49er Reuben Foster's Ex Girlfriend Recants Assault Allegations

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — The former girlfriend of San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster is recanting her allegations that Foster assaulted her in February and says she can prove it, the girlfriend's attorney said. Foster, 24, was charged earlier this month in Santa Clara County Superior Court with domestic violence, forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime and possession of an assault weapon, all felonies.

The charges were connected to what prosecutors said was an incident on Feb. 11 when Foster allegedly attacked his 28-year-old then-girlfriend during an argument in their Los Gatos home, leaving her bruised and with a ruptured eardrum.

Prosecutors said she had flagged down a stranger's car to call 911, then told responding county sheriff's deputies and Los Gatos police that Foster had dragged her by her hair, threw her out of the house and punched her in the head eight to 10 times.

However, the ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, now says her injuries were not caused by Foster, but rather from a physical fight with another woman, according to her attorney Stephanie Rickard.

Foster tried to end his relationship with Ennis after learning of the fight, a video of which has reportedly been made available, according to Rickard.

"She was extremely upset and told him if he broke up with her she would 'trash his career,'" Rickard said in a statement.

After realizing what she had done, Ennis went to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office and tried to recant what she had told investigators, but prosecutors filed the charges anyways, according to Rickard.

The attorney said Ennis is aware of the media attention the case has received, given other domestic violence allegations recently involving NFL players and the #MeToo movement, but said this case isn't one of them and apologized to Foster and others harmed in the case.

Foster was taken into custody on the day of the February incident, and when the couple's home was searched, investigators found a Sig Sauer 516 assault rifle.

The district attorney's office was not commenting today on the ex-girlfriend's recanting of the allegations, and Foster's defense attorney Josh Bentley was unavailable for comment.

Foster is set to return to court on Monday for a hearing in the case.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• 49er Reuben Foster Arrested For Domestic Violence: Police
• SF 49er Reuben Foster Arraigned On Domestic Violence Charges
• Misdemeanor Charge Against 49er Reuben Foster Dismissed By DA

By Bay City News Service

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