Angelina Jolie Details Brad Pitt Abuse Allegations In Court Filing

LOS ANGELES, CA – Angelina Jolie alleges that on a 2016 private flight, Brad Pitt grabbed her by the head, shook her, and then choked one of their children and struck another when they tried to defend her, according to the Associated Press.

The outlet, which cites a Tuesday court filing, reports that the claims came in a cross-complaint Jolie filed in the couple’s dispute over a French home and winery they co-owned. This dispute is separate from their divorce, for which Jolie filed soon after.

According to the AP, a representative for Pitt who was not authorized to speak publicly strongly denied Jolie’s allegations and called them “another rehash that only harms the family.”

Reports of the alleged incident on the plane first became public shortly after the flight, but reports were initially vague and details were kept sealed in divorce documents and investigations by the FBI and Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, both of which found that no action against Pitt was necessary.

More details of the allegations were revealed earlier this year when a Jolie lawsuit against the FBI over a Freedom of Information Act request was made public.

The New York Times first reported the court filing, which says that on September 14, 2016, Jolie, Pitt, and their six children were traveling from the winery, Chateau Miraval, to Los Angeles.

“Pitt’s aggressive behavior started even before the family got to the airport, with Pitt having a confrontation with one of the children. After the flight took off, Jolie approached Pitt and asked him what was wrong,” the filing says. “Pitt accused her of being too deferential to the children and verbally attacked her.”

Later, it says “he pulled her into the bathroom and began yelling at her. Pitt grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her, and then grabbed her shoulders and shook her again before pushing her into the bathroom wall.”

One of the children, who were between 8 and 15 years old at the time, verbally defended Jolie, the countersuit says, and Pitt lashed out.

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

The document says he subsequently poured beer on Jolie and poured beer and red wine on the children.

Jolie gave an account of the flight to two FBI investigators in the days that followed. It appeared in a heavily redacted report later released by the agency, and included a photo of a bruise on Jolie's elbow and a “rug-burn type injury” on her hand.

She said that she had seen Pitt have two to three drinks, but said he appeared articulate and not intoxicated.

The investigators met with federal prosecutors, and “it was agreed by all parties that criminal charges in this case would not be pursued due to several factors,” the report says.

An FBI statement said it has “conducted a review of the circumstances and will not pursue further investigation.”

Jolie, 47, and Pitt, 58, were among Hollywood’s most prominent 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 them single in 2019, but the divorce case has not been finalized with custody and financial issues still in dispute.