NFL

Reuben Foster's Accuser Says She Lied on Witness Stand to Protect Him

Elissa Ennis, told ABC News that Foster, in fact, hit her multiple times during a February incident in Los Gatos

The ex-girlfriend of Reuben Foster, who recanted under oath her claim that the former 49ers linebacker abused her earlier this year, now says she was lying to protect his NFL career.

Elissa Ennis, 28, told ABC News that Foster, in fact, hit her multiple times during a February incident in Los Gatos.

Foster again was arrested on a domestic violence charge on Saturday, Nov. 24, at the 49ers’ hotel in Tampa, Fla., after another alleged incident with Ennis.

Foster, 24, spent the night at Hillsborough County Jail and was released on $2,000 bond. The State Attorney’s Office in Tampa told NBC Sports that the facts in the case are still being reviewed.

Foster is scheduled for arraignment Jan. 3.

“He called me out there to work on our relationship,” Ennis said. “And, so, I was like, ‘I can’t believe you’re back doing this.’ We were both seeing therapists and stuff, trying to work on our relationship. And so I was like, ‘I can’t believe you’re back doing this.’ “

Ennis said Foster had struck her three times during the course of their relationship. Ennis said she called the police twice, and once in October the neighbors called police. No arrest was made following the October incident in Santa Clara.

While Foster was in the Tampa jail, the 49ers announced they were releasing him. Washington claimed him off waivers and is paying him $51,470 per week while he remains on the commissioner’s exempt list.

The 49ers secured the second and third floors of the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. Foster. Ennis’ 911 call came from Room 627.

“He invited me to come see him in Florida, and I came and he took one of my phones and he slapped me and pushed me,” Ennis said.

“I told him I was going to tell his new girlfriend that he paid for my flight out there, so that’s what triggered it.”

Ennis said she felt as if police did not believe her. She said members of the 49ers organization told police she was the same ex-girlfriend who previously lied about domestic violence allegations.

Ennis took the witness stand during the preliminary hearing in May and testified that she lied about her initial domestic claim in order to ruin Foster’s career after he said he was breaking up with her.

Now, she said she was lying to a Santa Clara County judge to protect Foster from potential career-ending prosecution.

“Reuben threw my clothes off the balcony,” Ennis said of the Los Gatos incident. “He threw my stuff out the house. He dragged me down the stairs two, three times. He punched me in my face two, three times. Pulled me by my hair. Kicked me. Spit on me.”

Why did she later recant her statement to police?

“Because I loved him, and love will have to you doing things that’s not in your best interest because (of) the person you love,” Ennis said.

She said she was not telling the truth when she recanted the allegations against Foster during the preliminary hearing. During that hearing, Ennis admitted to making false charges against another ex-boyfriend in 2011 in Louisiana and going to jail.

“I did what I had to do for the person I love,” Ennis said. “I thought that he would change. Anybody in my position, they would’ve done the same thing if they shared a family with this person.

“He used to come crying to me and tell me he didn’t have anybody. If somebody you love come crying to you, telling you that they didn’t have anybody, you’d do the same thing, too. That’s why I did what I did, because I loved him.”

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said last week that his office is exploring legal options against Foster related to the February incident in Los Gatos.

Said Rosen: “As we said when the judge dismissed the case against Mr. Foster: Our commitment to domestic violence survivors is unwavering."

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