Judge warns Justin Gimelstob not to offer public denial for 'violent and unprovoked' assault
A judge warned Justin Gimelstob he would haul him back into court and give a harsher sentence if the tennis commentator publicly denied his guilt for a “violent and unprovoked” felony assault, after pleading “no contest” in court.
Judge Upinder Kalra warned Gimelstob if he made any statements to the media claiming he was not guilty, his misdemeanour deal could be revoked.
The move was prompted by the Association of Tennis Professionals board member shaking his head and saying “no” and “that didn’t happen”, as his victim, Randall Kaplan, read a statement to the court in Los Angeles describing the brutal attack, followed by his wife, Madison, who told the judge she had suffered a miscarriage from the trauma.
“He couldn’t stop with his movements, his shaking of his head, statements of ‘not true’ that I could hear from here,” Kalra told Gimelstob’s attorney, Shawn Holley.
“His behaviour indicates to me that he is not accepting any responsibility. If he can’t control himself in a criminal court, how can I trust he’s going to control himself out there in the court of public opinion?”
In a further sign of lack of remorse, as he entered the courtroom, Gimelstob handed this Telegraph Sport reporter some printed pictures from Madison Kaplan’s Instagram account, saying the photographs of the couple holidaying and at a birthday party since Hallowe’en showed that the attack had little affect on them.
Kalra added: “After a plea is entered, if a person goes out on the courtroom steps and denies responsibility, the court can bring the person right back in and set aside that plea, really easily. If he denies responsibility there are consequences. I can set aside this plea… he’s free to have a trial if he wants one.”
