Hickerson Addresses Abusive Past with Panettiere

Brian Hickerson, the former partner of actress Hayden Panettiere, publicly addressed details of their abusive relationship in response to her upcoming memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," set for release this year.

In an interview with TMZ, Hickerson reflected on specific incidents from their time together between 2018 and 2022, including one he hoped would not appear in the book. "There's a story where I was drunk, right? Hayden was standing across the room and I had a phone in my hand and I said I'll give you 10 seconds to run as fast as you can before I throw it at you," he said. He also recalled a 2020 arrest for allegedly punching Panettiere in the face after drinking heavily. "I got physical with her. I got arrested. Spent the night in jail and um, you know, that's just what happens when you lay hands on women," Hickerson stated, adding that the "bottom line" is "you never lay hands on a woman."

The couple's relationship drew repeated law enforcement attention. They were first linked romantically in 2018. In May 2019, Hickerson faced felony domestic violence charges after marks were found on Panettiere's body, though they continued appearing together publicly. Further...