David Justice opens up about his marriage to Halle Berry 28 years after their divorce. The former baseball star discusses their relationship, struggles, and the rumors that followed.
David Justice, the former Atlanta Braves All-Star and ex-husband of actress Halle Berry, recently reflected on their tumultuous marriage and its acrimonious end during a candid interview. Appearing on the YouTube show All the Smoke with Matt Barnes & Stephen Jackson, Justice opened up about their relationship, the pressures of fame, and the controversial rumors that have followed him for decades.
A Surprising Proposal
Justice and Berry met in 1992 and married in 1993, but their relationship faced challenges early on. Reflecting on their whirlwind romance, Justice revealed that Berry had proposed to him just five months after they started dating, which took him by surprise. “She asked me to marry her after knowing me for five months. I said OK, because I couldn’t say no. You know?” Justice recalled, admitting that he wasn’t fully invested in the idea of marriage at the time.
Despite his reservations, the couple tied the knot. However, the pressures of their busy careers and frequent time apart due to Berry’s travel schedule created strain in their relationship. Justice later admitted that he lacked the emotional tools to navigate a relationship of that magnitude, stating that therapy could have helped them overcome their issues.
“If we knew about therapy, we probably could have made it,” Justice reflected. “We never had any major issues like that. It’s just that I was young and had only been in one real relationship before her.”
Traditional Expectations and Relationship Struggles
Justice’s comments about his traditional views on marriage, particularly his expectations of a wife’s role, quickly sparked backlash. He explained that, as a Midwest guy, he expected his wife to fulfill traditional domestic roles. “I’m thinking, OK, if we have kids, is this the woman I want to have kids with? And at that time as a young guy, she didn’t cook, didn’t clean, didn’t seem like motherly,” he said.
Fans took to social media, criticizing Justice’s remarks. One viewer responded, “This is so insane. This man was a drug addict and he abused her but ‘he left cause she didn’t cook or clean!’” Others added that his comments were childish and disrespectful, especially given the length of time since their divorce.
The End of Their Marriage and Ongoing Rumors
Despite the growing tension in their marriage, Justice emphasized that infidelity was never an issue. However, once the “honeymoon stage” ended, he realized that Berry was not the person he envisioned spending the rest of his life with. “In February 1996, I told her, ‘Yeah, I can’t do this no more,’” Justice said, explaining that there were no children involved and no financial settlements at stake.
Soon after their separation, rumors began circulating, with one alleging that Justice had been abusive toward Berry. These rumors gained further attention when Berry had previously opened up about being in a relationship with a man who caused permanent hearing loss in her left ear. While Berry never named her abuser, the public speculated that it was Justice.
Justice vehemently denied these claims. “She let you think that. She let the world think it,” he said, expressing his frustration that Berry didn’t publicly clear his name. He further clarified that he had never hit her, a statement he repeated in a 2015 rant on social media.
Clearing His Name
Justice has remained mostly silent about the abuse rumors, but his decision to speak out in 2015 was fueled by a desire to protect his family and clear his name. At the time, Justice posted several messages on social media, addressing the rumors head-on. “All I was trying to do was let the world know that David Justice is not the person who hit her on her head and caused her hearing loss,” he said in a 2015 interview with PEOPLE.
He added that the lack of a public relations team during his baseball career left him at a disadvantage when it came to defending himself against the allegations. “Halle had managers, lawyers, publicists, etc. It was Team Halle versus me,” he explained.
Moving Forward with His Life
After their divorce in 1997, Justice went on to marry Rebecca Justice in 2001, with whom he shares three children. Although he moved on quietly with his life, the rumors surrounding his marriage to Halle Berry continued to follow him. Despite the challenges of the past, Justice has focused on his family and has remained committed to protecting his loved ones.
Though his marriage to Halle Berry ended on difficult terms, Justice’s recent comments provide a new perspective on their time together and the struggles that led to their breakup.
