Reuben Foster's accuser served time in 2011 for filing false domestic violence claim

quote:

---

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster did not attack his then-girlfriend or throw her dog, as she previously told police when he was arrested in February.

Elissa Ennis, Foster's now-former girlfriend, admitted during a preliminary hearing in San Jose on Thursday that she lied when she testified that he hit her in the head eight to 10 times, causing facial bruises and a ruptured eardrum. Ennis now claims that her injuries were suffered in a fight with another woman and that she accused Foster because he threatened to break up with her.

'I'm sorry,' Ennis tearfully admitted in court on Thursday, according to ESPN.'I really am. I apologize to everyone.'

Foster, 24, pleaded not guilty last week to three felony charges stemming from the incident: domestic violence with an allegation of great bodily injury, forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime and possession of an assault weapon.

On Thursday, Ennis was reportedly asked by Foster's attorney if he ever hit her, to which she tearfully replied, 'No, sir.'

The judge cleared the courtroom to allow for Ennis to compose herself and continue with her testimony, during which she admitted that she was trying to ruin Foster's NFL career after he said he was leaving her.

'I was threatening Reuben,' the 28-year-old Ennis said under oath, according to Bay Area News Group's Cam Inman. 'That I was going to f***up his career.'

'I wanted him to go down,' she said. 'I was pissed.'

After Foster told her that he wanted to break up, Ennis explained Thursday, she responded by telling him she was 'going to f*** your s*** up and make sure you don't have a job tomorrow.'

According to Ennis, the accusations were 'all a money scheme.'

'I didn't want to get this far in the news,' she said. 'It was about money.'

Ennis admitted that after making the accusations against Foster, she returned home to Louisiana with Foster's money and jewelry, according to Inman.

As reported by the Sacramento Bee, Ennis is believed to have first recanted the story just days after the incident, but charges were still filed against Foster in April.

A video of Ennis' fight with another woman was given to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office for review in late April, causing the district attorney to delay Foster's plea hearing until last week.

In her original report, Ennis told police that she and Foster had been arguing the night before and he had become angry and thrown her dog across the room. However, on Thursday, she admitted that she had lied about that too.

'I was pissed and I wanted to end him'

The animal was not injured.

When police arrived at Foster's residence in February, they found a SIG Sauer 516 short-barreled rifle, a loaded .38 caliber revolver and said that the home smelled of marijuana, which is legal in the state of California but banned by the NFL.

Ennis could be subject to prosecution, herself, if she testifies that her initial statement to police was made falsely.

According to multiple reports, Ennis admitted to falsely accusing an ex-boyfriend of domestic assault in Louisiana back in 2011.

49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters in April that Foster would not remain on the team if the charges against him are proven true.

A first-round pick in 2017, Foster won a national championship and the Butkus Award as the country's top linebacker while playing at the University of Alabama.

As a rookie last season, he finished with 72 total tackles and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-Rookie Team.

---