For the past year or so, since the domestic violence allegations against Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott became public, the prevailing narrative has focused on a single incident that occurred in a car outside a club. The district attorney decided not to pursue formal charges, citing a sort of he-said-she-said contradictory back and forth. We all, I think, attributed the domestic abuse claims to that one incident.
But hiding in plain sight on the Columbus city attorney’s website are police reports, intake interviews, photographs, and more that broadens the picture. We all should have found it sooner. It includes disturbing allegations of days and nights during which the accuser says Elliott choked her, beat her, and held her against her will in an apartment that his father had rented. Our Kathy Wise spent the beginning of the week poring through those documents and put together, for the first time, this lengthy report that gave a voice to Tiffany Thompson.
Elliott’s camp spent the time since the NFL announced a six-game suspension disparaging Thompson’s character, painting her as a liar and as a spurned lover who was trying to take advantage of Elliott. Reading the other side of it makes it more difficult to accept that narrative and leaves you with at least an understanding of why the NFL acted as it did when the district attorney chose not to pursue a case. As the headline of Kathy’s story says, even a liar can be choked and beaten.
Before her media blitz began (The Ticket and Fox 4 on Thursday, I Heart Radio in Houston on Friday), Kathy sat down at Table No. 1 at the Old Monk to record an episode of EarBurner. Show notes and streaming player for the episode, as always, are after the jump.
1. Interabang Books, described in these digital pages as The Bookstore Dallas Needs, is open and hosting wonderful literary events. Consider supporting it. And here’s proof that Zac Crain knocked over an entire shelf of books during former Observer editor Joe Tone’s Bones tome Q&A.
2. I believe this video is what Tim was talking about. I haven’t seen Transformers, so it may not be. Whatever. I wish when Zac Crain knocked over that entire shelf of books at Interabang that it was this exciting. It was not.
3. Here is what you need to know about conservative columnist and radio personality Mark Davis, who Zac and Tim sure do like reading.
4. Keven Ann Willey, who recently announced her retirement, is the Morning News editorial page editor who, Tim presumes, allowed Davis to occupy their print and online space.
5. Here is Kathy’s original piece on Zeke, complete with our Elizabeth Lavin’s wonderful photos of a maybe-not-so-wonderful person.
6. Here’s a Morning News joint on why Zeke could be suspended even though he wasn’t charged with a crime. This came out before Kathy’s report.
7. The Dallas Morning News has done a good job playing catch-up. Here’s the full transcription of the intake interview, selections from the police report, and more. We decided not to link to the Columbus city attorney link because it includes the accuser’s address, employer, cell phone, and other curiously un-redacted identifying information.
8. Kathy was on The Fan yesterday. Today, she was on The Ticket. Last night she was on Fox 4.
9. Yes, The Zeke Apartments are real. They have 1.5 stars on Google Reviews, and a 600-square-foot spot goes for $909. Also! Some of the walls are painted the color of dehydrated urine.
