Why is Shia LaBeouf going on trial?

Disclaimer: This article mentions physical abuse.

Shia LaBeouf, who has been keeping a relatively low profile, is set to appear in court in April. The reason surrounding the trial stems from the heinous accusations that the actor’s ex-girlfriend, Tahliah “FKA Twigs” Barnett, filed in a lawsuit years before. 

LaBeouf and Barnett initially met in the summer of 2018 on the set of Honey Boy, a film inspired by the actor’s childhood. News outlets reported that the pair started a romantic relationship shortly after production wrapped, but by May 2019, they had split. At the time, the only reason that was provided for the demise of their relationship was conflicting work schedules, but that changed in December 2020.  

The civil suit

On Dec. 11, 2020, The New York Times reported that Barnett filed a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles Supreme Court against LaBeouf for the “physical, mental, and emotional” abuse she encountered during their nine-month relationship. 

According to All Law, a civil lawsuit occurs when an individual seeks to hold the person who committed the offense “liable for some type of harm or wrongful act.” The website also stated that if the individual who filed the lawsuit succeeded in their trial, they would have been compensated by the accused. 

Barnett claimed the Holes star of choking her, physically throwing her against a car as he yelled at her, using manipulative tactics to get his way, threatening to crash a vehicle they were both in, and knowingly giving her a sexually transmitted disease. As well as filing the lawsuit, which cites another of LaBeouf’s ex-girlfriend Karolyn Pho as a possible victim of abuse, Barnett has publicly discussed her ordeal on social media and in interviews. 

Shia responds

One month after Barnett’s accusations, LaBeouf released a statement via email to the NYT. In it, LaBeouf brought up his past addictions and apologized to those he hurt. The message read, 

“I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel. I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say.”

In another email, LaBeouf also shared that he was in a 12-step program and therapy. The actor claimed that although he wasn’t fully cured of “PTSD or alcoholism,” he was committed to taking the appropriate steps to “recover.” 

Following the email interview on Feb. 11, 2021, LaBeouf and his attorneys released an official response to Barnett’s lawsuit. According to E! News, the Fury star denied “every” allegation and stated that Barnett “has not suffered any injury or damage as a result of [his] actions.” In addition to those remarks, LaBeouf, through his attorneys, addressed Barnett’s sexual battery accusations. LaBeouf wanted it dismissed because “none of the acts alleged were based on sex and/or the conduct was not sexual.”  

At the time, the Transformers star also requested that the judge dismiss the case and order Barnett to pay his legal fees.

Trial date

In May 2022, a year following LaBeouf’s response, Barnett’s attorney Bryan Freedman revealed to Rolling Stone that the court had set a trial date for the civil case for April 13, 2023. Freedman claimed that it is officially going to trial because Barnett wants LaBeouf held “accountable” for his actions. Freedman said,

“The gaslighting has gone on long enough here, and it’s time to hold Shia LaBeouf accountable. My client wants a trial date.”

Towards the end of summer, LaBeouf appeared on Jon Bernthal’s Real Ones podcast. In the discussion, although the Disturbia star didn’t mention Barnett’s name in the video, he did, however, address the pain he caused that led to the upcoming case, saying:  

“I hurt that woman. And in the process of doing that, I hurt many other people and many other people before that woman. I was a pleasure-seeking, selfish, self-centered, dishonest, inconsiderate, fearful human being. … When I think about what my life has become, and what it is now, like what my purpose is now: I need to be useful. And when I look at this #MeToo environment, there’s not a whole lot of dudes that are taking accountability.”

LaBeouf added that he has a “list of people” to make amends with.

At the time this article is being written, no additional details have been released. We Got This Covered has requested comment from both LaBeouf and Barnett’s representatives.

We want this at the bottom of the article If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or if you believe someone you know is being abused, contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE or spoken with online via the hotline’s website. Mobile phone owners can also text “START” to the number 88788.