Armie Hammer will not face sexual assault charges in Los Angeles due to 'insufficient evidence'

Armie Hammer is speaking out after the Los Angeles District Attorney's office declined to press sexual assault charges against him.

In a statement to USA TODAY on Wednesday, Tiffiny Blacknell, director of the Bureau of Communications at the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, said they have decided not to pursue charges after a lengthy review revealed insufficient evidence to prove the allegations against Hammer beyond a reasonable doubt.

"Sexual assault cases are often difficult to prove, which is why we assign our most experienced prosecutors to review them," she said. "In this case, those prosecutors conducted an extremely thorough review, but determined that at this time, there is insufficient evidence to charge Mr. Hammer with a crime."

She continued: "As prosecutors, we have an ethical responsibility to only charge cases that we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt. We know that it is hard for women to report sexual assault. Even when we cannot move forward with a prosecution, our victim service representatives will be available to those who seek our victim support services. 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."

Hammer shared a statement on Instagram Wednesday to share his gratitude for the D.A.'s decision and that he looks forward to putting his "life back together."

USA TODAY has reached out to Hammer's lawyer Andrew Brettler for comment.

"I am very grateful to the District Attorney for conducting a thorough investigation and coming to the conclusion that I have stood by this entire time, that no crime was committed," Hammer's post reads. "I look forward to beginning what will be a long, difficult process of putting my life back together now that my name is cleared."

He added: "I would like to say a very special thank you to all of the people who have helped me get through this time. Onwards and upwards."

The LAPD confirmed to USA TODAY that it opened a sexual assault investigation into Hammer in February 2021. The next month, a woman named Effie came forward in a press conference to accuse the actor of raping and beating her for over four hours in Los Angeles in April 2017.

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During the alleged attack, Effie said Hammer "repeatedly slammed my head against a wall, bruising my face. He also committed other acts of violence against me to which I did not consent."

Hammer, who has strongly denied all accounts of his alleged crimes, responded at the time through his lawyer Brettler, who issued a statement to USA TODAY saying Effie sent Hammer texts that refute her "outrageous allegations" against him.

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The actor was first accused of psychological abuse and rape by previous romantic partners in 2021. Hammer also faced social media scrutiny after Instagram messages he allegedly sent went viral detailing sexual fantasies.

In the wake of the allegations raised against him by various women in media publications, Hammer was dropped by his agency, William Morris Endeavor, and exited the Jennifer Lopez film "Shotgun Wedding" and the Paramount+ series "The Offer."

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Many of the women who spoke out against Hammer said they went through therapy and hospitalization for programs geared toward PTSD and trauma.

The allegations included stories of Hammer carving his first initial onto one of the woman's bodies. Courtney Vucekovich told Page Six in 2021 that Hammer allegedly told her he wanted "to break my rib and barbecue and eat it." On Feb. 2, a 26-year-old woman filed a complaint in Denver against the actor, requesting a civil protection order after he allegedly choked her during sexual intercourse in September and "led me to lose consciousness."

Vucekovich also appeared in the Discovery+ documentary "House of Hammer," which takes a deep dive into the actor's family.

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Hammer discussed the various allegations in an interview with Air Mail published on Feb. 4. He said the claims led him to contemplate suicide, recalling an attempt he made in February 2021. Hammer also said the aftermath left him "massively in debt."

"There was a point in all of this where I had to have a friend help me buy groceries," Hammer said. "No one will hire me. No one will insure me. I can’t get bonded for a project— nothing."

The actor also said his trauma from being sexually abused at the age of 13 informed his sexual interest as an adult.

"What that did for me was it introduced sexuality into my life in a way that it was completely out of my control," he said. "I was powerless in the situation. I had no agency in the situation."

Contributing: Maria Puente, Erin Jensen, David Oliver, Elise Brisco

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Armie Hammer will not face sex assault charges due to lack of evidence