Former 'Family Matters' Star Denies Beating Ex-Wife With Belt

Darius McCrary, who played Eddie Winslow on 'Family Matters', has been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from his ex-wife after allegedly beating her with a belt in front of her son.

This after his ex-wife Karrine Steffans filed legal papers in Los Angeles describing two separate violent encounters.

"He choked me from behind and beat me with a belt," Steffans says of the outcome of an argument in February, which was allegedly witnessed by her 12-year-old son.

She claims she thought it was a one time lapse of judgement until McCrary choked her and shoved her into a car in front of a large crowd of people at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in November.

But McCrary says there's nothing to the accusations and is calling her claims "public defamation."

"While it is unfortunate that Miss Steffans has resorted to such public attacks and allegations against Mr. McCrary, he wants his family, friends and fans to know that in no way does he condone anyone resorting to violence against another human being to solve a problem," his publicist says in a statement.

"It is apparent that Miss Steffans didn't take the finality of the divorce well and has resorted to her old tricks of public defamation of one's character."

Karrine Steffans is best known for appearing in music videos with the likes of R. Kelly and Jay-Z. The two divorced, after one year of marriage, in April of this year.

December 13, 2010 |