Security video footage of an alleged assault at a Denny’s
restaurant in Westwood on April 23 has prompted the victim’s
attorney to file a civil lawsuit against former UCLA football
players Maurice Drew and Ricky Manning Jr.
A suit of negligent infliction of emotional distress and
intentional infliction of emotional distress toward Denny’s
patron Soroush Sabzi was filed in the Los Angeles Airport Superior
Court on May 16. Sabzi’s attorney, Aviv Tuchman, will be
seeking punitive damages.
Tuchman said the civil suit was based on three eyewitnesses who
identified both Drew and Manning as the men who “beat
up” Sabzi, in addition to the video footage.
According to Tuchman, the footage also shows that “a group
of young men who are current UCLA football players” were
present at the Denny’s on Tiverton Avenue when the
altercation took place. However, Tuchman would neither confirm nor
deny that these men took part in the alleged assault on Sabzi.
Drew’s attorney, Aaron Dyer, released a statement Tuesday
refuting both the civil suit and the charges filed against his
client.
“Even in the few hours we have had since learning of the
assault charge, we have been able to conclusively establish that
Maurice had no involvement. We will be cooperating with the police
to share that information,” Dyer said.
The suit was filed only two days before a warrant was issued for
the arrest of Drew and Tyler Ebell ““ who also played football
at UCLA, in 2002 and 2003 ““ on May 18. The Los Angeles
District Attorney’s office originally released a statement
saying that Drew, Manning and Ebell were all arrested at
approximately 3 a.m. on April 23. But district attorney spokeswoman
Jane Robison confirmed Tuesday that only Manning was arrested on
the night of the incident.
A warrant for the arrest of Drew and Ebell was issued on May 18,
with the expectation that the two men would turn themselves over to
the police.
Drew’s agent, Adisa Bakari, stated that the former UCLA
running back did not arrive at or leave from the Denny’s with
Manning on April 23. Drew only learned of the warrant for his
arrest while signing autographs at the Rookie Premier Event on May
18, when a media outlet reported that he had already been arrested
and had posted bail, based on an erroneous statement from the
district attorney’s office, Bakari said.
Drew turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department the
next day, posted bail, and was released later that day.
Drew, Manning and Ebell all face the same count of assault by
means likely to produce great bodily injury, and they have each
posted $30,000 bail and face two to four years in prison if
convicted.
Only Drew and Manning face a civil suit. Manning’s
arraignment was postponed and has been rescheduled for May 26,
while Drew and Ebell’s arraignment is scheduled for June
16.