The ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ star was the subject of two domestic violence investigations by Utah police departments earlier this year
Credit: Fred Hayes/Disney
NEED TO KNOW
- Taylor Frankie Paul’s latest domestic violence investigations will not affect her probation status, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office announced on April 14
- In February, two Utah police departments opened separate domestic violence investigations into alleged altercations between Paul and her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen
- On April 14, the district attorney’s office announced that it would not be pursuing charges against Paul
Taylor Frankie Paul’s latest domestic violence investigations will not affect her probation status.
On April 14, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office announced that it would not be pursuing charges against the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, 31, after a pair of police investigations earlier this year.
In February, two Utah police departments opened separate domestic violence investigations into alleged altercations between Paul and her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, 33, who share a 2-year-old son, Ever.
The district attorney’s office said on Tuesday, however, that several of the alleged incidents investigated by police took place more than two years ago — meaning they fall outside of the statute of limitations — and other alleged incidents "do not rise to the level of criminal offenses” or lack "sufficient evidence to support filing criminal charges.”
In their press release, the district attorney’s office also said that the investigations would not affect Paul's probation status, stemming from a 2023 arrest and indictment.
Credit: Taylor Frankie Paul/ Instagram
In 2023, Paul was arrested for an alleged domestic violence incident with Mortensen, accused of throwing metal chairs at him while her then-5-year-old daughter Indy was in the room. She pled guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault, which means that if she complies with the conditions of the plea, that charge will be dismissed. The other charges have already been dismissed.
In February, the Draper City Police Department opened an investigation after Mortensen’s friend called the department to report that Mortensen had "been the victim of a domestic violence assault by an ex-girlfriend at her Draper residence,” per a report obtained by PEOPLE. The report also says that Mortensen later told police that there were "two incidents of physical assault involving 'grabbing, scratching, shoving, and striking.' "
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Separately, the West Jordan Police Department opened a “domestic violence case” in February involving Paul and Mortensen after he contacted the department, a spokesperson previously told PEOPLE. The spokesperson added that Mortensen had spoken to police in March regarding the alleged incident and submitted video for the investigation, which police believed was dated to “early-to-mid 2024.”
Though over three years ago, Paul’s 2023 arrest has also come under new scrutiny over the last few months after TMZ released a video that shows a violent altercation between Mortensen and Paul, during which she throws metal chairs and hits him while he records her. (The events in the video match Paul’s 2023 indictment.)
Credit: JC Olivera/Variety via Getty
On the day of the video’s release, March 19, Mortensen filed for a protective order against Paul. She filed for a protective order of her own against Mortensen on April 7, alleging that he had a "pattern of abusive conduct and coercive control" in their relationship and detailing several incidents during which he allegedly acted violently towards her.
During a hearing on April 7, a judge granted Mortensen custody of their son with up to 8 hours per week of visitation for Paul supervised by a paid supervisor or someone vetted by the guardian ad litem. The arrangement is in effect until the pair’s next hearing on April 30, during which the judge will review their competing protective order filings.
After the release of the 2023 altercation, ABC also announced that it would not be airing Paul’s already-filmed season of The Bachelorette, just days before its scheduled premiere. PEOPLE also confirmed in March that the fifth season of Mormon Wives had paused production after several of Paul’s castmates refused to film with her.
Following the news that prosecutors would not be pressing charges, Paul spoke out for the first time in a post on her Instagram Stories on April 14.
“Cried when I got the call 🙏THANK YOU to those that have stood with me,” she wrote in overlaid text over a photo of a bouquet of flowers.
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