The ex-girlfriend of Reuben Foster initially told responding police that the San Francisco 49ers linebacker had physically thrown her out of his residence and struck her several times. She has since changed her story and released a statement via her lawyer saying Foster "did not strike her, injure her or threaten her."
She even claims to have video evidence that the injuries she sustained were not the result of an altercation with Foster, but from a physical fight with another woman.
"She was extremely upset and told him if he broke up with her she would 'trash his career,'" said the attorney via the statement.
Foster faces charges of domestic violence with an allegation that he inflicted great bodily injury, forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime, and possession of an assault weapon as a result of the February 11 incident.
Due to the addition of the video evidence, Foster's plea hearing was delayed until May 8.
On Monday, the Sacramento Bee reported the following previously undisclosed details that led to Foster's arrest.
- Foster told police that his ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, "would say anything" and that he never hit her. She was preventing him from exiting his residence on the morning of February 11.
- Foster destroyed two of her cell phones. One was on February 11 as Ennis attempted to call 911. Foster acknowledged destroying the phones. One was an iPhone that he suspected she was using to secretly record him the night before.
- Police found two weapons in Foster's residence. The first was a loaded .38 caliber pistol and the second was a Sig Sauer short-barreled rifle, which was found loaded with a 30-round magazine on the floor of his bathroom and a round in the chamber.
- Multiple police officers noticed the strong smell of marijuana as they entered Foster's residence.
- A friend of Foster's was staying with him. However, he was in his room at the time and did not witness the incident.
- Police contacted the driver Ennis flagged down. She used his phone to dial 911. They also contacted an acquaintance she called from the same phone.
- Ennis told police that the argument began the night of February 10 and Foster threw her dog, which was not injured, across the room.
- Ennis' initial statement claimed that Foster threw her clothes out of an upstairs window and told her to leave. She said he dragged her downstairs by her hair and physically threw her out of his residence before locking the door.
- Ennis returned twice through other unlocked doors. Foster physically threw her out both times. It was that last time that Ennis initially said Foster had hit her eight to ten times.
- Ennis claimed that Foster threatened her life should she call authorities.
The 49ers are allowing the legal process to develop before making a decision on Foster's future with the team. However, general manager John Lynch stated on April 23 that if the linebacker did hit Ennis, he would not be a part of the 49ers' future.
"The gravity of these charges has not been lost on us," Lynch said. "We take it extremely seriously. We do feel like patience is the right approach right now. We're going to learn things through this legal process. But I do want to be abundantly clear that if these charges are proven true, if Reuben did indeed hit this young lady, he won't be a part of our organization going forward. That's the standard we want on our team. That's the standard we're going to operate under."