Armie Hammer won't face charges in sexual assault case

Armie Hammer
(Image credit: Christopher Polk / Getty Images for The Critics' Choice Awards)

Embattled actor Armie Hammer won't face sexual assault charges in Los Angeles, the district attorney's office has announced.

Director of the Bureau of Communications Tiffiny Blacknell confirmed to CNN that prosecutors "conducted an extremely thorough review" into an allegation of sexual assault against the "Social Network" star "but determined that at this time, there is insufficient evidence to charge Mr. Hammer with a crime."

In 2021, a woman identified as Effie alleged Hammer "violently raped me for over four hours" in 2017 and "committed other acts of violence against me to which I did not consent." She said she and Hammer had an on-and-off relationship. Hammer denied the allegations and told Air Mail that "this alleged rape was a scene that was her idea." The actor claimed he and Effie both agreed to "engage in what is called a 'consensual non-consent scene" and that "every single thing was discussed beforehand."

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"Due to the complexity of the relationship and inability to prove a non-consensual, forcible sexual encounter we are unable to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt," Blacknell told CNN.

Hammer said on Instagram he is "very grateful" to the district attorney and looks "forward to beginning what will be a long, difficult process of putting my life back together now that my name is cleared." Effie, meanwhile, told CNN she is "disappointed" with the decision not to prosecute Hammer, adding that she "felt a duty to speak out and file a report in order to try to hold Armie accountable for all the harm and trauma he has caused me and in order to protect other women from experiencing similar abuse."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.