Former Dukes Of Hazard star Tom Wopat has pleaded not guilty to indecent assault and battery.
The 66-year-old actor stands accused of poking a 16-year-old co-star’s bare stomach during rehearsals for a theatre production of 42nd Street in Waltham, Massachusetts over the summer (17), when he also reportedly complimented her on her “nice butt” and slapped her backside with his script.
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ.com, the underage actress, whose identity has not been revealed, had been trying to ignore Wopat’s advances after he allegedly told her, “I’m a creepy old man, you’re really talented and really cute.”
On Friday (10Nov17), he entered his plea at the Waltham District Court. Wopat was released on his own recognisance and was ordered to stay 100 yards away from the alleged victim and the Reagle Music Theatre.
However, Wopat’s lawyer Neil Tassel insists the actor will be vindicated.
“Mr. Wopat’s been an entertainer for 40 years,” he said as he was leaving court. “He’s been in movies, TV, recording artist and given the state of affairs, if there had ever been a history of having any type of improper behavior, we all would have heard about it by now. He’s been nothing but a gentleman from everything we’ve ever heard.”
The teenage accuser was interviewed by police just two weeks after Wopat was arrested in early August (17) for an alleged groping encounter with a female member of the production team, who accused the actor of grabbing her backside and sticking his fingers in between her butt cheeks. He pleaded not guilty to those charges of felony indecent assault and battery, in addition to another for cocaine possession, and was released on bail.
