Actress Mareli Miniutti filed a domestic violence restraining order against "Creepy Porn Lawyer" Michael Avenatti on Monday. We're now learning about the details behind the ordeal that lead to the restraining order.
According to a report by The Blast, Miniutti and Avenatti have been living together since January. Last week, the two allegedly got into an argument over money at which point Avenatti reportedly called Miniutti an "ungrateful f*cking b*tch." She claimed he then threw pillows from the bed at her.
Miniutti said Avenatti yelled, "Do not disrespect me" and said that she couldn't stay at his apartment that night. She also told The Blast that she tried texting a friend for help but Avenatti took the phone out of her hand.
Avenatti allegedly grabbed her by the “wrist of my right arm,” and “attempted to pull me out of bed." He allegedly used her arm to drag her out of bed, onto the floor and out of the apartment into the public hallway. Miniutti said she was in her underwear and sustained injuries from allegedly being dragged.
Miniutti detailed part of the alleged assault in her court filing:
I was still partially laying on the floor in the public hallway and began ringing the bell of a neighbor's door in the hallway for help. Respondent then yelled at me, grabbed me by the arm again, and pulled me back into his apartment. Respondent then blocked the door with his body and prevented me from leaving the apartment by holding the door shut. I screamed and asked Respondent to return my phone. Respondent refused to return my phone.
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The actress said she put on pants, ran out of the apartment to a nearby elevator at which point Avenatti begged, "Don’t do this Mareli, don’t involve them.”
She said she told the apartment's security about the alleged attack and had a friend pick her up that night. When she got to her friend's house she noticed marks on her body, at which point she called the police to file a report.
Miniutti allegedly returned the next day to gather her things. She was escorted by security.
In her court filing, the actress also detailed a similar incident that took place earlier this year:
Respondent acted in a physically violent manner towards me on another occasion in February 2018. At the time, I was living with Respondent in a different apartment in the same building. Respondent had been drinking, and he became angry at me. Respondent pushed me out of the apartment into the public hallway, where I hit my head against a door across the hallway. Respondent then threw shoes at me, striking me in the leg.
Miniutti claimed Avenatti has been verbally abusive and financial controlling. She said he has “vehemently opposed my desire to earn a living outside of Hollywood,” and has “made promises to ‘take care of me,'" The Blast reported.
She provided pictures of her alleged injuries in her court filing.
These are alleged photos that @MichaelAvenatti's girlfriend, actress Mareli Miniutti, filed in her court paperwork asking for a domestic violence restraining order against the attorney. pic.twitter.com/S2BBtd0TMm
— Beth Baumann (@eb454) November 21, 2018
Her temporary restraining order was granted and a court hearing is scheduled for December.
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