‘It appears that LaBeouf has something to hide,’ says the singer’s legal team, alleging that the actor has destroyed information relevant to the long-running legal battle
FKA twigs publicly filed a lawsuit against her ex-partner Shia LaBeouf almost four years ago, alleging sexual battery, assault, and the infliction of emotional distress. In subsequent legal filings, the actor has denied all allegations. This week, though, has brought new developments in the ongoing case, with the singer’s team alleging that LaBeouf has been “egregiously evasive and nonresponsive” amid the legal battle, and appears to have “something to hide”.
In a statement filed with a California court on October 18, attorneys for twigs (born Tahlia Barnett) claim that LaBeouf has failed to meet his obligations during the case’s discovery proceedings. “LaBeouf’s responses to written discovery in this case has been egregiously evasive and nonresponsive, which has ultimately resulted in a document production consisting of only nine pages,” reads the filing (via Variety). “It appears that LaBeouf has something to hide, as LaBeouf has suspiciously claimed he no longer has any other responsive documents in his possession or control.”
Reportedly, the actor and filmmaker says that he’s lost or misplaced electronic devices relevant to the case, or destroyed related information before the initiation of the lawsuit. twigs, on the other hand, is said to have produced “voluminous responsive documents and substantive written responses”.
On top of these accusations, LaBeouf is said to have avoided a scheduled October 11 deposition due to being “suddenly unavailable... at the eleventh hour”. This complaint is also detailed in the filing, which reads: “LaBeouf inexplicably refuses to be deposed first, despite entering into multiple agreements between counsel that both parties would be deposed within the same week, and that LaBeouf’s deposition would take place first. LaBeouf has reneged on his longstanding agreement.”
In response, LaBeouf’s legal team – which is led by Shawn Holley, an attorney who formerly represented Diddy in his growing sexual assault case – has argued that twigs herself is “working so much that she has been too busy over the past two years to even appear for her deposition”. Both sides have accused the other of legal “gamesmanship” related to their apparent scheduling conflicts.
In the initial lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, twigs claimed that LaBeouf had choked and emotionally manipulated her after meeting in 2018, on the set of Honey Boy, and dating for around a year. In one incident, she claims he threatened to crash the car while she was in the passenger seat, then physically attacked her when they stopped at a petrol station. The suit also claims that he knowingly gave her an STD, among other disturbing behaviours, like driving around LA shooting stray dogs to prepare for his role in The Tax Collector.
A key hearing in the case is set to take place on Friday (October 25), when a trial date will be set.