Reuben Foster's ex-girlfriend says she lied about domestic assault

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster leaves the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice after his arraignment on April 12, 2018, in San Jose, Calif.

The woman at the center of domestic-violence charges against San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster has recanted her allegation that the former Alabama All-American injured her.

Attorney Stephanie Rickard, representing Elissa Ennis, issued a release that said Ennis' allegation that Foster dragged her by her hair and punched her in the head eight to 10 times, resulting in bruises and a ruptured ear drum in a domestic dispute on Feb. 11, was false.

"Ennis apologizes to everyone that may have been harmed in this case, especially Mr. Foster," Rickard said.

Foster was charged with domestic violence with an allegation that he inflicted great bodily injury, forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime and possession of an assault weapon after the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department responded to a possible disturbance at a Los Gatos, California, home.

Neither the police nor the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office identified the woman by name, but referred to her as a live-in girlfriend. Rickard's release identified Ennis as Foster's "former girlfriend."

"(Foster) did not strike her, injure her or threaten her," Rickard said in the release, which said Ennis' injuries were the result of a fight with another woman. Foster tried to end his relationship with Ennis after he learned about the fight, the release said.

"She was extremely upset and told him if he broke up with her, she would 'trash his career,'" Rickard said.

The release said Ennis told the District Attorney's Office that she lied, but the DA filed charges against Foster anyway.

Foster made his first court appearance on April 12 after being charged earlier in the day. Foster didn't enter a plea at his arraignment before Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Nona Klippen at the Hall of Justice in San Jose, California, and he left the courthouse after the judge set his bail at $75,000.

Foster's attorney, Josh Bentley, requested a delay in entering a plea for Foster because the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office had listed the charges against his client only a few hours earlier.

Klippen issued a no-contact order between Foster and the alleged victim and granted a delay in the plea hearing until 11 a.m. CDT Monday.

The 49ers started their offseason program on April 16, but Foster is not participating because of his legal issues.

On Monday, San Francisco general manager John Lynch said the 49ers were being patient with the situation, although if it were proven that Foster had hit the woman, the linebacker would be released.

"We just feel like right now that we don't have all the information," Lynch said. "That's where we're at. I know everyone looks at that and says, 'Wait, the D.A. has levied charges. How is that not enough information?' I would tell you that each one of these cases is unique. And in this case, we don't feel we have that information, so we're going to wait and let this thing play out. ...

"We believe that it's wise right now to be patient and that all the information's not there yet. We'll sit back and wait for that to come, and at the given time, where we think the next step is appropriate, then we'll make that decision."

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Foster was the Class 6A Lineman of the Year for the 2012 season at Auburn High School. He won the Butkus Award as the nation's best collegiate linebacker in 2016 at Alabama.

Foster made the Pro Football Writers Association's All-Rookie team for the 2017 season after the 49ers traded up to select him with the 31st pick in last year's draft.

Foster missed six of San Francisco's first eight games during his rookie season because of the injuries. But in the second half of the season, Foster was on the field for every game, and San Francisco, which started the season 0-8, went 6-2. Despite his missed time, Foster finished second on the team in tackles.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.

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