It finally feels like something has shifted with the Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie situation. If Angelina’s FOIA suit against the FBI was some kind of next-level play to get the information about the 2016 plane incident out in the public sphere, well done to her. I don’t think that’s what she intended though. She filed the FOIA suit as a Jane Doe, and her goal was seemingly to get the FBI’s investigative records into what was likely the most traumatizing event of her life. She wants the records so that she can study them and use them to advocate for herself. Of course, now that the FBI briefly released a heavily redacted record of their report, media outlets are seeking out the information. Which has led to some fascinating reporting and some notable damage-control from Team Pitt. Page Six’s piece about the FBI investigation published more details than Puck News about the series of assaults Brad Pitt committed against Jolie during the international flight. The whole family was in that enclosed space for hours as he terrorized his wife and children. Following Page Six’s reporting, Rolling Stone also got their hands on the FBI records, and they have even more:

The records include an interview summary in which Jolie purportedly told FBI officials that Pitt yelled at her, “grabbed her by her head,” shook her, “pushed her into the bathroom wall” and repeatedly punched the ceiling of the plane during an initial outburst about 90 minutes into the private jet flight that departed France and made a pitstop in Minnesota before eventually landing in Los Angeles on Sept. 14, 2016.

Jolie said Pitt’s actions frightened the couple’s six children, who ranged in age from 8 to 15 at the time. When one of the kids allegedly called Pitt a “prick,” he bolted at the minor “like he was going to attack,” the paperwork states. At that point, Jolie “jumped up” and grabbed Pitt round his neck with her arms, “like in a choke hold,” according to the report summarizing Jolie’s version of events. Pitt purportedly threw himself back, pushing Jolie into the seats behind them, causing injury to her back and elbow, she told investigators.

According to the highly redacted paperwork, Pitt allegedly consumed multiple alcoholic beverages during the flight and at one point “poured beer on (Jolie) and the blanket she was under.” When the plane landed, it also had $25,000 worth of damage from spilled red wine, Jolie claimed.

Jolie said Pitt’s alleged behavior “didn’t feel real” and left her feeling “scared” and “like a hostage.” She claimed Pitt pushed her again when she suggested taking the couple’s children to a hotel to get some much-needed sleep after landing. “You’re not taking my f–king kids,” Pitt allegedly yelled in response.

Jolie detailed her injuries to FBI investigators, including a “rug-burn type wound on her right hand.” When asked about a “scratch” on Pitt, she replied that it could have been from her, the paperwork states.

The fact that both parties had apparent injuries likely complicated the charging decision for investigators. The files obtained by Rolling Stone also said that Jolie “was personally conflicted on whether or not to be supportive of charges.” At least, that’s what her lawyer expressed in a call with investigators in December 2016, weeks after prosecutors made their initial decision to decline charges.

“After reviewing the document, representative(s) of the United States Attorney’s Office discussed the merits of this investigation with the case agent. It was agreed by all parties that criminal charges in this case would not be pursued due to several factors,” the FBI case agent wrote in a report memorializing a Nov. 22, 2016, meeting.

[From Rolling Stone]

“The fact that both parties had apparent injuries likely complicated the charging decision for investigators” – completely f–king pathetic. Pitt was, as I said before, terrorizing her and physically assaulting her. If she was defending herself AND HER CHILDREN and she left a “scratch” on him, that is in no way equivalent to what he was doing to her. Don’t “both sides” domestic violence or make these f–ked up false equivalencies. As for the FBI file saying that Jolie was “personally conflicted” about whether to support charges, I have no idea if that was the FBI editorializing Jolie’s actual words and feelings or if a traumatized Jolie felt, at the time, that the focus should be on healing and not punishment. It’s also notable that as soon as Jolie filed for divorce and lawyered up in 2016, Brad was hiring crisis managers and trying to negotiate some kind of “deal” where he would seek treatment for his alcoholism, etc.

PS…I have seen the NBC News story, and that post is coming up shortly.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.