Taylor Frankie Paul’s “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” co-star Jessie Draper stood up for her former cast member after allegations of a 2023 domestic violence incident surfaced online.
“Back in 2023, we knew what had happened and we knew there was a video, but like, we never saw it,” Draper explained during a Wednesday appearance on Alex Cooper’s podcast “Call Her Daddy.” “It was like the police had had it and they talked about it and we all just were like, ‘OK.’”
She went on to say that she doesn’t want to pass judgement on a person’s “darkest moment,” noting that her “friend” has worked on herself since the incident.
“I don’t like to judge the person, I’ll judge the mistake and Taylor really has made a lot of changes, and that’s what so hard for me is like, this is my real friend and she does have a really good heart and I love her so much,” Draper said, becoming emotional.
“Seeing that video is like so hard because it’s just, there’s so much pain underneath the surface for Taylor,” Draper continued. “And I tell her this all the time that it’s not who Taylor is. She got caught in a really bad cycle and just seeing that video and yes, the child being involved is awful and everyone involved like is really hard. But Taylor’s such a good person and she’s made some mistakes and so has [Paul’s ex-boyfriend] Dakota [Mortensen].”
She added that she believes things can turn around for Paul, and that she is mostly concerned about the wellbeing of Paul and Mortensen’s children.
“And I’m not saying any of it’s right … And I want this to be maybe a wake-up call for them and let’s get them healthy and happy and move forward,” Draper said. “I believe people can come back from things like this. And I just want the kids to be safe and happy and healthy. That’s all I really want for them right now.”
On March 19, a video surfaced online of a domestic violence incident between Mortensen and Paul for which Paul was arrested in 2023. Bodycam footage of her 2023 arrest played in the “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” premiere, and Paul pleaded guilty in abeyance to an aggravated assault charge. ABC subsequently pulled Paul’s upcoming season of “The Bachelorette.”
Utah police are now investigating allegations of a third domestic violence incident involving Paul. The investigation stems from a report from Mortensen, who contacted officers in the West Jordan Police Department in February alleging an instance of domestic violence on Paul’s part in 2024. No other details surrounding the incident have been revealed, but NBC News reports that officers are reviewing multiple videos connected to the incident.
Right now, police are believed to have only heard Mortensen’s account but have spoken with Paul’s attorney. Paul has been requested to either submit a written statement addressing Mortensen’s claims or appear in-person for an interview.
