(AP) – Actor Michael Pitt, recognized for his roles in “Boardwalk Empire” and “Dawson’s Creek,” has been indicted for allegedly sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend and using cinder blocks and lumber to attack her at his home in New York City.
Pitt, 44, was arrested on Friday and faces nine charges, including first-degree sexual abuse, criminal sexual conduct, assault, attempted assault, and strangulation. The indictment references four different incidents occurring between April 2020 and August 2021 at his residence in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’s office has chosen not to comment further beyond the information in the indictment.
His attorney, Jason Goldman, maintains that the evidence will lead to exoneration and expects the case to be dismissed.
Goldman stated in a text to the Associated Press that it’s unfortunate for someone like Pitt to be arrested based on unreliable testimonies, suggesting that mistrust surrounds the claims made by an individual with a questionable background.
He also mentioned how the allegations have surfaced suspiciously after a few years, which he finds noteworthy since both parties were involved in a consensual relationship at that time.
Pitt has pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a $100,000 bail, with a court appearance scheduled for June 17.
The Associated Press typically does not disclose the identities of individuals alleging sexual abuse unless they choose to come forward publicly, and currently, the women involved in Pitt’s case have not done so.
The indictment claims that Pitt sexually assaulted his ex-girlfriend in April 2020, and in August of that year, he allegedly forced her to perform oral sex and assaulted her with lumber pieces measuring 4 inches by 4 inches.
Additionally, it is alleged in the indictment that Pitt attacked her with a cinder block twice in June 2021 and attempted to suffocate her in August 2021.
TMZ reported that in 2022, Pitt was arrested in Brooklyn for allegedly hitting a man, and he was subsequently taken to a hospital under police escort after a public incident in New York two months later.
Pitt, originally from West Orange, New Jersey, is known for his two seasons as Jimmy Darmody on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” which earned the cast outstanding ensemble recognition at the Emmy Awards in 2011 and 2012. The series won the Golden Globe for Best Drama Series in 2011.
His career began with a notable role in the 2001 film “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” In 2005, he appeared in “The Last Days,” a film about a fictional rock star reminiscent of Kurt Cobain. He also played Henry Parker in WB’s “Dawson’s Creek” for one season from 1999 to 2000.
