The former girlfriend of Zac Stacy says she’s afraid for her safety now that the ex-NFL player, who was captured on video violently beating her, posted bond and is out of jail, WESH-TV reports.
Stacy, 30, a former running back for the New York Jets, was released from jail Saturday on $10,150 bond after he was arrested in Orlando on Thursday for brutally attacking his former girlfriend, Kristin Evans.
Evans told WESH-TV that she is the woman in the video released last week that shows Stacy throwing her into a television, hitting her and screaming. The incident occurred in front of their 5-month-old child.
“It’s overwhelming to think back,” Evans told WESH-TV. “I loved this man and we had life plans together.”
Now Evans says she wants to raise awareness about domestic violence, telling the television station that the abuse had been occurring for months.
“He has bullied me for so long that at one point, I believed it was my fault. It’s disturbing and disgusting to see things people have said online about what did I do. I did nothing. I never did anything to deserve something like this — no one could do anything to deserve something like this,” Evans told the television station. “The physical abuse began in May. I didn’t report it. I was pregnant at the time. I wanted my son’s dad to be there for me and for the birth of his first child. So I forgave him.”
Evans had wanted to speak at Stacy’s bond hearing on Friday, but she was notified that the hearing had been moved up unexpectedly and had to watch it online. She did so, she said, in tears.
Thomas Feiter, Evans’ attorney, told WESH-TV that his client should have been able to speak at the hearing.
“That just doesn’t seem right, especially given the fact the judge saw the video. He saw that horrific video of blatant egregious domestic violence committed on our client.”
Evans’ attorneys are working on an emergency motion to impose a higher bond on Stacy and require electronic monitoring.
“It was absolute hell and I know women have gone through worse. To feel what I felt, I can’t imagine for it to be worse,” Evans told WESH-TV.
A court has imposed a restraining order on Stacy requiring him to stay away from Evans. He is also not allowed to carry a weapon, Fox News reports. Evans told WESH-TV that she hopes Stacy “gets the help he needs.”
Stacy faces charges of aggravated battery and criminal mischief, both felonies, and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted, according to Fox News.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE. It offers free, confidential advice from professionals 24 hours per day.
