Foster case: Ex testifies she falsely accused another man of domestic violence

SAN JOSE — Reuben Foster’s ex- girlfriend testified Thursday that the 49ers linebacker didn’t hit her on Feb. 11 and that the injuries police and hospital workers observed were the result of a fight she had with another woman following a road-rage incident in San Francisco the day before.

Judge Nona Klippen has heard testimony so far from three witnesses in the domestic violence case against Foster, including the motorist who gave Elissa Ennis his phone to call 911 and the detective investigating the case.

The most explosive statements came from Ennis, 28, who broke down several times during her two-hour testimony and who, while being examined by Foster’s attorney, Joshua Bentley, admitted that she tried to bring false domestic violence charges against another former boyfriend in 2011 when that man tried to break up with her.

Said Bentley: “You knew in this case when Reuben Foster broke up with you that you were going to go to your playbook and ruin his career. Isn’t that true?”

Said a tearful Ennis: “Yes, sir”

Ennis, 28, also admitted to stealing money and jewelry — including two Rolex watches — from Foster when she left his Los Gatos home and went back to her mother’s home in Louisiana. She has since returned the money but still has the jewelry, she said.

Why did she do so and why would she initially lie to police, she was asked? Because Foster wanted to end their relationship, she said, and “I wanted him to go down. I was pissed.”

“It was all a money scheme,” Ennis said. “I didn’t want to get this far in the news. It was about money.”

Ennis often had trouble recalling what happened or what she told police on the morning of Feb. 11 and had to be admonished several times about answering before the question was complete. About her the different stories she has told authorities: “I was lying about a lot of stuff.”

Prosecutors, however, believe Ennis initially was telling the truth when she said Foster dragged her by her hair down stairs and punched her as many as 10 times before throwing her out of the house.

Deputy District Attorney Kevin Smith submitted photos of Ennis on Feb. 11 that show scratches and marks on her hand, knee, face and neck. He also played 911 calls from Ennis is which she says “my boyfriend’s beating me up.”

Ennis said her injuries were suffered the previous day after she was cut off by another car, got into a roadrage situation with the driver and eventually fought a woman in San Francisco. A friend of Ennis’ found a video that shows a portion of the fight on Instagram and sent a video of it to Ennis.

In speaking to a detective on Feb. 13, however, Ennis said she got into a fight on Feb. 10 but told him it occurred outside a bar in San Francisco after she had had a couple of drinks.

Klippen will decide whether there is reason to move forward with a jury trial in July. She called a recess at noon and the preliminary hearing was set to resume afterward.