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Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press
FILE - In this April 12, 2018, file photo, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster arrives at Santa Clara County Superior Court in San Jose, Calif. The attorney for the ex-girlfriend of Reuben Foster says her client initially lied to authorities when she accused the linebacker of hitting her leading to domestic violence charges. Attorney Stephanie Rickard issued a statement on behalf of Elissa Ennis on Wednesday that says her client can prove the injuries that led to the charges were not caused by Foster. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
lessFILE - In this April 12, 2018, file photo, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster arrives at Santa Clara County Superior Court in San Jose, Calif. The attorney for the ex-girlfriend of Reuben Foster says
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San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster, center, exits the Santa Clara County Superior Court after his arraignment, Thursday, April 12, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. Foster has been charged with felony domestic violence after being accused of attacking his girlfriend, authorities said. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
lessSan Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster, center, exits the Santa Clara County Superior Court after his arraignment, Thursday, April 12, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. Foster has been charged with felony
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FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2017, file photo, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster (56) stands on the sideline during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Santa Clara, Calif. Authorities say San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster has been charged with felony domestic violence after being accused of attacking his girlfriend. The Santa Clara County District Attorney says Foster was charged Thursday, April 12, 2018, and is scheduled to be arraigned later in the day in San Jose. Prosecutors say the 24-year-old Foster attacked his girlfriend in February at their Los Gatos home, leaving her bruised and with a ruptured ear drum. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
lessFILE - In this Oct. 22, 2017, file photo, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster (56) stands on the sideline during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Santa Clara, Calif. Authorities say
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SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 05: San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Reuben Foster (56) walks onto the field during an NFL game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers on November 5, 2017 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
lessSANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 05: San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Reuben Foster (56) walks onto the field during an NFL game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers on November 5, 2017 at
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San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster appears for his arraignment at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, April 12, 2018. Foster has been charged with felony domestic violence after being accused of attacking his girlfriend, authorities said. (Dai Sugano/San Jose Mercury News via AP, Pool)
lessSan Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster appears for his arraignment at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, April 12, 2018. Foster has been charged with felony domestic
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Reuben Foster during a news conference at Levi's Stadium on Friday, April 28, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif.
Reuben Foster during a news conference at Levi's Stadium on Friday, April 28, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif.
Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster, rear, arrives with his attorney, Joshua Bentley, right, for an arraignment hearing at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, April 12, 2018.
lessSan Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster, rear, arrives with his attorney, Joshua Bentley, right, for an arraignment hearing at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, April
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San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster exits the Santa Clara County Superior Court after his arraignment, Thursday, April 12, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. Foster has been charged with felony domestic violence after being accused of attacking his girlfriend, authorities said. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
lessSan Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster exits the Santa Clara County Superior Court after his arraignment, Thursday, April 12, 2018, in San Jose, Calif. Foster has been charged with felony domestic
... more
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster, center, exits the Santa Clara County Superior Court after his arraignment, Thursday, April 12, 2018, in San Jose, Calif.
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster, center, exits the Santa Clara County Superior Court after his arraignment, Thursday, April 12, 2018, in San Jose, Calif.
Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press
From left: Reuben Foster and Soloman Thomas during a news conference at Levi's Stadium on Friday, April 28, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif.
From left: Reuben Foster and Soloman Thomas during a news conference at Levi's Stadium on Friday, April 28, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif.
Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle
Case against 49ers’ Reuben Foster will proceed despite ex-girlfriend’s recanting
Santa Clara County prosecutors said Thursday they will proceed with a domestic-violence case against the 49ers’ Reuben Foster despite the woman at the center of the case having recanted her testimony.
Foster’s ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, claimed this week that she had made up her story about the 24-year-old linebacker having assaulted her and thrown her out of his Los Gatos home in February. She said, through her attorney, that she was angry at Foster and wanted to “trash his career” because he sought to break off their relationship.
Officials at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office declined to discuss their decision to maintain multiple felony charges against Foster, which include inflicting great bodily injury, forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime and possessing an assault weapon.
Legal and domestic-violence experts said prosecutors may believe they have sufficient evidence to make their case, something that can be done even without the alleged victim’s cooperation.
“Are there witnesses? Are there recordings? Are there photographs?” said Nancy Marshall, executive director of the Domestic Violence Intervention Collaborative in San Jose. “All that can play a role.”
Foster was arrested Feb. 11 after Ennis flagged down a stranger’s car near Foster’s home and asked the driver to call 911, according to the district attorney’s office. She reportedly told sheriff’s deputies and police officers that Foster had dragged her out of his house by the hair and punched her in the head 8-10 times.
Ennis reportedly was treated for a ruptured eardrum at a nearby hospital.
This week, however, Ennis’ attorney, Stephanie Rickard, said her client wanted “to do the right thing” and set the record straight. Her injuries, according to Rickard, were the result of a dispute with another woman, not Foster. Ellis had told prosecutors that she lied about Foster, Rickard said, but the district attorney’s office still filed charges.
Marshall said it’s not uncommon for victims to change their story.
“Sometimes there are threats. Sometime there is fear.” Marshall said. “Hurting someone’s career could be an issue. There could be financial reasons. Recanting is extremely common.”
The 49ers have declined to comment on Ellis’ recanting, saying Wednesday that the team doesn’t speak about ongoing legal matters.
On Monday, however, general manager John Lynch said the team would cut ties with Foster if the allegations against him prove true.
Foster was arrested one other time this year. On Jan. 12, he was taken into custody in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on suspicion of possessing marijuana.
He could not be reached for comment.
Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander