Ryan Phillippe’s assault allegations: Everything you need to know
On Thursday, USA network’s 'Shooter' was back on the screen with its third season, and while the show did not fail to disappoint its viewers, one cannot help but think what happened to the assault allegations made against Ryan Phillippe prior to his return on the show.
In September 2017, the actor was accused of domestic violence by a young model named Elsie Hewitt. Elsie filed a $1 million lawsuit against her ex.
According to the suit, as reported by The Daily Beast, the pair started dating in April 2017. However, the two did not seem to have a healthy relationship. "Phillippe made clear to Hewitt that he wanted to spend all of his free time with Hewitt,” legal documents state. “Phillippe routinely monitored Hewitt’s physical whereabouts using the ‘Find My Friends’ app on his iPhone. Whenever the two were separated, Phillippe texted Hewitt to inquire what she was doing when she was at locations unfamiliar to Phillippe.”
The document further claims that the relationship between the couple started falling apart because of the continuous "alcohol and drug use". The documents claim that Elsie saw the actor taking legal and illegal drugs like “cocaine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, and steroids" which added to the tension between the pair. The documents further claim that Ryan “increasingly combined these drugs with excessive alcohol consumption and often exhibited symptoms attendant of polydrug and alcohol abuse, including mood swings and bouts of anger.”
Since Elsie was worried about Ryan's physical and emotional wellbeing, she advised him to refrain from taking drugs. However, things went out of control on the night of July 3, 2017, when Ryan was allegedly “drinking heavily.” Elsie left the party hours after Ryan and decided to head to his place to collect some of her belongings. According to the lawsuit, “Phillippe greeted Hewitt outside his bedroom, where he was discernibly drunk and high.” At one point, Elsie describes she had to sit down Ryan and talk to him.
Claiming that she felt unsafe by the “agitated and hostile” actor, she decided to get her belongings and make a move out of the house. She also called for her friend, “because she feared that Phillippe would harm her.” However, Ryan did not take the news too well. “Phillippe reacted by attacking Hewitt,” the lawsuit claims. “He grabbed Hewitt’s upper arm so tightly that his grip left heavy bruises on her arms hours later. He then braced his body and violently threw her down his staircase as hard as he could.” But things just got worse from this point.
“When Hewitt finally made it back to the top of the second staircase to pick up her belongings, Phillippe repeatedly grabbed Hewitt, struck her, cornered her, kicked her, and aggressively pushed her to the ground,” stated the lawsuit. “At this point, Phillippe picked Hewitt up like a doll and tossed her down the stairs a second time. Hewitt landed on the hard-surface landing separating the first set of stairs from the second one. Hewitt attempted to crawl down the remaining stairs in agonizing pain but was unable to make it without her friend’s help. As Hewitt and her friend were half-way down the first set of stairs, Phillippe threw Hewitt’s boots down the stairs at Hewitt and shouted, ‘Get the fuck out of my house, you crazy cunt!’”
The document further claims that Elsie went to the Emergency Room at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in order to treat her injuries. The police were then called and a report was filed against the actor. LAPD issued an Emergency Protective Order that forbids Ryan from coming within 100 yards of her. “After extensive radiological imaging,” the legal documents state. “Hewitt’s emergency physicians diagnosed her with chest wall pain, abrasions at multiple sites, and severe bruising.”
She also provided photos of her injuries that she insists she got from the attack. Meanwhile, Elsie's lawyer, Keith Fink told People that he or his client did not intend to make money out of the case. “I am not making a dime, [if she wins the case] the money is going to a domestic violence charity.” Meanwhile, he told US Weekly, that “filing a civil lawsuit where you are going to donate all your money to a domestic violence charity is all about empowering women to stand up against domestic violence. It is not a means for revenge.”
However, Ryan has denied these allegations. On November 17, Ryan claimed that he would be taking legal actions against Elsie for falsely accusing him. According to People, “Phillippe’s lawsuit denies the allegations, claiming Hewitt ‘broke into Phillippe’s home in the middle of the night without permission’ and ‘fabricated a story in an unjustified attempt to extort money’ from him to help her modeling career.”
“Domestic violence is a very real and tragic issue faced by many women the world over and should never be used to vengefully slander or as a ploy for monetary gain,” he told US Weekly. “This is wrong. This is not who I am. Every one of my accuser’s allegations is false.” He added, “At the time these allegations were initially made, I fully cooperated with law enforcement and a thorough investigation was conducted.”
Authorities told People that the criminal investigation against the actor has been closed. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office said, “After a thorough review, the matter was set for a City Attorney office hearing, during which both parties were present, detailed the incident, were advised on the law and given guidance as to how to avoid similar incidents in the future. No further action has been scheduled following our office hearing.”
While TMZ reported, "Ryan Phillippe’s ex-girlfriend's accusations—that he brutally attacked her and threw her down the stairs—don’t add up ... according to cops.”
In another report, TMZ stated that Ryan's ex-fiancee, Paulina Slagter has filed for a harassment report against the actor in March. “She claimed Ryan sent a slew of texts to her after their breakup—many laced with vulgarities—accusing her of infidelity and attacking her personally. We’re told there were no physical threats but it was ‘aggressive.’ We’re told in at least one of the texts he called her a ‘whore.’ The texts were ‘extremely angry," the report read.
Law enforcement sources told TMZ that, “Paulina dropped the case shortly after filing it because she didn’t want the publicity.”