In her two-decade career, Angelina Jolie has sat for hundreds of interviews. But on October 18, at her rented L.A.-area home, she submitted to one of the most important Q&As of her life. For four hours, two FBI agents questioned the Maleficent star, 41, and some of her six children about the incident aboard a private plane September 14, in which Brad Pitt drank and allegedly became physical with one of the kids. Find out more in the video above, and detailed below.
“The agents wanted a breakdown of everything that happened from when the plane took off to when it landed,” says an insider. “They’re looking into charges of assault.” And Jolie, who filed for divorce from the Allied actor, 52, days after the traumatic flight, “fully cooperated,” according to another source.
FBI officials aren’t the only ones digging. The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services has also continued to look into allegations of abuse, according to the insider. (Pitt sources adamantly deny any wrongdoing on his part.) Because of its ongoing investigation, the DCFS has indefinitely extended the temporary parenting plan that was set to expire October 20.
That means Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne will continue to reside with Jolie, while Pitt has visitation. With no permanent agreement in place, Pitt — who is seeking joint physical custody — will hold off on responding to Jolie’s divorce petition, according to another source, because an official request could trigger a bitter court battle.
“Neither side wants this to go to court because everything the FBI and DCFS investigated will potentially be made available to the public,” says the insider, “which would be bad for the entire family.”
Pitt will probably be under scrutiny well into next year. The FBI “will likely investigate for another few weeks,” says the insider, who says officials have also interviewed other potential witnesses, including members of the crew on the flight from Nice, France, to Burbank, California. Once agents finish, “they will present the case to the prosecutor, who will evaluate whether they feel the need to bring charges against Brad,” continues the insider. “It could potentially be months.”
For more on Jolie and Pitt, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands now.
