‘America’s Got Talent’ Winner Speaks out After Domestic Violence Arrest

America’s Got Talent winner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. has spoken out after being arrested on domestic assault charges.

Murphy was arrested in Whitman, West Virginia, on Monday night after allegedly hitting his girlfriend in the left eye with a golf club.

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In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Murphy opened up about this incident and gave fans his side of the story.

“My girlfriend, her friends ,and family she had invited over had trashed the home. This has happened several times previously while I was away on tour,” he wrote. “I asked them all to leave, a heated argument happened between us and she began destroying things with a golf club. She then attacked me with the golf club-and a knife.

“In defending myself, she obtained some bruises and swelling on her face. I did not strike her. She filed a complaint against me anyway.”

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This statement contradicts law enforcement accounts of the incident. They say Murphy told his girlfriend he was leaving her and an argument ensued about the custody of their 6-month-old child. It’s alleged that Murphy started slapping the victim, then hit her with the golf club. The two then took their argument outside where Murphy slammed the victim’s head against the sidewalk.

Murphy then goes on to apologize for the incident and claimed that his actions were justified and only for self defense.

“I was raised to respect women, and if not provoked and feeling I was in danger, I would never have defended myself in this manner,” he wrote. “I am very sorry for the way domestic incident was handled. I apologize to my fans everywhere and to the people of Logan County and West Virginia for this incident. It should never have happened.”

Regardless of how it played out, Murphy was arrested that night as the victim received medical attention at a hospital. Murphy was released that night after posting a $3,500 bond.

Murphy rose to fame on AGT as a singer. He won judges and fans over with his rendition of classics by Frank Sinatra and Cab Calloway. In particular, his cover of Sinatra’s “My Way” during the finals won him the competition.

See his full written statement below.