Amazon confirmed Tuesday the removal of a memoir from its site that purports to tell the story of an abusive relationship between the late actor and model Kim Porter and her longtime partner, hip-hop mogul Sean ”Diddy" Combs.
Porter and Combs' children denounced the book — titled “Kim’s Lost Words: A journey for justice, from the other side…” — as a complete fabrication after it became a bestseller on Amazon in September.
“We were made aware of a dispute regarding this title and have notified the publisher,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. "The book is not currently available for sale in our store.”
The independent publisher is Todd Christopher Guzze, who goes by the name Chris Todd and defines his occupation as an “investigative producer, author and journalist." Todd told The Associated Press in a phone interview in September that sources “very close to Kim and Sean Combs” provided him with a “flash drive, documents and tapes” from Porter that he eventually pieced together to create the memoir. Todd used the pseudonym Jamal T. Millwood when publishing the title.
Todd did not comment on the removal Tuesday when contacted by the AP.
The book details physical abuse, sexual coercion and other acts of violence Combs allegedly committed. The $22 paperback had a quiet release on Amazon but skyrocketed after the news of Combs’ arrest and the shocking details of the indictment against him. He has pleaded not guilty.
The memoir reached the No. 1 spot on Amazon’s bestseller’s list in September and dipped down on the charts before Amazon eventually pulled it from the site.
FILE - Sean "P. Diddy" Combs directs photographers as they sing "Happy Birthday," to him as his date Kim Porter, left, listens, after Combs arrived for his 35th birthday celebration at Cipriani on Wall Street in New York, Nov. 4, 2004. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)
HOUSTON (AP) — Tarik Skubal kept up his stellar season with a sensational playoff debut and the Detroit Tigers got to Framber Valdez early in a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros in their AL Wild Card Series opener on Tuesday.
The Tigers, swept in the American League Division Series in their last trip to the playoffs in 2014, got their first postseason win since Game 4 the 2013 AL Championship Series against Boston.
Down 3-0 entering the ninth, Houston scored on Yanier Diaz's RBI single and had the bases loaded when Jason Heyward hit a game-ending lineout against Beau Brieske.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Wednesday in Houston.
Skubal, the AL pitching Triple Crown winner, allowed just four singles and walked one in six innings. About the only hard hit by the Astros off him was one that hit him — the left was struck on his right wrist by Diaz's second-inning comebacker.
“It was a good challenge,” Skubal said. “It was fun. It was a ton of fun. I enjoyed it. It’s probably the most nervous I’ve been since my debut. That was also fun to deal with. What a game. It was fun, glad to come out with a win.”
Yordan Alvarez, playing for the first time since spraining his right knee Sept. 22, doubled off Jason Foley starting the ninth inning. Pinch-runner Zach Dezenzo and moved to third on Alex Bregman's infield single and Diaz singled on a grounder to right.
Jeremy Peña sacrificed, Brieske relieved and Victor Caratini flied out to short left. Chas McCormick and Brieske retired Heyward for the save.
“Skubal has been really good all year,” Espada said. “We had a few chances there in the middle of the game, and we couldn’t capitalize. But credit to him. He made pitches. And we battled until the end. We had a shot there in the ninth, and we just couldn’t get a big hit.”
The AL West champions were hurt by yet another playoff flop from Valdez, who went 0-3 in the postseason last year. Houston’s ace ranked third in the AL with a 2.91 ERA in the regular season but permitted three runs and seven hits in just 4 1/3 innings Tuesday.
Detroit pounced on him in the second. Wenceel Pérez singled with one out before, Spencer Torkelson walked and Parker Meadows grounded into a forceout that left runners at the corners.
Jake Rogers, Trey Sweeney and Matt Vierling hit consecutive RBI singles for a 3-0 lead.
The Tigers had a runner on third with two outs in the third when Peña made a diving catch at shortstop on Torkelson's liner.
It was a return to Houston for Detroit manager A.J. Hinch, who led Houston to a championship in 2017, and the last managed a postseason game in the Astros’ loss in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series.
The following January he was suspended for a year by Major League Baseball and fired the same day for his role in Houston’s sign-stealing scandal.
He joined the Tigers after his suspension was up and guided the team back to the postseason with a 31-13 finish to the regular season.
“We talk about pressure on the bases,” Hinch said. “We talk about good at-bats. We talk about passing the baton. All those things came through with Tarik on the mound too. I don’t think it’s a small thing today in the first playoff game from a lot of these guys that it looked eerily familiar to the last two months.”
The Astros, in the postseason for a franchise-record eighth straight season, had won a MLB-record 10 consecutive postseason openers. They played their 98th postseason game since 2017.
UP NEXT
The Tigers plan to use an opener and then go to their bullpen in Game 2. RHP Hunter Brown (11-9, 3.49) starts for the Astros.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Detroit Tigers' Wenceel Pérez, center, talks with Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña (3) and second baseman Jose Altuve (27) during a video review during the seventh inning of Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez is relieved during the fifth inning of Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Detroit Tigers designated hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy singles during the fifth inning of Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Detroit Tigers fans cheer starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) after the fourth inning of Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez walks to the dugout after being relieved during the fifth inning of Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch checks on starting pitcher Tarik Skubal during the sixth inning of Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal reacts after striking out Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz during the sixth inning of Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) and third baseman Matt Vierling hug after the ninth inning of Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
