Justin Gimelstob pleads not guilty to assault allegations despite prosecutors' claim they have video of incident

Tennis broadcaster and coach Justin Gimelstob pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony battery in a Los Angeles court on Wednesday morning, despite prosecutors claiming to have a video of the alleged attack.

Mr Gimelstob is accused of beating his former friend Randall Kaplan 50 times and threatening to kill him.

The District Attorney’s prosecutor Assistant Deputy Dara Williams told the judge that the “incident stemmed from previous disputes verbal in nature” and that this was “the first time they came to blows”, but that during the alleged fight Mr Gimelstob told Mr Kaplan he was “going to kill him”.

Judge Keith L Schwartz ordered Mr Gimelstob to stay away from Kaplan and his wife until his next hearing.

“You are ordered to stay away from Madison Kaplan and also Randall Kaplan. No contact of any kind do you understand that?” he told the Tennis commentator.

Mr Gimelstob confirmed his name and said that he understood the judge.

The prosecutor told the judge they have a video of the assault, a copy of which they handed over to Mr Gimelstob’s defence attorney, Shawn Holley, one of the “dream team” of lawyers that infamously secured OJ Simpson’s freedom in the murder case against him.

The case was postponed until January 31 to give the defence time to study the videos.

Ms Williams asked Judge Schwartz to issue a protective order keeping the videos private, but the frustrated-sounding judge denied the request, saying there was no legal basis to withhold the videos because Mr Gimelstob and Mr Kaplan were not family or in a relationship.

“The case law is completely against you,” he told the prosecutor. “I’ve been over this with your [department] for the last five years.”

The judge also admonished both attorneys to “have their ducks in a row” before the January hearing in front of another judge or “you’re going to be out of there in about three seconds.”

The 41-year-old ATP board member appeared in court with his 28-year-old girlfriend of two years, Austin Ruth.

Speaking outside the court, Mr Gimelstob said: “Now that the court proceedings have begun, I can start my vigorous defence, and that’s what I look forward to.

“I look forward to defending myself. There’s a whole other side to this story and I look forward to it coming out.”

Kaplan declined to comment on the court proceedings, but a spokesperson issued the following statement.

“We are pleased that law enforcement is moving forward forcefully by filing a felony violation of Penal Code section 243(d) - battery with serious bodily injury - to see that justice is served in this matter.

“Randall Kaplan was pushing his two-year-old child in a stroller with his wife on Halloween when, without warning, he was ambushed from behind, tackled to the ground and struck approximately 50 times on the head and face. Mr Kaplan is still being treated by a doctor for his injuries. 

“There is no justification for this serious and violent crime. Mr Kaplan expresses his gratitude to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office for their thorough investigation and professionalism, and he expresses his appreciation to the many witnesses who came forward to speak with law enforcement concerning the attack.”