This is what bothers me in this- even Ohio State fans accept that he “slapped around” or “repeatedly beat” his wife.
I re-watched the video- nowhere has Courtney even alleged that.
In 2009 the allegation is that he grabbed her shirt and threw her against a wall. In 2015 the allegation is that he grabbed her neck and threw her against a wall, and in a separate incident grabbed her neck and threw her on the floor, and that he put his hands around her neck frequently.
Now, while we all can recognize that this is abuse and illegal (if true and not just a one sided, the-worst-I-can-spin-this description of physical altercations she initiated), I also think it is a gross mischaracterization to call it “beating” or “slapping around.”
I also think the accusation (and pictures) are in line with how everyone else characterized the incidents- Courtney Smith initiates a physical confrontation that Zach Smith has to remove himself from.
I rewatched the video interview and noted two things- first Courtney Smith specifically says that Zach Smith hasn’t touched her since 2015. Second, in her description of the 2009 incident, she said she drove the other girl home and when she got back back Zach Smith was in bed, and obviously she didn’t want him in her bed.
It sure sounds to me like even in 2009 she initiated the physical conflict by trying to remove him from their bed (presumably while he was sleeping).
So, long story short, even if the allegation of abuse is substantiated, nowhere does Courtney Smith (as far as I can tell) even accuse Zach Smith of hitting or slapping her... and yet a huge majority of people use phrases like “beat” and “slapped around.”
It might be semantics, but I think there is a substantial difference between what is even alleged and that false characterization.