Sutherland Claims Self-Defense in Uber Driver Lawsuit

Kiefer Sutherland has officially responded to an Uber driver's civil lawsuit, citing self-defense. The actor, filing on November 10, disputes the account of a January 12 incident that led to his arrest on suspicion of felony criminal threats. Sutherland contends he feared "imminent threat of bodily harm" from the driver, Rafael Manvelyan, and that any force used was necessary for his safety.

Manvelyan alleges Sutherland became increasingly angry during the ride, threatened him, punched him, and placed him in a chokehold. The driver claims he suffered head, neck, spine, and shoulder injuries, along with psychological distress, leading to medical expenses and lost earnings. His account states a dashcam recorded part of the encounter, and witnesses observed portions of it.

Sutherland's legal team argues that Manvelyan's claimed injuries are not attributable to his client and that the lawsuit was filed in bad faith. They also raised a statute-of-limitations defense. Separately, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office had returned the criminal matter to police for further investigation in February, with prosecutors reviewing newly submitted evidence in March, distinct from the civil claim.