may soon find himself on the other side of the bench after he allegedly threatened to shoot a city worker during a dispute over the worker’s dump truck.
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power employee alleges that in July 2023, while working outside the celebrity judge’s home, Mathis, 64, began to berate him. He plans to sue Mathis and is seeking damages for assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit has yet to be officially filed.
Acosta said Mathis was trying to pull his car out of his garage while his truck was in the way, according to court documents obtained by TMZ. Mathis then allegedly exited his car and began yelling at Acosta to “move the f—ing truck out of the way.”
When Acosta asked Mathis to move from behind the truck, the TV judge’s anger reportedly intensified. Acosta claims his truck was parked at an incline and he did not want to accidentally hit Mathis if the truck rolled back after he put it in gear.
Mathis allegedly replied that he did not “give a f—” and dared Acosta to run him over and “see what happens to him,” according to the documents. At that point, Acosta claims Mathis told the city worker he had something for him, left briefly, then returned with a gun.
“I will bust a cap,” Mathis allegedly told him. “You wanna f— with me.”
Mathis allegedly repeated the threat before Acosta drove off.
Mathis’ attorney, , claims Acosta is trying to extort her client.
“We will vigorously defend this lawsuit. Judge Mathis will also pursue all legal remedies for the harm inflicted upon him by Mr. Acosta, including seeking damages for the defamatory statements Mr. Acosta has made and continues to make,” she told Us Weekly.
Sedaghatfar expanded in a statement to TMZ, saying, “This unfiled complaint that has been conveniently publicly circulated is a last ditch attempt by Mr. Acosta to extort my client Judge Mathis, for financial gain. Mr. Acosta’s recitation of the ‘facts’ simply do not comport with what actually transpired during the incident, which occurred over one year ago.”
She added, “The report made to the LAPD by Mr. Acosta’s superior contains many demonstrable falsities, while also admitting that Judge Mathis feared for his own safety and the safety of his family due to the threats made by Mr. Acosta and his cohorts and the false imprisonment they imposed on Judge Mathis on his own private property.”
“That the LAPD did not even investigate Mr. Acosta’s claims speaks to their lack of merit,” she concluded. “Should Mr. Acosta pursue this lawsuit, we will not only vigorously defend the case, we will file cross claims against Mr. Acosta for his illegal conduct and repeated defamation of my client.”
