The former NFL player said he plans to fight the allegations through the legal process after his estranged wife accused him of abuse in her divorce filing
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NEED TO KNOW
- Marcellus Wiley denied the abuse allegations made by estranged wife Annemarie Wiley in her divorce filing, saying he plans to fight the claims with “evidence rather than emotion”
- In a statement posted to X on Tuesday, July 7, the former NFL player said he intends to address the allegations through the legal process
- The response comes one day after Annemarie filed for divorce and requested a domestic violence restraining order, alleging years of physical, sexual and emotional abuse
Marcellus Wiley is publicly responding after his estranged wife, former The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Annemarie Wiley, accused him of years of abuse in divorce filings earlier this week.
In a statement shared on X on Tuesday, July 7, the former NFL player denied Annemarie’s allegations and said he intends to fight them through the legal process, while accusing her of misconduct during their marriage.
“I love my children with everything I am. My highest priority has always been protecting them and preserving the relationship they have with both of their parents,” Marcellus began. “Because of the public allegations made against me by Annemarie, I have been forced to respond with evidence rather than emotion. More importantly, I owe it to my children to truthfully document what they and I have endured.”
Marcellus said he has “compiled videos, photographs, text messages, emails, and other evidence” that he claims contradict Annemarie’s allegations.
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Marcellus said he had hoped to keep the family’s struggles private but believed “this day was inevitable.”
“I was willing to endure anything—even hell itself—if it meant being with my children every single day,” he wrote. “I am their hero, and now I am fighting to make sure the positive and real image they know of me is the one that endures.”
He concluded his statement by saying he is “prepared to address these allegations and related matters through the legal process and with evidence.”
“My focus remains on my children, my integrity, and the truth,” he wrote.
The statement comes one day after Annemarie filed for divorce after 12 years of marriage.
In court documents previously obtained by PEOPLE, she cited irreconcilable differences and requested a domestic violence restraining order, alleging Marcellus subjected her to “a continuing and escalating pattern of physical violence, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse, financial control, and intimidation.”
The filing alleges the abuse dated back to 2012 and included multiple incidents of physical violence, as well as four alleged rapes. It also alleges Marcellus exercised financial control throughout their relationship and that Annemarie feared for her safety and the safety of their children.
“Marcellus subjects me to constant criticism, cruel and sarcastic remarks, and intimidation,” she alleges. “His verbal and emotional abuse is constant, and his physical abuse occurs approximately once a month, and at times more frequently. I am afraid of Marcellus, and I fear for my own safety and for the safety of our children.”
As part of the filing, Annemarie requested sole legal and physical custody of the couple’s three children, along with an order denying Marcellus visitation.
The allegations come after Marcellus was arrested on domestic battery charges stemming from an alleged incident during a family trip to Orlando, Fla., on July 3 and 4. He was released on a $1,000 bond on July 5, per Annemarie’s filing.
Additionally, Marcellus faces several other sexual assault allegations that are separate from the claims made in the divorce proceedings.
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Earlier this year, a former ESPN employee accused Marcellus of sexual assault in a court filing reported by Rolling Stone. PEOPLE separately obtained court filings from three other women who also accused the former NFL player of sexual assault. The allegations involve incidents the women say occurred between the mid-1990s through 2009, including claims that Marcellus raped them or sexually assaulted them.
Those allegations followed a 2023 lawsuit in which three others accused Marcellus of sexual assault stemming from the time he attended Columbia University.
PEOPLE has reached out to representatives for both Marcellus and Annemarie Wiley for additional comment.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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