On Friday, we discussed Jennifer Hudson’s seemingly nasty split from David Otunga, her partner of a decade. Jennifer and David have one child together, David Jr., and they were engaged but unmarried this whole time. It seems that David and Jennifer were having difficulties and trying to split in a low-key way… and then everything went to hell in a handbasket. We learned about the split because Jennifer sought and received a protection order from a family court. Otunga’s lawyer was out there on Friday, claiming that Jennifer got the order as a way to get the upper hand in their custody battle, and that Otunga had never laid a finger on her in anger. Well, Jennifer told a different story when she filed for the protective order:
Jennifer Hudson claims she’s in fear of baby daddy David Otunga — afraid he will physically harm her — something Otunga vigorously denies. TMZ has obtained the order of protection Hudson got Thursday. She claims David has exhibited “aggressive, threatening and harassing behavior toward me.” She says, “I am now living in fear of further action David might take.”
She claims on Wednesday she was at a recording session in Chicago with their son, David Jr., and David made a series of phone calls to reach her. When he couldn’t get her, he asked their son to record the scene. Hudson says David wanted their son to show she was dating one of her producers … something she denies. She says when she got home David was visibly angry, grabbed David Jr. by the hand and physically pushed Hudson out of the master suite. She claims their son, a makeup artist and an assistant all witnessed the incident. She says this was just the most recent in a pattern of escalating and threatening behavior and she says she’s especially concerned because David is a 6’3″ 240 lb professional wrestler.
Hudson goes on to say in legal docs, on occasion David left a gun and holster on their kitchen counter. He said it was a movie prop, but Hudson says, “David knows that I am and have been very sensitive to firearms after my mother and my brother were murdered by a firearm.” She says, “I believe that he left it out to taunt, intimidate and frighten me, which he absolutely accomplished.”
As we reported, Hudson got an order of protection and got cops to remove David from the family home. And as we reported, Jennifer and David, who broke up several months ago, have been negotiating a custody arrangement but each want primary physical custody and the negotiations have fallen apart. The order of protection gives Hudson exclusive possession of their residence and orders David to stay away from her and their son.
Jennifer’s custody petition, which she also filed, asks the judge to give her “significant decision-making responsibilities.” Her petition says she’s been “solely responsible for making all major decisions” for their son. Our sources say David says it’s exactly the opposite. David was not present in court when Jennifer got the order, and he says she has made up all of her allegations to gain an advantage in their custody dispute. Cops tell us they have opened a domestic battery investigation and it’s classified as a misdemeanor.
Someone asked me on Twitter if I was getting Halle Berry vibes from that, meaning that perhaps Jennifer is manipulating a misunderstanding into an all-out war for custody. Honestly, that’s not the vibe I get at all. I think it’s perfectly possible that they were having problems and they were trying to figure out how to separate and still co-parent, and Otunga just grew increasingly paranoid and sketchy. Meaning, I believe Jennifer Hudson. If she went to the court and made this statement to get a protective order, I believe that she was and is truly concerned for her safety. Poor J-Hud.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
i belive her
I believe her. And who keeps a “movie prop” out on the kitchen counter…who even brings a “prop” home? Prop or not, he was probably trying to intimidate her. Asking a child to record his mother? NO.
MTE. Just ‘no’ to everything. What a piss-poor example he’s setting for his son. Also, I wonder if steroids are contributing to his behavior.
What a mess. I believe her.
Intimidating her with a gun is such a low and slimy move. I believe Jennifer. Considering her past, you would not joke about something like that.
Right? The gun thing gave me chills.
That’s shockingly horrible that he would taunt her with a gun with her history. I feel sad for her.
Wait… How is he 6’3″? Is Jennifer really that tall? In heels she’s even taller than him in that last photo. Anyway, she does not give me Halle Berry vibes at all. She’s been so low-key and off the radar in her relationship that it seems plausible they were trying to work something out and then it all blew up.
I work in DV and I love and am relieved that she was able to get a PO. So often much more needs to happen to be granted one.
In all the photos shown from these last two articles, he is ALWAYS gripping her in a way that does not come off as close and loving, more of possession, and he seems to do the same with his son. Gaslighting with a gun? Evil.
I believe her. I also worry about escalation to the point of worse violence to her and their son.
Yes I haven’t seen any other photos but I immediately noticed the possessive way he was grabbing her above.
My side-eye regarding her ex was justified. Considering what Jennifer’s been through with her family she has a right to protect herself and he’s a POS for knowing that treating her that way. He knows what he’s doing and he should be brought to task.
I’m tired of men thinking that they can treat their ex any way they want because they feel their parental rights are threatened. They plant lies in the press and become physically abusive, cry on Instragram (Cryrese I’m looking at you) to get sympathy. They need to raise the bar for their behaviour and actually act like an adult. They need to know that an assault on the mother is an assault on the child and the inability to moderate their behaviour is a direct reflection of their lack of parenting skills. Yes I know ‘women do it too’ but not as a matter of course. They need to stop acting like they are the only ones who’ve ever been through the demise of a long term relationship and grow the f-k up.
I’m concerned for Jennifer. Wrestlers can often have brain damage due to head shots and various concussions, turning normal guys into paranoid, violent men. Remember Chris Benoit? It sounds like Otunga has suddenly changed, and I hate to think a repeat of that might happen.
I thought of that as well. We have so many people in careers that involve repeated blows to the head – and the sports they’re in aren’t doing nearly enough to research and protect their athletes. There seems to be a high chance of suicide or domestic violence when it comes to brain injuries.
You have people like Dave Mirra (first action sports athlete to be posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)) who’s death was from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. There’s been over 90 NFL players diagnosed with CTE at this point. Something like 95% of NFL player’s brains examed post-mortem for CTE had this condition.
They’re trying to investigate the link with this neurological condition and domestic violence because there’s SO much of a pattern. Domestic violence is never okay – in any form. But I also can’t say I’d wish CTE on my worst enemy – I can’t imagine how confusing and horrible it must be to start spiraling and not really know why. Of course I feel worse for those who have to suffer at the hands of someone lashing out abusively, but I think it’s safe to say you can feel sorry that anyone has to deal with that kind of dramatic change in their own behavior and cognitive ability. It’s something that hurts so many people and we’re still not sure how many people have it, and not nearly enough is being done to prevent it.
So when do they stop and get help? My concern is people back off because he may have a medical condition but when the condition will make you kill people and or yourself who steps in before the worst happens?
In addition to the head injuries, I think the way that we laud and worship professional athletes could have something to do with it too. They are put on a pedestal from a very young age. I realize David’s athletic career wasn’t exactly spotlighted, BUT… some athletes (not all, please don’t twist words) can definitely have an inflated sense of self and if you add head injuries and/or steroids into the mix…well that’s a recipe for things I’d rather not think about. Even though she’s the breadwinner, I’m assuming he doesn’t care to take a back seat – his ego is playing a part too. I pray she can remain protected from him.
She’s saying some stuff that is popping up red flags all over the place. One of the biggest challenges when it comes to intimidating behavior is the fact that when you describe it, it doesn’t always sound like a big deal on paper, but when put together as a whole the picture is very different. He’s threatening her. I hope she gets out and done with him.
Those aren’t red flags – they’re screaming alarms. Getting out now is the smartest thing she can do – and getting protection on top of it since the period after a DM victim leaves is the most dangerous for them.
I believe her and the fact he tried to discredit her in the media, with her camp saying nothing negative about him says it all.
This is so sad. It seemed there was a time everything was good. Too bad for the kid especially but for all involved it didn’t have to come to this.