LOS ANGELES — An L.A. Superior Court judge denied a restraining order request filed by a woman who accused Trevor Bauer of sexual assault following four days of emotional testimony.
Judge Dianna Gould-Saltman said there was a distinction between what the accuser thought and what she communicated to Bauer.
“When she set boundaries, [Bauer] respected them,” the judge told the courtroom following closing arguments.
While ruling that Bauer and his accuser did have a “dating relationship” under the law — a condition for issuing a restraining order — the judge said she did not consider Bauer a threat to the woman.
With Bauer standing silently by her side, attorney Shawn Holley made a brief statement to the media. Neither Holley nor Bauer took questions.
“We are grateful to the L.A. Superior Court for denying the permanent restraining order request,” Holley said. " ... This was our expected outcome since June and we appreciate the court reviewing all the testimony.”
The woman said during the hearing that she engaged in two consensual sexual encounters with Bauer, but argued she did not agree to being choked until she lost consciousness and that punching her repeatedly was assault.
After asking why she waited to get a restraining order — to which the woman replied that she wasn’t convinced Bauer would be arrested and wanted to seek protection for herself — her lawyer asked what had changed in her life.
“I lost my job, I lost my place of residence, I had to take a leave from my other job,” she said. “It’s still hard to fall asleep. ... I’ve lost over 10 pounds. And just the sadness I had to live with every day, and the fear I have of Trevor Bauer, it’s brutal.”
Bauer’s legal team presented a series of text messages suggesting the woman sought out and encouraged Bauer’s rough physical contact with her. The attorneys also noted Bauer had no contact with her in the month leading up to her restraining order request.
