A video obtained by TMZ showing the 2023 incident for which Taylor Frankie Paul pleaded guilty to a serious assault has surfaced and it shows the disturbing things happened that night.
In the aftermath of the video, network ABC said in a statement that they are canceling Taylor Frankie Paul’s show ‘The Bachelorette.’ “In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” a statement from ABC read.
What the video shows
According to TMZ, the video which was used as evidence in the case shows a violent fight between Taylor and Dakota Mortensen. At one point, Dakota is seen trying to record the incident on his phone while Taylor puts him in a headlock. She steps back for a moment but then rushes at him again and tries to kick him.
The situation becomes more serious when Taylor picks up a metal barstool and throws it at Dakota. Even as he shouts, “your daughter is sitting right there,” she continues and throws two more barstools at him. Soon after, her young child who was on the couch can be heard crying. According to the police report, the 5-year-old girl was hit during the fight and later had a “goose egg on her head.”
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Police response and case details
According to TMZ, police arrived at the scene after a neighbor reported noise coming from the home. In the video, officers can be heard trying to separate the two. During the argument, Taylor repeatedly says, “you threw me,” and later told police that Dakota had thrown her to the ground before the events captured in the footage.
Authorities reviewed the video and prosecutors used it as evidence in the case. Taylor later pled guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to three years of probation which is set to end in August. If she complies with the terms, the conviction will not appear on her record. As part of the agreement, four other charges were dropped, including domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse, and criminal mischief.
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Ongoing investigations and psych evaluations
The 2023 incident is not the only matter still unresolved. According to TMZ, there have been ongoing allegations of violence between Taylor and Dakota. The Utah Division of Children and Family Services has an open investigation into the situation, and both Taylor and Dakota have been ordered to undergo psychological evaluations.
Taylor’s rep fires back
In response to the video being released, Taylor’s camp pushed back strongly against Dakota. A representative for Taylor criticized him, telling TMZ, “It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child. Releasing an old and selectively edited video on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior.”
The representative added, “Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show and from their own experiences.”
A spokesperson for Paul also told PEOPLE, “Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences.”
