UCI professor sues Johnny Depp

A UC Irvine medical school teacher is suing Johnny Depp, alleging that the actor’s bodyguards restrained and injured her during a concert at the Hollywood Palladium.

The assistant professor, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, alleges that Depp’s bodyguards bearhugged her from behind and restrained her at a Dec. 1 Iggy and the Stooges concert before they pried her iPhone from her hands.

The plaintiff claims they then handcuffed one of her wrists, dragged her through the Hollywood Palladium and exposed her buttocks to other patrons, according to a copy of the civil complaint filed Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

She alleges that Depp stood by, aware of his bodyguards’ actions, but was unwilling to stop them.

The woman was there with her husband and two friends. All were celebrating the husband’s birthday.

The professor, who walks with a cane, had bought tickets for the VIP section because the venue allegedly told her that special seating was not available for people with disabilities, her lawyers said in court documents.

Depp’s bodyguards, who claimed they were off-duty police, prevented the woman from entering the VIP area by restraining her, the complaint alleges.

The woman says in her filing that she has to wear back and wrist braces, is unable to perform normal tasks or return to work, and that her existing medical conditions were exacerbated.

The Hollywood Palladium, which is managed by Live Nation Entertainment, was also named as a defendant.

Live Nation spokesman Greg Terlizzi said Tuesday that he was unaware of the lawsuit and was unable to comment.

Depp’s publicist did not return a call and email seeking comment.

The woman’s attorney, Sepehr Daghighian, was equally quiet about the case.

“Right now we really don’t have anything to say about it,” he said.

They are seeking more than $25,000, Daghighian wrote in an email.

lauren.williams@latimes.com

Twitter: @lawilliams30