The domestic violence charge against the Washington Redskins’ Reuben Foster was dropped after he was accused of slapping his ex-girlfriend Elissa Ennis in Florida on a November night.
He was eventually released by the San Francisco 49ers for the alleged incident and picked up by the Washington Redskins just three days after his arrest, which the ‘Skins received plenty of backlash for.
Prosecutors said in a statement Wednesday there just wasn’t enough evidence to move forward with the case.
“[There was] a meticulous review of the facts of the case,” said director of communications for the State Attorney’s Office Estella Gray. “We take allegations of domestic violence very seriously and thoroughly investigated this case.”
According to Tampa police, Foster and Ennis got into an argument and, based on Ennis’ claim, the NFL player “slapped her phone out of her hand, pushed her in the chest area and slapped her with an open hand on the left side of her face.” Police also saw a scratch on Ennis’ face and collarbone.
Foster faced similar charges in February when he was arrested for domestic violence and possession of a rifle in another incident with Ennis.
Afterward that incident, Ennis said she lied about being assaulted because she wanted to get back at Foster for trying to end their relationship, so the domestic violence charges were dropped. Ennis would later tell “Good Morning America” that she had lied when she recanted the February allegations, saying she withdrew her accusations out of love for the NFL player she’d had an on-and-off relationship with for more than three years.
For the February incident, Foster pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor weapons charge and received two years probation. He was suspended for the first two games of the 2018 NFL season for an earlier misdemeanor marijuana charge.
With regard to the Florida charges being dropped, Ennis’ attorney said it’s just another example of a vast injustice being committed against assault victims.
“We’re disappointed. The prosecutor’s choice is yet another slap in the face to Miss Ennis, just like the one Mr. Foster gave her in Tampa,” Adante Pointer told ABC News. “Elissa Ennis was fully ready to participate and hold him accountable. This is not a situation where she recanted, nor that the prosecutor had new evidence that it didn’t happen.”
Foster posted a message after the charges were dropped and thanked those who supported him.
