Jolie details Brad Pitt abuse allegations in court filing
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Angelina Jolie claimed in a court filing on Tuesday that on a 2016 flight, Brad Pitt grabbed her by the head and shook her, then choked one of their children and struck another when they tried to defend her.
The descriptions of abuse on the private flight were included in a cross-complaint Jolie filed in a separate dispute from their ongoing divorce over a French home and winery they co-owned.
A Pitt representative who was not authorized to speak publicly strongly denied Jolie’s allegations, calling them “another rehash that only harms the family.”
The allegations of abuse on the plane first became public shortly after the flight, but details were kept sealed in divorce documents and investigations by the FBI and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, both of which concluded that no action against Pitt was required.
Following a closed-door trial in which the allegations were made public, a judge granted Pitt joint custody of the children. However, following a motion from Jolie, an appeals court disqualified the private judge for failing to disclose potential conflicts of interest, effectively nullifying the decision.
More details about the allegations were made public earlier this year when a Jolie lawsuit against the FBI was made public in connection with a Freedom of Information Act request.
The court filing was first reported by the New York Times.
According to the filing, on September 14, 2016, Jolie, Pitt, and their six children were traveling from Chateau Miraval to Los Angeles.
“Pitt’s aggressive behavior began even before the family arrived at the airport, with Pitt arguing with one of the children.” “After the plane took off, Jolie approached Pitt and asked him what was wrong,” according to the filing. “Pitt verbally attacked her and accused her of being too deferential to the children.”
“He pulled her into the bathroom and began yelling at her,” it says later. Pitt shook Jolie’s head, then grabbed her shoulders and shook her again before pushing her into the bathroom wall.”
According to the countersuit, one of the children, who were between the ages of 8 and 15, verbally defended Jolie at the time, and Pitt retaliated.
“Pitt lunged at his own child, and Jolie grabbed him from behind.” Pitt “threw himself backward into the airplane seats to get Jolie off his back, injuring Jolie’s back and elbow,” according to the filing. “The children rushed in and bravely attempted to protect one another. Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face before it was over.”
According to the document, he then poured beer on Jolie and red wine on the children.
In the days that followed, Jolie gave an account of the flight to two FBI investigators. It was included in a heavily redacted report released later by the agency.
It featured a photo of Jolie with a bruise on her elbow and a “rug-burn type injury” on her hand. She stated that she had seen Pitt drink two to three drinks, but that he appeared articulate and not intoxicated.
The investigators met with federal prosecutors, and “all parties agreed that criminal charges in this case would not be pursued due to several factors,” according to the report.
According to an FBI statement, the bureau “conducted a review of the circumstances and will not pursue further investigation.”
For the past 12 years, the 47-year-old Oscar-winning actor and director Jolie and the 58-year-old Oscar-winning actor Pitt have been among Hollywood’s most prominent couples.
When they married in 2014, they had been romantic partners for a decade. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, and a judge declared them divorced in 2019, but the divorce is still pending due to custody and financial issues.
Pitt’s aggression on flight to LA
According to the filing, Jolie, Pitt, and their six children were traveling from Chateau Miraval to Los Angeles on September 14, 2016.
“Pitt’s aggressive behavior began even before the family arrived at the airport, with Pitt arguing with one of the children.” “After the plane took off, Jolie approached Pitt and asked him what was wrong,” according to the filing. “Pitt verbally attacked her and accused her of being too deferential to the children.”
“He pulled her into the bathroom and began yelling at her,” it says later. Pitt shook Jolie’s head, then grabbed her shoulders and shook her again before pushing her into the bathroom wall.”
According to the countersuit, one of the children, who were between the ages of 8 and 15, verbally defended Jolie at the time, and Pitt retaliated.
“Pitt lunged at his own child, and Jolie grabbed him from behind.” Pitt “threw himself backward into the airplane seats to get Jolie off his back, injuring Jolie’s back and elbow,” according to the filing. “The children rushed in and bravely attempted to protect one another. Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face before it was over.”
According to the document, he then poured beer on Jolie and red wine on the children.
In the days that followed, Jolie gave an account of the flight to two FBI investigators. It was included in a heavily redacted report released later by the agency.
It featured a photo of Jolie with a bruise on her elbow and a “rug-burn type injury” on her hand. She stated that she had seen Pitt drink two to three drinks, but that he appeared articulate and not intoxicated.
The investigators met with federal prosecutors, and “all parties agreed that criminal charges in this case would not be pursued due to several factors,” according to the report.
According to an FBI statement, the bureau “conducted a review of the circumstances and will not pursue further investigation.”
For the past 12 years, the 47-year-old Oscar-winning actor and director Jolie and the 58-year-old Oscar-winning actor Pitt have been among Hollywood’s most prominent couples.
When they married in 2014, they had been romantic partners for a decade. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, and a judge declared them divorced in 2019, but the divorce is still pending, with custody and financial issues still being contested.
