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Justin Theroux Accuses Neighbor of Verbal Spousal Abuse: ‘It Was Clear That She Was in Distress’

Justin Theroux files paperwork against neighbor for verbal abuse
Justin Theroux arrives for the Premiere Of Paramount Pictures' "Bumblebee" held at TCL Chinese Theatre on December 9, 2018 in Hollywood, California.Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

Justin Theroux has filed paperwork against his downstairs neighbor Norman Resnicow that accuses the New York resident of verbally abusing his wife.

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In court documents filed on Friday, February 22, which were made public and obtained by Us Weekly when the defendants filed their response publicly, the Girl on the Train actor, 47, claimed to hear Norman screaming at his spouse, Barbara Resnicow, for roughly 10 minutes on February 10, during which time he repeatedly told her to “shut up.”

The Critics’ Choice nominee also alleged that Barbara pleaded with Norman to stop on several occasions, prompting him to call the police.

“It was clear that she was in distress and that this was not just a civil disagreement, but rather a verbal assault (at least) by Mr. Resnicow against his wife,” the actor said in his paperwork.

Theroux stated that the incident was not a one-time occurrence, and that Norman’s actions violated a previous temporary restraining order that had been filed by the building’s board against him. According to Theroux, the order prohibited the downstairs resident from using any “abusive language or posture in communications, orally or by written or any other means, with any resident” of his building.

The Leftovers star also alleged that the building’s managing agent, Petra Scott, had spotted Barbara with a black eye on February 13, though Theroux admitted he could not say for certain the circumstances under which her injury had been acquired.

Norman, who works as an attorney, responded to the film producer’s claims that same day, accusing Theroux and Scott of being overtaken by a “mob mentality.”

The lawyer stated that he was “disgusted” by the allegations made in their paperwork and that he was forced to raise his voice at his wife of more than 48 years because she had not been wearing her hearing aids. “I often have to raise my voice for her to hear me,” he said. “Even without raising my voice, I tend to speak at a volume higher than typical.”

Barbara denied any allegations of abuse by her husband in new court documents obtained by Us, stating that her black eye was the result of a fall she took after being distracted by a toddler on her way home from the gym. The couple also claimed to have text messages discussing her injury at the time.

“As for Norman’s allegedly abusive language, I have never feared for my safety while alone with Norman,” she said.

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The feud between the two men has been ongoing for years: Theroux sued Norman in May 2017 over alleged harassment he said he received from the attorney about renovations the screenwriter was making to his apartment, according to the New York Post. Norman countersued in August.

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According to court documents obtained by The Blast in December 2018, Theroux also claimed that Norman violated his TRO in December by harassing neighbors and sending threatening emails. He asked a judge at the time to add “a conditional order that will place Mr. Resnicow under arrest for contempt if he commits any further violation of the TRO.”

The Resnicow’s lawyer, Peter Levine, responded to the allegations with a statement to Us: “The papers conclusively refute the accusation.”

With reporting by Marc Lupo 

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