Omar Epps is headed to court after a restraining order was filed against him. However, the “Juice” star claims he doesn’t know the complainant.
According to documents purportedly obtained by blog site The Blast, on March 21, 2021, a 36-year-old man, who has not been identified, filed for a restraining order against the “Love & Basketball” star. Accusations against Epps include claims he broke into the man’s jail cell and “sat on his lap while in custody.” The outlet reported that they opted not to “reveal the graphic details of his petition.”
By the suggestion of his attorney, rather than brush off the allegations, Epps and his legal team responded and are now asking a judge to throw out the petition. They state that Epps has never met his accuser and believes the Los Angeles man may have a mental illness.
“(The man) is a complete stranger to me. I have never met him. I have never spoken to him. I have never previously written about him. I had never even heard of (him) until I was served with his application for a restraining order,” the outlet, redacting the accuser’s name, cited the actor as responding in his court filing. “I have no intention or desire whatsoever to make contact with, associate with, or communicate with (him)in any way. I am a fairly visible public figure and mostly known for my work as an actor. I believe (the man) may know of me only because of my professional work.”
Epps’ attorney echoed his client’s statement, maintaining that the “Fatal Affair” star did not know his accuser prior to being served. She added, “Mr. Epps has never heard of him. Mr. Epps is a public figure. The allegations of wrongdoing against Mr. Epps are entirely imagined and categorically false.”
She continued, “It is manifest that he is mentally unwell and that his allegations are the product of his mental state. He claims Mr. Epps writes about (him) not by using his name but by calling him (by a nickname.) The man claims he was choked in jail by some unnamed person, not Mr. Epps.” The man “admits he has no evidence of wrongdoing because Mr. Epps “…talks too low.”
The court has already denied the man’s provisional application for an order. However, another hearing is set for the case on Aug. 20, and it is expected to be tossed out.