LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A judge denied a request by one of five women who accuse Robert Knepper of sexual assault to take a DNA sample of the ``iZombie” actor in order to assess the credibility of his denial regarding one of the other accusers.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Christopher Lui did not state the reasons behind his decision Thursday to reject the motion by plaintiff Susan Bertram, a costume supervisor who has worked in Hollywood for more than 30 years.
Bertram's first sexual abuse allegation against Knepper dates to 1991, when she alleges the actor assaulted her during filming of the film ``Gas Food Lodging.”
Bertram sued Knepper in February 2018, alleging he defamed her on his Instagram account in November 2017 when he said, ``I am shocked and devastated to be accused of violence against a woman. That's just not who I am.”
Bertram's attorneys argued in their court papers that the plaintiff has an article of clothing worn by another of Knepper's four accusers from the night that woman alleges she was assaulted by the actor. Lab tests proved the presence of semen and if Knepper's DNA sample matches that on the apparel, it would undermine his denials of forced sexual conduct, according to Bertram's attorneys' court papers.
Lawyers for the 61-year-old Knepper maintained the DNA motion is an invasion of his privacy.
In their court papers, Knepper's lawyers deny he defamed Bertram. "Knepper simply made a generalized denial of any accusation,” the actor's lawyers stated in their court papers. `Knepper did so in a respectful and tactful manner. He did not disparage plaintiff or call her names. He did not accuse plaintiff of lying, fabricating her story or being untrustworthy.”
Knepper also played the role of Theodore ``T-Bag” Bagwell on the Fox show "Prison Break.”
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