The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office filed charges against Hollywood screenwriter Philip D. Levens, 54, for beating his wife, Carolyn Stotesbery-Levens, 39.
Stotesbery is the daughter of wealthy Napa Valley vintners Patrick and Anna Stotesbery, owners of Ladera Vineyards.
As a result of an incident in Santa Monica on October 25, 2020, Levens was charged with “willfully and unlawfully inflicting corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition upon his spouse.”
Levens was released on $50,000 bail.
Levens is known for writing the TV show Smallville. Levens also wrote for CBS’s “Wolf Lake,” Fox’s “Night Visions,” and NBC’s “Knight Rider.”
Levens is also known for accusing his previous wife, Kassandra Levens, of solicitation of murder in 2012. A jury acquitted Kassandra of the solicitation of murder charges, but found her guilty of soliciting to cause Levens bodily harm. She spent 13 months in jail.
This time Levens is on the receiving end of criminal charges.
Levens’ lawyers sought a mental health diversion program that allows dismissal of the charges and sealing the record “as if it never happened,” if certain conditions are met.
Among the mental illnesses permitted for diversion, Levens had to be diagnosed with either bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD].
It took six months and two therapists to find that Levens had PTSD and qualified for diversion.
Levens completed psychotherapy treatment, took all medications as prescribed, completed a 52-week domestic violence treatment program, and paid all fees to the court-approved therapists.
The program director for the Batterers’ Intervention Program, Jim Gordon, Ph.D., wrote of Levens:
Very involved, taking good ownership of what happened and how to NOT have it happen again. Good interaction. Our program is geared toward the perpetrator learning improved communication skills and ways of dealing with conflict and interaction.
Levens also completed a PTSD treatment program.
Samantha Persoff, LCSW, SEP, wrote:
Philip has been receiving weekly sessions every week since October 6, 2021, and has attended diligently and punctually. He has completed nearly six months of weekly sessions during which he is exceptionally engaged and actively participating in treatment.
During the course of treatment, using the modalities of Somatic Experiencing, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, and Psychoeducation, we have addressed issues of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He has made significant and measurable progress and seems to have developed effective tools to cope with his PTSD, both now and should other symptoms emerge in the future. There has been a reduction of PTSD symptoms, and he has been able to implement these tools as other life stressors have been encountered.
Leven’s diversion termination and dismissal hearing are set for September 13, 2022, before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joseph Burghart.
A protective order is still in place to safeguard his wife.
According to the protective order, Levens may not “harass, strike, threaten, assault (sexually or otherwise), follow, stalk, molest, destroy or damage personal or real property, disturb the peace, keep under surveillance or block movements of” Stotesbery-Levens.
The court required Levens to surrender his guns.
During the pendency of this case, Stotesbery gave birth to the couple’s first child. The couple live together.
After completing the treatments, Leven’s attorneys asked his case be sealed.
They argued Levens’ records “contain sensitive mental health and medical information that should not be part of the public record.”
The Assistant DA prosecuting the case, Heather L. Meyers, is not opposed to sealing the records, despite Levens’ history of domestic incidents with his previous wives.
Wife #1 Urzula – 1998
Levens was arrested for beating his first wife, Urzula Modica, on January 25, 1998.
The charges were dismissed after Modica, who was then his girlfriend, claimed she lied to police about the beating.
Wife #2 Kassandra – 2012
On March 16, 2012, neighbors called 911 when they heard Levens threaten to kill his second wife, Kassandra.
Levens fled the scene before police arrived.
Police photographed Kassandra with a swollen eye and bruised face.
Levens said Kassandra fell into a doorknob.
A surgeon’s record shows Kassandra’s eye had to be removed from its socket and reset.
In 2012, the Children’s Dependency Court determined Levens was “substantiated” for domestic violence and child abuse.
Similar to his incident with Stotesbery, Levens avoided jail by taking anger management classes and therapy in 2012.
As a condition of the restraining order issued on February 12, 2012, for the protection of his 2nd wife Kassandra, the Superior Court in Santa Monica ordered Levens to surrender his guns.
Among the guns removed were:
In addition to the alleged beating above, there were other reports of domestic violence.
In another alleged incident, Kassandra said Levens beat her when she was pregnant, punching her in the stomach, causing a miscarriage. Levens admitted in his diary that he was angry that Kassandra lied about her age.
The story of Leven’s second wife, Kassandra, ended badly for her. Her arrest and trial have been reported in the Frank Report. She served 13 months in jail.
Links to previous stories.
#MeToo Hollywood Screenwriter Philip Levens Rumored to Have Beaten Wife Into Miscarriage
Where is #Me Too Movement to Investigate Hollywood Screenwriter Philip Levens?
Levens v. Levens: Philip Levens’ Lawyer Provides Evidence That He Did Not Beat Girlfriend
In Case of Hollywood Screenwriter Philip Levens Against His Wife, the Critical Witness Was Secretly Working With Husband
Did Kamala Harris Help Alleged Wife Beater Philip Levens Put His Wife Unjustly in Jail?
Former Girlfriend
The stories in FR about Levens prompted Levens’ former girlfriend, Cynthia, to call. She alleges Levens beat her on the street after confessing to him that she had been with another man.
Her story will be told in a separate post.
Levens’ career seems to have taken a downward slide in recent years. Public records show Levens has multiple government liens on his home and appears to have transferred the property to his wife, Stotersbery’s trust account.
,
Stotesbery attended the retirement party of LA Detective Barry Telllis, the man who arrested her predecessor, Kassandra.
Unlike his previous wives, Stotesbery is public about their relationship.
\
\ 
Stotesbery released a video with a man who looks like, but is not Levens, who appears to engage in a lascivious adventure with her.
Stotesbery poses on social media.
Add Comment