Brian Hickerson's request to lessen domestic-violence felonies denied days before Panettiere's death

In a hearing on August 13, Judge Olivia Rosales denied Brian Hickerson's motions to expunge and to downgrade two felony domestic-violence convictions linked to assaults on Hayden Panettiere from May 2019 to January 2020. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office opposed the motions, and the court upheld the denial, echoing a similar outcome in July 2025. Hickerson, who had fulfilled probation conditions and served 33 days of a 45-day jail term, had previously been sentenced to four years of formal probation, mandatory domestic-violence classes, and a five-year restraining order.

Panettiere, who had written about the abuse in her memoir "This Is Me: A Reckoning," died of an apparent overdose, with Narcan found at the scene. The legal setback occurred just three days before her death, highlighting the ongoing turmoil surrounding their relationship.