Renowned actor Joseph Gatt, widely recognized for his roles in "Game of Thrones" and "Thor," has taken legal action against the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, and others, filing a $40 million lawsuit on Thursday. The lawsuit alleges a deliberate and damaging campaign by law enforcement that led to Gatt being falsely branded as a pedophile following his 2022 arrest for alleged sexual communication stemming from accusations made by a 16-year-old fan. The allegations surfaced after the fan purportedly engaged in online communication with Gatt, whom he claims he never knew nor personally met.
According to court documents, the lawsuit singles out several defendants, including L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón, Los Angeles County, L.A. County Deputy District Attorney Angela Brunson, LAPD Detective Denos Amarantos, and the City of Los Angeles. Gatt alleges that the actions of these entities resulted in the unjust destruction of his career and personal reputation.
The legal complaint outlines a series of events leading to Gatt's arrest, citing an "obsessed" fan who initiated communication with the actor. Despite Gatt's insistence that his interactions with the fan were innocent and appropriate, the fan allegedly fabricated messages of a sexual nature, using a manipulated image of Gatt from his appearance on the TV show "Banshee." The lawsuit contends that law enforcement authorities failed to adequately assess the credibility of the accuser, resulting in Gatt being wrongfully charged with a "baseless crime" and being “publicly branded as a serial pedophile.”
Moreover, the lawsuit asserts that Deputy District Attorney Angela Brunson harbored personal biases and animosity towards Gatt due to his political views, which influenced the handling of the case. It alleges that Brunson ignored glaring inconsistencies in the evidence and overlooked vital information that would have exonerated Gatt.
The charges against Gatt were dismissed in February, and he is now seeking $40 million in damages for the egregious harm inflicted upon his career and reputation.
