Taryn Manning is sharing her side of the story. The Orange Is the New Black alum spoke out after a video of what appeared to be herself in a physical altercation with another woman was published by TMZ on March 30th. She stated that "a lot of context" didn't get publicized, including the fact that the other person in the footage was not her girlfriend as had been originally reported.
"I don't wanna watch it 'cause I don't want to upset myself," Manning said in a March 31st Instagram video. "Because I know that violence is never, ever, ever good." Lamenting that she now looks "like this one-sided, violent person" due to the video, which was filmed in the perspective of the other woman, the 47-year-old expressed her frustration at its release.
"She's not my family. She's not my girlfriend, my wife," Manning continued. "Why do I have to house this random girl that was a fan that I befriended 18 years ago? It's too much." "It's like turning against me and I'm just sitting here having to take it," she added. "Sick of it. It's bad. It's bad. This is bad, bad, bad. It's not smart."
The Crossroads actress did not expand on what led to the argument with the woman, though in the TMZ video, Manning was heard yelling at the person filming, "Look what you've done to my f**king studio." When she threatened to call the police, the person behind the camera responded, "Call the police. I'll show 'em you just attacked me."
Manning went on to tell the woman that she wants the cops to "come in here and see what you've done," to which the other person replied, "What have I done? I cleaned it." Manning then appeared to kick a bag at the camera.
Manning had previously been arrested in October 2012 for misdemeanor assault after allegedly attacking her then-personal assistant Holly Hartman in New York. Police sources told E! News at the time that Manning had punched and kicked Hartman, as well as allegedly grabbed her by the throat. However, prosecutors ended up not taking Manning to court after Hartman told the district attorney's office that she "does not wish to proceed with any criminal prosecution," according to Manning's rep.
Describing the situation as "an unfortunate incident between two very dear friends, who are like family to each other," Manning's spokesperson added, "We believe the situation at hand will be clarified and resolved between the two friends expeditiously." Hartman filed a restraining order against Manning four years later after another alleged confrontation, which Manning denied at the time. "These investigations have long predated these entirely fabricated allegations," Manning's counsel told E! News. "It is clear that Ms. Hartman's camp has leaked these allegations which were not available publicly to elevate her own position and obscure her own wrong doing." Hartman’s attorney confirmed to E! in February 2016 that the case had been dismissed after his client failed to appear in court.
