‘Reacher’ star Alan Ritchson could face a legal battle with his neighbor over an explosive fight, even though authorities have concluded their investigation.
Seth J. Zuckerman, a prominent criminal defense attorney and founder of the Zuckerman Legal Group, spoke exclusively with Page Six after authorities ruled that the actor will not face criminal charges after acting in self-defense during a scuffle with Ronnie Taylor in Tennessee.
“It is certainly possible that his neighbors could file a civil lawsuit against him for his medical expenses, pain and suffering, and punitive damages,” Zuckerman said.
“Despite the police’s declaration that Mr. Ritchson acted in self-defense, a civil case can still be brought because a civil case has a lower burden of proof, which requires a preponderance of the evidence, whereas a criminal case must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” he added.
The attorney pointed out that law enforcement’s decision not to file criminal charges does not preclude civil litigation.
“However, if the victim is found to be partially at fault, which is probably the case in this case, the potential damages would be reduced,” Zuckerman noted, adding, “Mr. Ritchson could file a counterclaim against his neighbor, but it does not appear that Mr. Ritchson suffered any damages.”
Brian M. Sullivan, a partner at Early Sullivan Wright Geyser & McRae, believes Ritchson and Taylor may agree to a mutual protection order.
“In America, anyone can sue anyone for anything,” Sullivan said. “The neighbor could sue him for assault and battery, but from what I’ve read Alan has strong affirmative defenses of self-defense and protecting his children, so Alan could also sue the neighbor for assault and battery.
Los Angeles-based attorney Gregory Dole believes it is “likely” that Taylor will file a civil lawsuit against Ritchson.
“Normally, there is a very good chance that a civil lawsuit will be filed. … But I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a demand letter written behind the scenes by a lawyer seeking compensation for Taylor’s injuries and emotional distress,” Dole said.
“No one knows whether this case will ever go to court, but given how aggressive Mr. Ritchson’s behavior was, I suspect it will be appropriate to hear from a lawyer in the near future,” he added.
Ritchson, 43, was seen getting into an argument with Taylor on the street in Brentwood, Tennessee, this weekend.
The dispute over Ritchson’s noisy bike was captured on harrowing bodycam footage of the Hollywood star punching Taylor in the head multiple times. Two young boys, believed to be Mr Ritchson’s sons, were seen standing nearby during the scuffle.
Police ruled that Ritchson acted in self-defense and closed the case.
“After reviewing the available evidence, including video footage and witness statements, authorities have determined that no criminal charges will be filed. Mr. Ritchson’s actions were determined to be in self-defense,” Brentwood Police Department Lt. Stephen Peppin told The Hollywood Reporter.
Pepin also acknowledged that Ritchson rejected the charges against Taylor.
On Wednesday, Ritchson revealed that he had returned to the Reacher set to finish filming season four.
“Happy to be back in the booth after a really crazy week!” he wrote in an Instagram post. “This is the end of post-production — #Reacher Season 4.”
“It’s definitely the most exciting season so far. I think we’ve made progress. We’ve fired on all cylinders, so to speak,” he added.
Amazon Prime and Ritchson did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
