Brad Pitt probably won’t be prosecuted for allegedly assaulting Maddox

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Brad Pitt still hasn’t formally released any statement about the accusations of child abuse, or the confirmation that both the FBI and child protection services are looking into his actions on a private plane. Brad did issue a statement hours after Angelina Jolie’s divorce filing became public, but since then, he’s relied on “unnamed sources” telling his side of the story to People Magazine, E! News and Page Six, all of which have been carrying stories in which “sources” insist on the varying degrees to which Brad did NOT strike his oldest son Maddox. E! News had yet another story about just that on Friday – a source swearing up and down that Brad and Maddox just got into a typical father-son fight. Because a “typical fight” usually ends with the mother bolting immediately, taking all of the kids and immediately filing for divorce. Meanwhile, at least two Brad-sources have been telling all to People:

Brad is wrecked: “He is just wrecked by this,” a source close to the actor tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “He got a heads-up [about the filing] two days before, and he was appealing to her to do this quietly – not to save the marriage but to consider the well-being of the children – and it was ignored,” the source contends.

Brad is a great dad: “He is one of the best dads I have ever known,” says a source who knows the family and children well and has spent time with them for many years. “He’s very good at keeping things calm and telling them how they should be behaving, reminding them to be kind, to be respectful to each other. He has always been there for the kids.”

[From People Magazine]

Ooookay, let’s unpack this one: “He got a heads-up [about the filing] two days before…” The incident on the plane happened on Wednesday, September 14th. In her divorce filing, she lists September 15th (two Thursdays ago) as the date of separation. She filed the divorce papers on Monday, September 19th. So he got a “heads up” on Saturday, September 17th, two days after she left him and took the kids. “He was appealing to her to do this quietly – not to save the marriage but to consider the well-being of the children – and it was ignored.” Is this the moral high ground he wants to stake? That HE is the one who is thinking of the kids’ best interest… after Angelina bolted following an incident that was so earth-shattering to their marriage that she had no choice but to file for divorce and ask the court for full legal custody? An incident with which Brad can’t even get the details straight? Speaking of that incident, TMZ reports that it’s unlikely that Brad will face any legal repercussions over it:

It’s almost certain Brad Pitt will not be prosecuted for any alleged assault against his son … so say multiple law enforcement sources involved in the case. Our sources say, with the conflicting accounts of what happened between Brad and 15-year-old Maddox 30,000 feet above the ground, there’s no way to conclusively prove Brad intentionally inflicted harm on his son.

As we reported, there are conflicting stories about the events leading to the confrontation on the jet. Based on all of our sources we believe the most credible sequence of events is that Maddox said something to Brad that pissed him off, Brad then lunged at his son, Angelina stepped in between them and at that point there was some physical contact between Brad and Maddox.

It appears Brad made contact with Maddox somewhere in the vicinity of the shoulder area. The biggest issue — whether it was intentional or inadvertent. It’s the job of prosecutors to prove it was intentional, and we’re told that would be extremely difficult. On top of that, we’re told DCFS social workers saw no evidence of injuries on Maddox … none. And there’s more … no one filed a police report after the incident.

Finally, our sources say these cases are particularly difficult because of the blurred line between abuse and parental discipline. As we reported, since the incident occurred in the air, the FBI has jurisdiction, and our law enforcement sources say it’s “highly unlikely” anything will come of the agency’s probe. On the other hand, the L.A. County Dept. of Children’s Services has a broader scope than the FBI. DCFS will go beyond the jet incident and talk to the kids and parents about the overall living situation.

[From TMZ]

No one filed a police report, but someone did call and leave an anonymous tip with DCFS. And the fact that no one disputes that Brad was acting erratically on the plane and during refueling in Minnesota… well, who even knows. I mean, did anyone think “Oh, Brad’s going to jail”?? No – this is the kind of scandal/incident where someone will end up in rehab, not jail. Hint, hint.

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Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

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98 Responses to “Brad Pitt probably won’t be prosecuted for allegedly assaulting Maddox”

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  1. Xboxsucks says:

    I am still bafled by all this,
    First i really hope he didnt hit maddox, that was just a chaotic moment, second go straigt to treatment,rehab , double down on counseling .
    Hopeful he gets better and they pull through as family.
    I used to adore them together
    This is so sas

    • Soror Bro says:

      Someone who has misbehaved on alcohol or other drugs doesn’t necessarily have a drug problem, so rehab isn’t always the solution. Sometimes alcohol or other drugs are the problem sometimes they compound the problem.

  2. kori says:

    I’m still withholding judgement until there’s something besides ‘unnamed sources’ who could be anybody or completely made up.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      Yes. There a lots of different scenarios that could have given this result (media frenzy). Either the divorce, and the aftermath, and child custody will help tell the story or, if they stay together, they will have to say something (the party line). I don’t think they will stay together,
      Sounds like Brad needs some help either way.

    • TheOtherMaria says:

      Thank you for this, truly.

      Everyone is so quick to ascribe blame to either side, make up situations as if they were there, it’s baffling really….

      We don’t know what happened, period.

      Sources on both sides have contradicted each other; I truly hope those kids have all the support they need—the public should never have been given some half ass truth from the get go, that’s probably caused them more hurt in the long run, IMO.

      • Annetommy says:

        We don’t know what happened. I am not a fan of Brad or Angelina, though they are talented and I have enjoyed some of their work. So I haven’t read all the articles about this story. What I will say is that if there is anyone out there who hasn’t had a damn good row with their 15 year old, then you are very very unusual. However, this may have gone beyond that or may be part of an unacceptable pattern. We don’t know.

      • Soror Bro says:

        it’s very easy to get swept up by trial by media and once the frenzy starts people tend to get emotional. Personally I’ll wait for due legal process to run its course. But even then we might not get the full story as it could be resolved via a confidential settlement.

      • bluhare says:

        I agree, especially with your last paragraph. I feel for Maddox in particular.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        Plenty of people haven’t had a “damned good row” with a 15-year-old — plenty of people don’t admit to being drunk while having a damned good row either. Especially with 5 other children and many other adults present.

        Pitt has admitted (through surrogates) to being drunk and to being angrily physical to some degree. That says a lot. Whether it rises to the level of assault that can be legally charged is different. This story will continue to unfold.

        It’s likely with the involvement of the authorities that the children will be given a more stable home going forward and he may be required to get some help to share physical custody or have more visits. Hoping the kids get both.

      • Same, we’ve heard everything from possible pedophilia to giving the kid’s drugs in the span of a few days.

        It feels too early and too uncertain to simply be believing everything unnamed sources are distributing through gossip rags who’s entire purpose is to make money.

      • Zimmerman says:

        I am a fan of both Angelina and Brad. They both have their demons, but I want to believe that this was not a case of physical abuse. I also know that it may well be.

        Particularly saddened that Maddox’s name had to come up. It would have been better to keep that quiet if possible. Now if they do divorce, he will always feel responsible despite parental reassurance.

      • Betsy says:

        Who ARE – she didn’t say with “a” 15 year old, she said with “their.” I don’t think Annetommy suggests picking a fight with a 15 year old if you are childless/free or if your kids are too young, just that that’s kind of what happens with a lot of teen offspring.

      • Ennie says:

        Annetommy the problem is also the source of the problem with the kid. He felt the need to interfere in a mom-dad fight. That is very sad, and it was probably worsened for being all trapped in the plane for hours in tension.

      • Annetommy says:

        I don’t know if that’s the situation Ennie. If so, it’s horrible. Yes Betsy, thank you, I was talking about family rows, not altercations with some random teenager. I think it’s outrageous to even float the idea of some sort of molestation btw.

    • LoveIsBlynd says:

      It must certainly have been “the tipping point”. Likely this has been both ongoing and escalating. Also from personal experience it’s nearly impossible to prove intentional harm to a child outside of parental discipline. Angelina left him and filed for divorce and custody for their safety so it seems. Not every human being can be available in a “good enough” capacity for their children and in this case it seems that Brad needs less parent time.

    • Placebo says:

      Kori, you’re right. There’s much more in this and I won’t judge. But I do think that was not the only reason she wanted to get out….just my opinion.

      • EscapedConvent says:

        Placebo, I agree. I have a feeling Jolie may have wanted out of this relationship before this happened.

    • dotdotdot says:

      Actually we do know what happened? Like, Brad´s team is not denying child abuse, just “softening” the information.

    • Aren says:

      I agree, this got horrible really fast. I hope everybody calms down and the whole media circus stops, because there are kids caught in the middle of this mess.

    • Mila says:

      Looks pretty simple. A mother wants to protect her kids. Why? I don’t know, but i believe that she is doing what is right.

      OT i never liked those perfect public personas Clooney or Pitt made. Too fake, too perfect and no substance. Just pretty white boys always flashing fake teeth.

    • SpecialK says:

      Thank you. Yes. I said this last week on here and it was deleted. Completely agree-I have a 13 year old daughter who has decided that I’m the dumbest person on the planet. Let me just tell you how I want to strangle her weekly. There is absolutely no telling what happened and sainting one parent and vilifying the other is awful. ESPECIALLY for the kids. Maddox loves his dad, I’m sure. Now he has to feel guilt that his name is in the middle of this and I’m sure in his 15 year old mind, some how at fault for their divorce no matter how many times they tell him otherwise. The last thing he needs is the media going after either the two people who are those kid’s worlds.

      • Crumpet says:

        The issue as I see it is that he was drunk when he ‘corrected’ Maddox. He probably has no clear recollection of the event (he was drunk ) hence his inconsistent story line. All he seems to be able to say is that he didn’t hit him in the face. Contact in the shoulder area while ‘nose to nose’ sounds to me like he got in Mad’s face and shoved him around (while drunk).

        That and the fact this happened in the presence of all the children, make for a perfect storm of substance abuse, inappropriate parenting, while eliciting a flight and protection response from the children’s mother.

  3. Patricia says:

    Best thing that can happen is Brad goes to rehab and gets help, stays sober, and earns back the trust of his family over the next few years.
    It’s best for Maddox that Brad not end up in jail or something. Dads shove and hit their teenage sons when they are drunk or if they are a certain kind of angry personality. NOT acceptable at all, but I don’t think a court case would help Maddox. I think the support of his mom and his dad heading into recovery would help him much more.

    • LoveIsBlynd says:

      I actually dont’ believe Rehab works. My whole group of 20 something peers “got sober” together and I was both the only one who didn’t do rehab and the only one who has been sober for two decades. Either a person has the humility to go to AA/NA and work a free sober program or not. No amount of fancy day care for drunk/addicts is going to make a difference. Tryers are liars and a person gets humble and sober- or Not.

      • AintNoTelling says:

        @loveisblynd, you sound quite pompous.

        Plenty of people stay sober after going to rehab. AA/NA is not the ONLY way.

        Btw, many alcoholics and drug abusers MUST have a medical detox in order to avoid seizures. And being able to access addiction treatment for 30 to 90 days, in a place where you are much less likely to be tempted by alcohol or drugs, because there are none on the premises, is a great reprieve.

        I know PLENTY of “newcomers” that have “just” gone to meetings and left the meeting, only to go have a drink or get high. Some people cannot just come off the street and get sober by attending meetings, and being that you have been in program for over 20 years, as you claim, you already know that.

      • Bridget says:

        Well isn’t that great that we have an expert here. Sounds like you didn’t exactly take to heart the humility portion of AA.

      • Bob says:

        I’m trying to imagine what a horrible group of people your cohort was that you all got sober together. Did you go on a serial killer spree and get away with it? What did rock bottom look like that y’all were collectively inspired to sober up?

        I guess I’m lucky that all my substance abusing friends are actually still nice people.

      • Crumpet says:

        Bob, How do get from ‘group of 20 cohorts getting sober together’ and a serial killer spree?

        Staying sober is a decision, and it sounds to me like the poster was the only one who made it. This is not unusual. AA works only if you work it. I applaud this poster for making the decision and sticking with it.

  4. Mrs Fonzieface says:

    Somehow what makes me most sad in all of this is that Maddox likely had to take his shirt off for social workers. For some reason that makes me a bit teary-eyed.

    • Wurstbonbon says:

      That made me quite sad too.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      Whatever happened, Maddox isn’t the reason they are divorcing. That is so unfair and burdensome to him.
      Either his parents were just done with each other or one of them was done. Their behavior (one, the other, or both) is the reason.
      This part makes me angry on all the kids’ behalf.

    • Jellybean says:

      It has already been stated that there was no evidence of injury to Maddox, so yes, I assume he has been examined. Now child services are involved they can take this anywhere they want to, it wont just be about the incident on the plane and it wont just be about Pitt’s behavior; they can look at any aspect of the children’s upbringing and they will have specialists talking to all the children.

    • LoveIsBlynd says:

      It’s not like Maddox was examined and jeered at by a group of cops. Child protection services can’t totally stop abuse but their involvement is an huge wake up call. It’s likely an examination was conducted in a very child centered manner.

      • Crumpet says:

        Being sad that he had to take his shirt off, is (to me) an expression of sadness that a child is in this position in the first place, rather than a lack of knowledge about procedure.

    • Original T.C. says:

      Child social services are caring social workers whose job is to protect children but they are not doctors or nurses. Maddox most likely had to be examined by either a pediatrician or a pediatric nurse practitioner to check for injuries . These people care about children and would exam him in a child friendly way just as though he were getting his yearly check up.

      I don’t know why you would find it sad for people who are concerned about children’s wellbeing and safety to make sure a child is not being physically abused. Just as I don’t understand why some people view Maddoxx being presented as a hero who came to the aid of one of his parents when threatened by another parents. And his Mom decided to sacrifice her marriage to show that her children’s safety and wellbeing is the MOST important thing to her. Why would Madexx feel guilty for stopping a rage monster? Teenage boys usually feel empowered to finally be old enough stand up and defend their moms.

      I actually find it disturbing that society on one hand blames women for staying in violent situations which can psychologically harm their children while in this situation some are blaming a woman for having the guts to walk away in a one and done situation. One and Done is what women SHOULD do. A love the Brange too as my favorite celebrity couple but I would not wish them to stay together in this situation so I can have a fantasy couple to adore. It’s not about me!

  5. Sullivan says:

    Go to rehab, Brad. Concentrate on recovery. Angie will take care of the kids. You should focus on getting your sh*t together.

    • LoveIsBlynd says:

      LIke I said- Rehab isn’t the be all end all. It’s the humility of being an average drunk on the bus. Get humble. Go to AA, like everyday. It’s free, there’s no adult sleep away camp, but it’s more effective in the long run.

      • Sullivan says:

        Some people need rehab to separate themselves from the alcohol for a period of time. Once out of rehab, they work the AA program to stay sober. And, yes, humility and honesty with one’s self is paramount.

      • Bridget says:

        That’s not what you said. @loveisblnd said ‘I don’t think rehab works at all’ and called it an expensive adult sleep away camp. Rehab absolutely is appropriate for many people’s journey toward sobriety, and I’d suggest you remember that very same humility when you judge what people need to get sober.

      • RJ says:

        @loveisblynd I hated AA (tried dozens of different meeting locales). It’s estimated to have a 5-10% success rate. I got sober on my own (using The Sinclair Method), when I was finally ready to do it (after years of AA, rehab, counseling, etc), as do plenty of people. If AA worked for you, great-keep doing it and celebrate your sobriety. But to imply that it is somehow superior to other treatments sounds narrow-minded and judgmental. Most treatments for alcohol addiction don’t work, and the best current combination according to research appears to be medication (like naltrexone) and intensive counseling.

      • Jenna says:

        I’m rolling my eyes so hard at all of your comments. Not everyone can get sober just from going to AA; many people have severe PHYSICAL withdrawal symptoms that need to be managed at a rehab facility. “Sleepaway camp” wow– you are beyond obtuse.

  6. frosty says:

    The facade is falling away and I think a lot more will be revealed before this thing resolves itself.

    • Jellybean says:

      Unlike the Heard/Depp debacle this one is going to be fully investigated by the authorities and that is who the family courts will listen to. So, whatever happens, it will not be about who spins most convincingly.

  7. Eveil says:

    Just stop it, Brad. Stop putting out unnamed sources and get your ass into rehab. Screw the public and do what’s good for you and your kids – admit your faults and seek the help that you need.

    • pwal says:

      I agree that Brad needs to get his @$$ to rehab ASAP, but that given the environment right now, can he even find one that will afford him the privacy to get to the root of his problems? There are plenty of people willing to sacrifice the sanctity of the therapy/rehab environment for the sake of a few bucks and some shine. That’s the only real drawback to the whole scorched earth approach. And if Angelina found a rehab center “for him” that fit the bill, he is likely too pissed to take her suggestion.

      My hope is that he has been looking on his own, found one and possibly began the first steps (outpatient), since he likely hasn’t gone completely to it since he still being questioned by the agencies. Plus, I would hope that he would be given the opportunity to tell his kids where he is going and why (in an age-appropriate way) before the press and the rest of the world knows.

  8. Em P says:

    For all we know this was a dad who got pissed off at his 15 year old son and needed a time out to remember that he is the adult and to act like one. That time out could have been done by family counseling, not daily updates by TMZ.

    Never been a Brad fan (I think he’s way overrated and I struggle to remember a film I truly loved him in) or an Angelna fan ( I did love her in Gia but that’s about it) so maybe I don’t know enough about the daily goings on like some other commenters seem to, but I have not heard anything that paints a picture of an abusive family environment so it’s extremely sad that this is the picture being painted.

    You go to one site and Brad is an abuser. You go to another and Angelina is a master manipulator who threw her kids and husband under the bus. These two parents need to find away to shut this down and finish out their divorce as quietly as possible.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      This is the gospel. Preach it!

    • Sid says:

      You said it far more eloquently than me.

    • Esmom says:

      Yeah, people are jumping to wildly differing conclusions based on so much speculation. ITA that they need to just shut down this public circus as best they can so the kids can get on with their lives in as healthy a way as possible.

    • LittleTeaPot says:

      Well said, Em P

      If only Angie would have kept her statement to “irreconcilable differences” …with her using health of the family, she did indeed appear adversarial & ended up involving the whole family & not in a good way.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        A statement about the health of the family is not adversarial. Pitt is clearly not healthy to be drinking and angrily physical while traveling with his children. He’s a member of the family too, and the family can only be as strong as its weakest link.

      • notasugarhere says:

        There were witnesses to what happened, so it was going to come out. She would have been soundly criticized by many if she had stuck with “irreconcilable differences” when the FBI and child services news hit.

      • certi says:

        The number one biggest issue is that she delivered the papers on monday evening in an LA court that it is known tmz has connections. She guaranteed tuesday exposure and a full newsweek of exposure and speculation. That is the part that makes you go hmmmm.. why? She is clever enough to understand the newscycle.

      • Bob says:

        certi, I think it’s more than that. No one can convince me that call to DCFS came from someone outside the Jolie camp. She knew exactly what she was doing and probably had the plan ready to go, just waiting for Brad to do something that gave her the barest pretext to make that call knowing full well that hotline calls to DCFS are always protected information, the parties are never told who made the call. And putting his hands on Maddox’s shoulder is a bare pretext. If the situation were scary enough to inspire an outside party witnessing events to involve the authorities, they would’ve called 911, not DCFS.

        I’m not saying I think it’s impossible to believe that Brad Pitt has some shit he needs to work on. But I do find it a bit odd that people are ignoring the part where, yes, actually, Angelina Jolie is a master manipulator! She’s very good at it. Has been for a long time. It’s something I admire and respect about her. It’s not like people are ascribing grand schemes to someone like Blake Lively.

        Being a master manipulator isn’t off-brand for Jolie, it’s who she is. She’s smart, she’s in control, and she’s good at moving the pieces to achieve her desired outcome. I don’t think it’s necessarily insulting her to point out that, yeah, she probably had this planned out as much as Katie Holmes had her escape from Tom Cruise planned. And I’m sure that in her mind what she is doing is motivated by the best interests of the children. But she wouldn’t be the first person in a crumbling marriage to misjudge her own motivations. This stuff is frequently very complicated, and it’s sad that so much of it is happening in such a public way.

    • OrigialTessa says:

      My fights with my parents as a teen didn’t end in divorce proceedings. This wasn’t just a typical fight with a teenager and his dad. There’s a lot more to the story. There has to be.

    • Amen, this shitshow hit the fan with rather impressive levels of wall to wall splatter. Would love for the facts to be out fully.

      • NotSoSocialButterfly says:

        LOLing at your first sentence which has such beautiful visual…impact ( yes I went there)! You must be a writer, and if you aren’t, you should be.

      • Paisley says:

        Eternal: you are so right. I vote for family being in tatters for a while and it finally blew.

      • @NotSo

        Why thank you! And hey, I’m working on it 😉

        @Paisley

        Yup, much as people deified them it seems pretty clear like most celebrity couples they knew how to smile and cuddle while the cameras were on them and in private things weren’t so rosy.

    • Betsy says:

      This. I don’t know either of these people, or their public personae well enough to have an opinion. That said I am surprised she went all out with announcing why the divorce. That doesn’t seem to serve the kids very well.

    • Amanda DG says:

      I completely agree and I think you and I are able to attain this point of view because we are not fans of Brad, Angelina or Jennifer for that matter.

    • Zuzus Girl says:

      Agree. Em P. Having had a very volatile 15 yr old boy at one time, things can erupt very quickly. Even if you swear you’ll never be “that” parent, screaming and yelling can happen. I hate how everyone jumped on “Brad is abusive” without having been there to see what happened. (And I’m not a fan of either so I have no dog in this fight.) I just find it distasteful the way this is being played out with the public as judge and jury. It should be dealt with privately and through the courts if necessary, for the kids sake if nothing else.

    • Crumpet says:

      Again, it comes down to an intense, physical encounter while the parent WAS DRUNK.

      I’m not impressed that he didn’t ‘hit him in the face’. If that is best he can say about the encounter, than yeesh.

  9. grabbyhands says:

    Let’s be real-he”s Hollywood royalty, so even if it did come out that he’d gotten physical with his kid, I sincerely doubt that there would really be any serious consequences for him.

    • Esmom says:

      It’s more than that. I actually just went through mandated reporter training for my job and there seems to be a pretty blurry line between corporal punishment and abuse. If Maddox had no marks on him and there was no evidence of psychological trauma — alhough who knows what he told investigators — then they really can’t move forward with child abuse charges.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        And the psychological trauma can unfold over time, as well. Boys can keep silent or try to bury things.

        Corporal punishment – what state laws would have applied while they were in the air? Doesn’t legality vary by state? Also, what deed would he have been ‘punished’ for? Speaking while being adolescent? Trying to protect his mother?

        The fact that some states have made corporal punishment illegal means legislatures/the social cultures of those states determined they think corporal punishment IS child abuse. That they are one and the same.

        It’s true that child abuse has to reach a bad level before it can be ‘proved.’ By then so much damage has been done.

      • Esmom says:

        WATP, all very good points. This training got me thinking a lot about corporal punishment and why it’s acceptable to anyone, anywhere. One “acceptable” example my training gave was that a mom would hit her kids with her slipper when they got out of line. I guess because the slipper is soft it doesn’t qualify as abuse? But a mom who thinks hitting kids with her slipper is an acceptable form of discipline would definitely give me pause.

        On a separate note, to answer your question of what “deed” would he have been “punished” for? I have two teen boys and once I was arguing with one and he yelled “F%^k you.” To me that warranted punishment. I didn’t hit him but emotions were so incredibly high and we were at one point “toe to toe.” I took his beloved phone and grounded him.

        I can imagine something like this might have occurred. The emotional energy that some teens require can be enormous and I think some people handle it better than others. I’m not saying this is what happened nor am I excusing Brad if he really did hurt Maddox, I’m just sharing my POV of how harrowing being in a fight with a teen can be.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        Hi Esmom, it’s really nice to be discussing this thoughtfully with you.

        What an interesting “acceptable” example – the slipper. I mean, there are slippers and there are slippers! ; ) I just always thought adults are supposed to be helping children learn how to manage their emotions, including anger, by constructive correction and setting a good example. Someone has to be the adult, and being adult doesn’t mean, “You hit me so I hit back.”

        Oh I know all about teens and cursing. Been there too! It’s horrible to be at the receiving end when they let loose. We set limits and de-escalated relative to our child’s particular needs; it took time and patience (a LOT of patience…).

        Pitt admitted to being physical out of anger, and drunk (therefore disinhibited).
        It seems he may not have understood in the moment why his son was doing what he was doing.

        Our approaches simply illustrated some of the other kinds of things he could have chosen to do, if he were sober and had better self-management.

      • Esmom says:

        Yes, WATP, it is indeed nice to have a civil discussion online. It does sound like Brad had a terrible moment for whatever reasons. I thought I read somewhere that he has been in counseling so it seems he has recognized he needed to change something even before this incident. But change can be hard and take time, and at the same time as kids get older and susceptible to hormonal mood swings, emotions definitely can run extremely high. Here’s hoping they can all heal and move on to a “new normal” somehow sooner rather than later.

    • Size Does Matter says:

      If he indeed lunged at Maddox and Angelina hadn’t stepped in, what would he have done? That’s what is bothering me.

      • Jellybean says:

        I am reaching a switch off point with this. This is being investigated by experts in child abuse issues. They know how to look past what they have been told and look at body language and patterns of behaviour. They understand that the impact of abuse make take years to fully manifest . With no history of violence some people are assuming that (a) he was actually violent with the boy (b) it must have happened before and (c) he would have half killed him if Jolie hadn’t defended him. These are huge assumptions. Child services are on it, they will make the decision whether or not Pitt and/or Jolie are fit parents.

      • Esmom says:

        Again, not excusing Brad but I don’t we can think assume just because he lunged that he was going to beat the crap out of him. “Lunge” could be hyperbole for all we know. So much of this is entirely speculative.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        To me, it’s the drinking and disinhibition that are the big problems, because if it didn’t go ‘over the line’ (where ever that is for California) this time, it easily could if nothing changed.

      • Size Does Matter says:

        I didn’t mean to imply that I thought Brad was going to destroy the kid. My point was that we don’t know. Brad might not know what he would have done.

  10. Cheryl says:

    He needs to admit his fault, get into rehab, and beg Angie to go to counseling with him.

    She may not. The damage may be irreparable. But they have defied convention before. I hope for the sake of the kids, they can work through this somehow and he can earn back the trust and love of his family.

    But it’s gotta start with him. Alcohol and addiction can take an otherwise wonderful person and turn them into a monster. It’s powerful and unless you have experienced it yourself (I have not, but have gone through this with family) I think it is hard to understand. I don’t think Brad is a bad guy. But I do think he is a narcissist and an addict, and that can be a very difficult combination.

    Still, I bet they really do love each other, and part of them wants to keep the family together.

    It ain’t over till it’s over. I’m really interested to see how this plays out. Maybe I overestimate them as people, but I don’t think they are completely done if Brad can really turn things around in himself.

    ETA- I am not a huge Angie/Brad fan. But I am a family fan. And as of now I see this incident in a very different light than the Depp case because I actually believe Depp to be a despicable person based on how he conducted himself in the divorce and all the smoke we’ve seen from him over the years. I am still hopeful this is different.

    #teamfamily
    #teamrecovery
    #teamlove

    • Carmen says:

      I am not at all certain this marriage can be saved or that Angie even wants to save it. I think Brad still loves her, but I’m not getting the feeling at all that she still loves him. I think over the past year or so they have grown so far apart from each other that there is no relationship left to save. I hope I’m wrong.

  11. Coconut says:

    In my experience, also in California, the “date of separation” is a relatively arbitrary date the filer of the divorce (Angelina in this case) sets as the date when she knew the marriage was over, whether they were still living in the same house, whether he knew what was happening or not, etc.

  12. Zut alors! says:

    I admittedly do not care for him at all. I can see his team trying to Ray Donovan his shenanigans and leaving Angelina to hold the bag. I never believed he was blindsided by her divorce filing. He just wanted it to work to his advantage. She asked him to co-file and he refused. I honestly believe someone in his camp was already laying out his exit strategy by leaking stories to US Weekly. They started with the story of Angelina wanting to sell Miraval so she could join the British House of Lords which is nonsensical. Then they had stories about Baroness Helic and Chloe Dalton and their ties to Angelina, insinuating something unseemly was going on . This was refuted by People which had Angelina’s direct statement stating they had a partnership in place to work on things of interest to them re global affairs. After that, US published the story of Angelina teaching at Georgetown which was once again refuted in People. I see a lot of media and people have latched on to this “Angelina is dead set on joining the House of Lords”, with very little to back it up. These two ladies are being painted as having a Svengali like influence over Angelina which is really unfair.

    • KB says:

      I’m fairly certain her offer to co-file was with the stipulation that she get full physical custody and that is why he refused.

  13. Louise177 says:

    It seems like it’s being reported and people believe the plane incident caused the divorce. Just my opinion but most likely it was the final straw. But I think it was Brad’s overall behavior that night. Even “sources” aren’t disputing most of the event – being drunk, taking a fuel truck, etc. The interaction between Brad and Maddox probably was pushing/shoving not Brad hitting him.

    • MrsBPitt says:

      I find the part about Brad taking the fuel truck for a ride a bit hard to swallow….It seems to me that would be a felony, and he would be in jail…and, I’m sure there is video of what went on at the tarmac, because airport security has cameras everywhere…I don’t care WHO he is, if he had stolen a fuel truck he would have been arrested…my opinion…

      • Zut alors! says:

        If the reports from the Daily Mail disparaging Angelina are to be taken as the gospel truth, then this needs to be considered as well.

        http://fussyeye.blogspot.com/2016/09/dailymail-on-saturday-mytalk-107.html

      • Original T.C. says:

        Hmmm, Brad Pitt is the biggest celebrity in the world. He is not going to be arrested for a joy ride no matter how inappropriate. The fact that some of those powerless airport/plane employee reported him anonymously shows that they were afraid to confront him or intervene.

        And Brad has not refuted this claim at all nor has his sources. There were witnesses so it is not down to a he said, she said.

      • Soror Bro says:

        Ah MrsBPitt: WOW. This must be a huge story for you. If Brad comes out of this looking like an abusive jerk what are you going change your name to?

      • Crumpet says:

        It only said he tried, not that he actually succeeded. Apparently there is video to that effect.

  14. Jen43 says:

    Brad needs rehab. The entire family needs therapy. The public has been fed this image of a chaotic but loving bohemian family. I think the truth isn’t nearly as pretty as the image. At this point I find it difficult to believe anything I read about this situation.

    • Esmom says:

      I agree that therapy seems warranted for everyone or things will only get uglier as time goes on. I think about how much both Brad and Angelina have spoken about how their family is everything and it seems like those connections are so precarious now. Therapy will hopefully help them heal and move on without being completely scarred.

  15. Moon says:

    All this speculation isn’t helpful. I’m waiting to hear what the official reports say and just leave it at that. Whatever Brad Pitt did or didn’t do, it’s awful for their kids that both their parents are being painted as monsters with an agenda by speculative gossip looking to sell a magazine. And all those accusations of using children as a divorce pawn. This case is leaving a bad bad taste in my mouth, I feel so sorry for the six young children who have to deal with this.

  16. minx says:

    Who would have thought a week ago that we would be talking about this?
    Unbelievable.

  17. Jane says:

    Uh, yeah – this is a complete crock. Child abuse does not need to be “intentional” to be convicted.

    But, we aren’t even talking about “conviction” bc nobody has been arrested and had charges filed.

    That COULD happen, theoretically, if the abuse charges were founded.

    And you will never know, bc whether it is yes or whether it is no, it is NOT public record. To protect the children’s privacy, not the adult’s.

    And even if it were founded, as with ANYONE, not just movie stars, it would be VERY unlikely, bc instead, what they do then is generally provide services to improve things in the home.

    So that “source” or whatever he is, is completely talking out his you know what.

  18. Yepisaidit says:

    I always knew he cared more for his image than he cares for his family. I told his lame fans many times that his image as a good father was horse pooop and that Angelina has looked sickly, depressed and down right done with life ever since she got with him. Boy was I right.

  19. Gia says:

    To those doubting the anonymous call, Brad and Angelina both employ a tight knit group of staff including flight attendant and pilots that are well-paid and loyal, if any one of them saw something and wanted to say something but not lose their job the only way to do that is anonymously.

    • justwastingtime says:

      Yes, I agree. The call came from someone who witnessed the incident inside the plane, so the crew or a nanny or one of the kids. Given that the police reportedly met them in LA, I would guess the crew as it would be easier for them to discretely make a call (of the three likely groups)

  20. margo S. says:

    I definitely think that brads drinking is what has really done it. Considering him and Angie were fighting before they got on the plane, then he decides “great time to get drunk!” And proceeds to drink to excess, while angry, that is called self medicating with alcohol. That is a problem and he’s probably had it for sometime now.