Dakota Mortensen Aimed to Challenge Taylor Frankie Paul Before ‘Bachelorette,’ According to Lawyer

Allegations of Intentional Harm in Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen Custody Hearing

Taylor Frankie Paul’s attorney has accused Dakota Mortensen of conspiring to undermine her just days before her anticipated season of The Bachelorette was shelved. The allegations emerged during a protective order and custody hearing held on April 30, where claims were made that Mortensen, 33, leaked a domestic violence video that precipitated ABC’s decision to halt the reality show on March 22.

“The same day [Mortensen] filed his amended request for a protective order, a news outlet published the video of this incident,” Paul’s attorney asserted. “Before this release, it had not been out in the public.”

The contested 2023 video depicted Paul, now 31, engaged in a heated altercation, throwing furniture while a child’s cries echoed in the background. Following the incident, she was arrested and later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.

Despite Mortensen’s denial of involvement, Paul’s attorney suggested circumstantial evidence points to his role in the leak. “A lot of information lends itself to Dakota leaking this, or at least at the very minimum, having his fingerprints all over this,” the attorney claimed, referencing a court declaration from reality television star Jessi Draper, which implied Mortensen’s complicity.

According to Draper’s account, an encounter at her home in Utah revealed Mortensen discussing plans with her husband, expressing frustration over law enforcement responses, and intending to publicly embarrass Paul by leaking compromising videos. “He specifically told Miss Draper that he planned on leaking embarrassing videos of Taylor to the press, starting with the bar stool video,” the attorney further stated, specifying TMZ as the outlet mentioned.

The attorney argued this behavior represents a pattern of intent to harm Paul, alleging Mortensen seeks to subject her and her family to further distress. “He wants to literally destroy her,” the attorney claimed. “This was a step too far, and we think, shows his true nature.”

In response, Mortensen’s attorney countered these allegations, asserting his client’s innocence. "He denies doing that, your Honor," Mortensen’s representative stated, adding that Crew, Mortensen’s roommate, could corroborate that he was opposed to releasing the video.

While the leaked video influenced Paul’s prospects on The Bachelorette, it did not affect the domestic violence case stemming from a February incident between the couple. On April 14, Us Weekly confirmed that no charges would be filed against Paul, following an assessment by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

In the courtroom, the judge issued mutual protective orders for both parties, mandating they maintain a distance of 100 feet from each other. The judge emphasized the need for prioritizing the well-being of their child amidst ongoing conflict, leaving the current orders in place as deliberations continue regarding custody arrangements.