Ian Ziering slams 'completely frivolous' lawsuit
Ian Ziering has slammed a "completely frivolous" lawsuit stemming from his 2023 altercation with a biker gang.
Ian Ziering has slammed a "completely frivolous" lawsuit from a biker, which he branded "attempted civil extortion".
The Beverly Hills, 90210 star was involved in an altercation with a biker group in Los Angeles back on New Year's Eve 2023 (31.12.23), and he's now asked a judge to dismiss several causes of action filed against him.
According to documents filed with the Los Angeles County division of California Superior Court which have been seen by Entertainment Weekly, the 62-year-old actor wants to invoke the state's Anti-SLAPP statute as defense against Jacob Hernandez's allegations of intentional infliction of emotional distress and malicious prosecution.
The motion branded the lawsuit "completely frivolous in nature," tantamount to "attempted civil extortion," and argued the biker "should be in jail".
The documents alleged that Ian and his young daughter were "swarmed by members of an illegal minibike gang known as the 605 Gang" at an intersection in Hollywood and he was "attacked" by several of the group when he got out of his vehicle, with one member allegedly smashing his windshield.
Ian made a police report and a few months later he was "asked by the Los Angeles Police Department to review a photographic lineup to identify one of the individuals involved," resulting in Hernandez and one other being arrested.
The Sharknado actor noted "the extent of [his] interaction" with the LAPD was his inital report and the review of a photographic line-up and pointed out that two social media posts were his only commentary on the incident, neither of which identified Hernandez.
The man sued last year, alleging assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, with Ian taking issue with the latter charge in his new motion, which used legislation that protects individuals against being persecuted for exercising their constitutional right to free expression.
His documents argued: "The Complaint seeks to hold Defendant Ian Ziering liable purely because Mr. Ziering's celebrity status and there is no basis for any liability.
"There are no facts in the Complaint that would support a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress of malicious prosecution.
"[Further, these causes of action] indisputably arise from Mr. Ziering’s exercise of his constitutional right to free speech in connection with a matter of public interest and made before an official proceeding authorized by law."
Ian is seeking these causes of action be dismissed from Hernandez's suit, and if successful, he also wants the "recovery of attorney's fees" and other related costs.
