Credit: Disney/Pawel Kaminski/ABC Press, Faye’s Vision/Cover Images, Disney/Bahareh Ritter/ABC Press
Taylor Frankie Paul’s attorney shared in court that her co-star, Jessi Draper, claimed Dakota Mortensen “planned on leaking” the 2023 video of Taylor to TMZ. Dakota’s friend Cru Eaton then hinted at Jessi’s “interesting” voice notes, as Jessi clapped back.
On April 30, the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and her ex, Dakota, met in court for a hearing over their clashing protective orders, as well as custody over their son. Both Taylor and Dakota have accused each other of abuse after a February incident. Back in March, TMZ released a video of Taylor throwing barstools at Dakota while her child was nearby in 2023. Soon after, ABC pulled her season of The Bachelorette.
At the recent hearing, Taylor’s lawyer revealed Jessi’s testimony in court.
“[Dakota] specifically told Ms. Draper that he planned on leaking embarrassing videos of Taylor to the press, starting with the bar stool video,” said the lawyer, via @thesaltychippodcast on Instagram. “He specifically named TMZ as the outlet, and a few days later, that exact video was released by TMZ.”
“My point in bringing this up, Your Honor, is that it contradicts how he is attempting to portray himself today,” he added. “He’s not just trying to come after her for custody. He’s not just trying to seek a protective order. He wants to literally destroy her. He wants to subject her and her family to a new round of torment.”
The lawyer said there are “career implications.”
“There’s mass embarrassment associated with that,” he said, seemingly referring to the video. “But ultimately, our big problem with that, my client’s big objection to his conduct was this additional harm and embarrassment and shame that he inflicted on my client as well as her children. This was a step too far.”
After news of the testimony broke, Dakota’s good friend Cru reacted in a comment.
“Interesting… time for some voice notes,” he wrote on Instagram, via @themormonwivesreport. “If she’s so real, let yall decide.”
A fan then asked Cru directly if he has voice notes of Jessi speaking.
“Ya,” Cru answered.
In the comments, Jessi clapped back.
“You wanna play dirty, let’s f**king go,” she said. “[I] have never sent Dakota or Cru a voice memo about this situation so if they have anything, it’s them recording me without knowing, which seems to be the go to move.”
But in her next comment, Jessi seemed to suggest that she was once on Dakota’s side.
“These men will do anything to take women down. Taylor knows full well I was under Dakota and Jordan’s spell for a while,” she wrote, “[before I] finally broke free and saw the truth. What matters now is I’m defending my friend after seeing both sides.”
