Angelina Jolie Drops Legal Fight for FBI Documents Related to Alleged 2016 Plane Incident Involving Brad Pitt
Angelina Jolie has officially ended her legal pursuit of sensitive FBI documents related to an alleged 2016 plane incident involving her then-husband, Brad Pitt. Jolie, 49, had anonymously filed under the name “Jane Doe” in 2021, requesting the release of documents through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. These documents pertained to a reported altercation between the couple on a private flight, just days before Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt. On September 25, 2024, court filings confirmed that Jolie had dropped the case.
The incident in question took place on September 14, 2016, and allegedly involved an in-flight confrontation between Pitt and Jolie, during which Pitt was reportedly intoxicated. According to reports, the couple’s children—Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Vivienne and Knox—were present during the altercation. It was alleged that Pitt became verbally abusive and physically aggressive toward one of the children, accusations that he has continuously denied.
Following the incident, the Los Angeles Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) and the FBI opened investigations into the matter. Ultimately, the FBI closed its case without filing any charges against Pitt, and DCFS found no evidence of abuse. However, the accusations fueled a long and contentious legal battle between Jolie and Pitt, which included disputes over finances, custody of their six children, and the ownership of their French vineyard, Château Miraval.
Jolie’s FOIA request aimed to gain access to more detailed records from the FBI’s investigation. Although the agency had already provided some documents in redacted form, Jolie sought more complete records to aid her in advocating for her children and protecting their privacy. Jolie’s attorney, Amanda Kramer, previously stated that victims and survivors should be able to access federal records related to crimes they experienced in order to receive trauma care and legal protection.
Jolie had hoped these records would support her claims regarding the 2016 altercation, which she revisited during legal proceedings in 2022. At the time, Jolie alleged that Pitt had choked one of their children and struck another, further escalating the bitter legal feud between the former couple. A source close to Pitt strongly denied these accusations, calling Jolie’s claims “untrue” and “incredibly sad.”
The decision to drop the lawsuit marks the end of Jolie’s legal efforts to obtain the documents, though it does not resolve the ongoing tension between her and Pitt. The couple’s divorce has been particularly acrimonious, with both parties repeatedly clashing over their children and financial interests. In addition to the FOIA case, Jolie and Pitt have been embroiled in a legal dispute over their jointly owned vineyard, with accusations of improper business dealings and ownership rights adding to their public feud.
Despite the case’s closure, the alleged 2016 plane incident continues to cast a shadow over the former couple’s relationship. While Jolie’s legal team argued that releasing the FBI documents could aid in advocacy and healing for her family, Pitt’s camp has consistently denied any wrongdoing and expressed frustration with the continued revisiting of past events.
As Jolie steps back from this legal fight, it remains to be seen how the two stars will proceed in their ongoing legal battles. The privacy of their children and the resolution of their remaining disputes will likely remain central concerns for both parties in the years ahead.
