Gimelstob makes not guilty plea

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

Gimelstob, a board member of the Association of Tennis Professionals, 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 Gimelstob told Kaplan he was “going to kill him”.

Judge Keith L Schwartz ordered 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,” he said. Gimelstob confirmed his name and that he understood.

The prosecutor told the judge there was a video of the alleged assault, a copy of which was handed to Gimelstob’s defence attorney, Shawn Holley, one of the “dream team” of lawyers who secured OJ Simpson’s acquittal in a double murder trial.

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

Gimelstob, 41, appeared in court with his 28-year-old girlfriend, Austin Ruth. Speaking outside, he said: “There’s a whole other side to this. I look forward to it coming out.”