Stacey Dash Arrested for Domestic Battery, Claims Self-Defense
Movie star Stacey Dash was arrested for domestic battery after an incident Sunday night in New Port Richey, Florida, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.
The actress was taken into custody after an argument with a male, whose name was redacted in the incident report. It has been widely assumed that she is accused of pushing and slapping her husband Jeffrey Marty.
The report states that police were called to a home Sunday evening “to respond to a domestic dispute” between two individuals.
“The victim sustained red scratch marks to his upper left arm from being pushed,” the report states.
Dash was taken into custody and transported to the Land O’ Lakes detention facility without incident. She posted bail and was released on Monday morning, according to a spokesperson for the Pasco County Sheriff.
Her manager Sean P. Jackson revealed to PEOPLE magazine that Dash was acting in self-defense.
“Stacey actually called the police because she was attacked by her husband. He choked her and she was defending herself,” Jackson told PEOPLE. “When the police arrived, they couldn’t see any physical marks on her, but they did see them on him.”
He claims that police later detected marks on Dash’s neck during a medical evaluation.
Marty did not respond to PEOPLE’s multiple attempts to obtain his comment.
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Dash said she and her husband “had a marital dispute in their Tampa, FL suburb” and that police did arrive at their home on Sunday.
“No charges were pressed by her husband; however, Deputies arrested Ms. Dash peacefully, as a formality,” the statement read. “Ms. Dash’s husband appeared in court today, September 30th, on her behalf and Ms. Dash was released from the Land O’ Lakes detention facility. No further legal action is pending.”
The statement continued, “The marital dispute, while personal and unfortunate, has since been blown out of proportion. An earlier report on TMZ.com said her manager told TMZ that she was attacked by her husband — both the sources relationship to Ms. Dash and the events of the evening were misrepresented.”
Dash, 52, has worked as a conservative pundit and continued to appear in film and TV projects in recent years.
“Ms. Dash is a domestic abuse survivor from a previous relationship and has championed for other abuse victims to speak up,” the statement added. “The untruthfulness being reported saddens Ms. Dash and her family — no further comments will be made and we ask that Ms. Dash and her family’s privacy will be respected.”
Dash and Marty have been married for just over a year, having tied the knot in a secret ceremony on April 6, 2018 — just 10 days after meeting each another.
Marty is best known as the creator of a Twitter account for fake politician Rep. Steven Smith of Georgia, who was the first “congressman” to endorse Donald Trump and has been a vocal advocate for the president on Twitter.
According to an online profile, Marty is a father to three kids with his ex-wife. He is Dash’s fourth husband.