Angelina Jolie explains Brad Pitt’s sexual abuse allegations in a court filing

LOS ANGELES –

A court filing by Angelina Jolie on Tuesday alleges Brad Pitt grabbed her head and shook her on a 2016 flight, then choked one of her children and punched another when they tried to defend her.

The descriptions of the abuse on the private flight came in a counterclaim Jolie filed in the couple’s dispute over a French home and vineyard they owned together, which was separate from their pending divorce, which she was soon seeking.

A Pitt representative, who was not authorized to speak publicly, firmly 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 reports were initially vague and details were sealed in divorce documents and investigations by the FBI and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, both of which found no action against Pitt was necessary.

A judge gave Pitt 50-50 custody of the children after a closed trial that addressed the allegations. However, following a motion by Jolie, an appeals court disqualified the private judge for failing to disclose possible conflicts of interest and overturned the decision.

More details of the allegations emerged earlier this year when a Jolie lawsuit against the FBI over a Freedom of Information Act request was released.

The New York Times first reported on the court application.

The filing states that on September 14, 2016, Jolie, Pitt and their six children traveled to Los Angeles from the Chateau Miraval Winery.

“Pitt’s aggressive behavior began even before the family arrived at the airport when Pitt had a confrontation with one of the children. After the plane took off, Jolie approached Pitt and asked him what was going on,” the filing reads. “Pitt accused her of being overly respectful of the children and verbally assaulted her.”

It later said: “He pulled her into the bathroom and started yelling at her. Pitt grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her, then grabbed her shoulders and shook her again before shoving her against the bathroom wall.”

One of the children, aged between 8 and 15 at the time, verbally defended Jolie, the counterclaim states, and Pitt struck out.

“Pitt lunged at his own child and Jolie grabbed him from behind to stop him. In order to lift Jolie off his back, Pitt threw himself backwards into the airplane seats, injuring Jolie’s back and elbow,” the filing reads. “The children rushed in and all bravely tried to protect each other. Before it was over, Pitt choked one of the kids and punched another in the face.”

The document states that he subsequently poured beer on Jolie and the children with beer and red wine.

Jolie’s reported the flight to two FBI investigators in the days that followed. It appeared in a heavily redacted report later released by the agency.

It included a photo of a bruise on Jolie’s elbow and a “carpet burn” injury on her hand. In it, she said she saw Pitt have two to three drinks, but said he was articulate and not drunk.

Investigators met with federal prosecutors, and “all parties agreed that the criminal charge in this case will not be pursued due to a number of factors,” the report said.

A statement from the FBI said it had “conducted a review of the circumstances and will not be investigating further.”

Oscar-winning director Jolie, 47, and Pitt, 58, have been among Hollywood’s most celebrity couples for 12 years.

They had been romantic partners for a decade when they married in 2014. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, and a judge declared her single in 2019, but the divorce case has not yet been finalized as custody and financial issues remain at issue.

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Associated Press Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.