Photo Credit; Getty Images
Denise Richards took the stand in Los Angeles Superior Court on October 6 and 7 to testify against her estranged husband, Aaron Phypers, alleging multiple instances of physical and emotional abuse. The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, 54, is seeking to turn her temporary restraining order into a permanent one, which would require Phypers, 53, to stay 100 yards away from her for five years.
Richards described several incidents that occurred while she was recovering from extensive cosmetic surgeries, including a seven-hour procedure on her breasts and stomach. She testified that Phypers "was with me the night [I] was released from the surgeon" and assisted her in the following days. However, she alleged that he became aggressive while demanding her phone, saying he "hit me with his right hand" and damaged her surgical drain. Richards tearfully recalled, "That is when I really, really knew that our marriage was over because there's been physical abuse, but it kept getting worse and worse. But the fact that he did that to me five hours after coming out of a seven-hour surgery ... made me feel a lot of things. Scared and vulnerable. I couldn't walk by myself."
She also recounted an April incident in Chicago where Phypers allegedly "squeezed [my] head with his hands" after seeing messages on her phone. She said, "He started to get louder, and I told him to be quiet and that the girls are sleeping upstairs." Other incidents included Phypers allegedly grabbing her arms, yelling, and calling her names such as "cheating whore and a c--- and a lying b----."
Richards detailed their July 4 breakup, explaining, "He got very angry at me and volatile, he got very close to me. I had just recovered from a full facelift and I still had stitches behind my ears, and I felt extremely vulnerable." She said Phypers and his father later threatened to release explicit photos and that Phypers hit the back of her left ear, causing bleeding and pain.
Phypers has denied all allegations. He maintains that the accusations are completely false and deeply hurtful, asserting that any suggestion of abuse is untrue. He also claimed that Richards attacked and harassed him, frequently contacting him and his family.
Phypers filed for divorce on July 7, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking spousal support. Richards continues her legal efforts to secure a permanent restraining order to protect herself and her children from her former husband.
