Brad Pitt Accused of Choking and Hitting Children, According to Angelina Jolie’s Court Filing

Angelina Jolie has made shocking allegations against Brad Pitt in a court filing, stating that during a 2016 flight, Pitt grabbed her by the head, shook her, and then proceeded to choke one of their children while striking another who tried to intervene.

These accusations of abuse were detailed in Jolie's cross-complaint, which is separate from their ongoing divorce and focuses on a French home and winery they co-owned.

Pitt's representative, who was not authorized to speak publicly, vehemently denied these claims, calling them nothing more than a “harmful rehash.”

Initially, reports of the abuse on the private flight were vague, with details remaining sealed in divorce documents and investigations conducted by the FBI and Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

Both agencies concluded that no action against Pitt was necessary.

During a closed-door trial, a judge granted Pitt 50-50 custody of the children, despite the allegations being brought to light.

However, an appeals court later disqualified the private judge due to undisclosed conflicts of interest, effectively nullifying the decision.

Additional information regarding the allegations emerged when Jolie's lawsuit against the FBI over a Freedom of Information Act request was made public earlier this year.

According to the court filing, the incident occurred on September 14, 2016, as the family was traveling from their winery, Chateau Miraval, to Los Angeles.

The document describes Pitt's aggressive behavior starting prior to their arrival at the airport, with a confrontation between Pitt and one of the children.

Once onboard the plane, Jolie approached Pitt to inquire about his behavior, leading to a verbal attack from Pitt.

The filing continues, stating that Pitt subsequently pulled Jolie into the bathroom, where he yelled at her and physically assaulted her.

He grabbed her by the head, shook her, and pushed her into the bathroom wall.

When one of the children defended Jolie, Pitt lunged at them, prompting Jolie to intervene.

As a result, Pitt threw himself backward into the airplane seats, injuring Jolie's back and elbow.

The children then rushed in to protect each other, but Pitt proceeded to choke one child and strike another in the face.

The court document also claims that Pitt poured beer on Jolie and the children, as well as poured beer and red wine on them.

Jolie provided an account of the incident to two FBI investigators shortly after the flight.

The report, which was heavily redacted, included a photo of a bruise on Jolie's elbow and a “rug-burn type injury” on her hand.

She mentioned that Pitt had consumed two to three drinks but appeared coherent and not intoxicated.

The investigators met with federal prosecutors, and it was collectively decided that criminal charges would not be pursued due to various factors, as stated in the report.

In 2014, Pitt and Jolie married after a decade-long relationship.

However, Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, and although a judge declared them single in 2019, custody and financial matters have yet to be finalized.