. "We will ensure that people who test positive for the novel coronavirus and their close contacts are quickly identified and closely monitored and supported while they are in isolation and/or quarantine."
County residents can expect more confirmed cases in the near future. She urged people to follow basic sanitary practices such as frequent and thorough hand washing, covering their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing, and avoiding other people if they are sick, but also plan for the possibility of "more extensive social distancing requirements," including verbal salutations instead of handshakes, and whenever possible, trying to stay at least six feet away from strangers at public events.
Megan Thee Stallion will NOT be releasing new music this week, after all ... not if her label gets its way, and 1501 Certified Entertainment wants an emergency court hearing on the matter.
Label honcho Carl Crawford just filed a motion to dissolve the temporary restraining order Megan got earlier this week ... which allowed her to drop new music on Friday. However, the label says she had no right even taking them to court in the first place.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Crawford says Megan's contract stipulates all disputes between her and the label must be handled in arbitration. Coincidentally, this is the very contract Megan complained was one-sided and unfair when she signed it as a naive 20-year-old.
He also claims Megan's guilty of booking several gigs without its approval -- but what really chaps Crawford's britches (it's a Texas case, after all) is her plan to release music on March 6.
In docs, 1501 Certified says she can't drop that music without its approval ... it's part of her contract. Even if she wants out of it, it remains in place for now, and Crawford says he's exercising his contractual right to control distribution of her music.
Crawford's also not buying Meg's claim that "disappointment of her fans" is a basis for getting a restraining order to release the music.
He's demanding a hearing today in Harris County, Texas ... so a judge can hear the label's side of the story before the music comes out on Friday. No word yet if that hearing will be granted.
Megan's clearly still planning to forge ahead with her new music release. She just shared a tease of her new project called "Suga" ... including the track list. She says it's gonna drop on Friday 3/6 ... stay tuned.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk does media in NYC, then hits Vegas. Champion Israel Adesaya and team take in the UFC Apex; Zhang Weili gets fitted and photographed. Neil Magny and Li Jingliang look forward to their clash. Yoel Romero is grateful for his title shot. UFC 248 is Saturday, March 7 in Las Vegas.
The parents of a 6-year-old boy gave conflicting accounts Tuesday about the abuse leading to their son's death.
Maurice Isaiah Torres died as result of a bacterial infection from sodomy and chronic child abuse, a medical examiner said. Isaiah died March 30, 2015, at a Bella Vista medical clinic.
His parents, Mauricio Alejandro Torres, 50, and Cathy Torres, 48, testified Tuesday at the capital-murder trial of Mauricio Torres. He's also charged with battery. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Cathy Torres pleaded guilty in 2016 to the same charges and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. The two are still married, but have had no contact with each other.
Mauricio Torres was previously convicted of the charges and sentenced to death, but the Arkansas Supreme Court overturned the conviction last year and ordered a new trial.
Torres took the witness stand Tuesday to testify in his defense. He said he disciplined his son to please his wife, but claimed his wife was responsible for most of Isaiah's injuries.
He admitted to placing a stick in his son's rectum as a punishment after the child raided their refrigerator and got into a cake. Torres said he was also upset the boy soiled himself during the night.
Torres left the witness stand and walked in front of the jury. He told the jury he called Isaiah a baby for soiling himself. He turned his back to the jury, bent over and showed where he placed the stick. He then made his son squat with the stick inside.
"That's punishment for the mess he made," he said.
His wife was telling Isaiah to go up and down faster, Torres said. He said Isaiah was pushed, lost his balance and fell to the floor on the stick.
Torres fell backward to the floor to show jurors how Isaiah was injured.
He said he was responsible for some of the bruises and injuries to his son, but said his wife caused most of them.
He was a coward for not protecting his son, Torres said, but never thought the abuse would lead to Isaiah's death.
Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Nathan Smith showed Torres a photograph showing the bruises on Isaiah's face.
Torres said his wife and two daughters also abused Isaiah.
"I loved my son and I always will," Torres told Smith. "He lives in my heart."
"I did not murder my son," Torres said when Smith asked about his son's death. "I abused him, but I did not murder him."
"You shoved the stick up his rectum," Smith said.
"No, I did not shove a stick up his rectum," Torres quickly responded.
"You called a 6-year-old boy beaten to a pulp a baby," Smith said.
"Yes," Torres said.
Torres told the jury to do what they wanted, but he was telling them the truth.
"I'm not here trying to save myself," he said while looking at jurors. "If you want to give me death that is your right. I love America. It has been good to my family."
Cathy Torres testified Tuesday morning and blamed Isaiah's abuse on her husband.
She admitted to spanking Isaiah, but denied she was responsible for any of the bruises or wounds covering the boy's body.
Cathy Torres said she was innocent in her son's killing and only pleaded guilty because she feared she would not receive a fair trial and wanted to avoid a possible death sentence.
She said she didn't know her son was injured with the stick.
The defense ended their case Tuesday. The trial will resume today when lawyers are expected to present closing remarks.
The seven men and five women serving on the jury will then begin deliberation.
Here is the official lyric video for "PTSD" by G Herbo featuring Juice WRLD, Lil Uzi Vert and Chance The Rapper. Stream the full album https://fanlink.to/PTSD
Three 6 Mafia's DJ Paul just got hit with his second lawsuit in as many days ... and this time Trippie Redd's caught up in the legal mess over a 'Hit' song.
Reginald Boyland, the man behind On The Strength Records, is suing DJ Paul over Trippie Redd's track "Death" ... which dropped last November. Confused? Let us explain.
Boyland says, in legal docs obtained by TMZ, "Death" sampled DJ Paul's famous 1997 "Hit a Muthafucka." Big mistake, according to Boyland, because he claims Paul no longer owns the rights to 'Hit.'
In the suit, Boyland says he got rights to the song in a 2015 settlement with Paul. He had sued DJP claiming 'Hit' sampled his track, "Pimps In The House."
Fast-forward to Trippie Redd's "Death" -- and Boyland's now calling out Trippie for never getting permission from him to sample 'Hit.'
Boyland says he'd already informed Paul and Trippie they owe him some "Death" dough but got no response. He's suing for copyright infringement and wants a slice of the profits from Trippie's track.
As we first reported ... a group of Memphis-based artists are also suing DJ Paul and Juicy J in a separate lawsuit for allegedly stiffing them on various songs.
Tyson Fury is the man everyone is talking about. The new WBC World Heavyweight Champion of the world and ‘Gypsy King’ joins us alongside his wife Paris to tell us how his mental health is post-fight, why he has already signed up to a rematch with Wilder and when we can expect that all-important Fury vs. Joshua fight. But his wife Paris wants him to retire after one more fight - will she get her way?