Actor Michael Pitt, recognized for his performances in popular television series such as "Boardwalk Empire" and "Dawson's Creek," is facing serious legal allegations including sexual assault, choking, and violent attacks with a cinder block and a piece of lumber at his residence in New York City. These accusations stem from incidents outlined in a grand jury indictment.
The 44-year-old Pitt was arrested on Friday on nine charges, which encompass first-degree sexual abuse, criminal sexual acts, assault, attempted assault, and strangulation. According to the indictment, these four incidents occurred between April 2020 and August 2021 at his home located in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’s office has refrained from commenting further on the allegations beyond what is stipulated in the indictment. Pitt’s attorney, Jason Goldman, has categorically denied the claims, asserting that Pitt possesses exonerating evidence and anticipates the case to be dismissed. Goldman expressed in a message to The Associated Press that it is unfortunate for an accomplished individual like Pitt to be arrested based solely on the "uncorroborated word of an unreliable individual."
Goldman further emphasized that the accusations arise suspiciously years after the alleged incidents when Pitt and his ex-girlfriend were engaged in a consensual relationship. Pitt entered a not guilty plea to the charges on Friday and was released on $100,000 bail. He is slated to appear again in court in Brooklyn on June 17.
The Associated Press typically does not disclose the identities of individuals alleging sexual abuse unless they have publicly come forward, a condition that pertains to Pitt's accuser, who has not identified herself. The indictment claims that Pitt forcibly sexually touched his ex-girlfriend in April 2020. In a separate incident in August 2020, the indictment states that Pitt compelled his ex-girlfriend to perform oral sex and assaulted her using a piece of lumber measuring 4 inches by 4 inches (10 centimeters by 10 centimeters).
Furthermore, the indictment alleges that in June 2021, Pitt attacked her with a cinder block on two occasions and subsequently choked her in August 2021. In previously reported incidents, TMZ noted that Pitt was arrested in Brooklyn in 2022 for allegedly punching a man who had taken his phone. Additionally, he was taken to a hospital under police escort later that same year following a public outburst in New York.
Originally from West Orange, New Jersey, Michael Pitt gained recognition for his role as Jimmy Darmody in two seasons of HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," a series that earned the cast, led by Steve Buscemi, Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2011 and 2012. The show also secured a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series in 2011.
Pitt's notable career began with his role in the 2001 film "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." He starred in "Last Days," a 2005 film by director Gus Van Sant, which was inspired by the life of Kurt Cobain, the frontman of Nirvana. Additionally, Pitt played the character Henry Parker in a season of "Dawson's Creek" during 1999-2000.
