Man Sentenced After Assaulting 'Beverly Hills, 90210' Actor
A Connecticut man pleaded guilty to an assault that had left a Beverly Hills, 90210 alum with serious injuries to his face the day before his trial for the attack was set to start. As part of a disposition hearing held in the state Superior Court in Stamford on Monday, Christopher Aikler, 50, pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree assault resulting in serious injury, reported the Stamford Advocate. As a result of a December 2016 bar fight at Chez Ernie's Cafe in Darien, Connecticut, Aikler faced a single charge of first-degree assault and two counts each of second-degree assault and third-degree assault, which stemmed from the incident. At the time, police reported that Aikler had struck Beverly Hills, 90210 actor Matthew Porretta, with a beer glass. Porretta also appeared in the 1993 movie Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
According to Assistant State's Attorney Elizabeth Moran, Porretta suffered a serious injury in the attack, which nearly caused him to lose an eye. Despite not losing sight, Moran told the Stamford Advocate that Porretta still suffers from vision problems due to the attack. Police also reported at the time that a resident of the town of Southbury had been injured in the fight when he was punched in the face during the altercation.
It is stated in a civil lawsuit that Porretta filed at the time of his accident that the actor suffered cuts to his left eye and cheek, a facial fracture, and injuries to his spine and nasal septum, in addition to needing emergency surgery to save his left eye. Porretta stated in the lawsuit that he did not know Aikler at the time and that he did not recall anything about what happened until he woke up covered in blood on the ground. The lawsuit reads that Porretta has scarring on his body and that he has lost wages as a result of the incident.
According to the state's online judicial website, Porretta's lawsuit is no longer pending. However, Moran said in the hearing on Monday that Porretta was aware of the disposition of the case. According to the state's offer, Aikler is set to receive a five-year jail sentence, suspended after serving between six and 18 months. He is also expected to receive probation for up to five years, Moran said. Aikler's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18, exactly seven years after the initial incident. He could face up to five years in prison if he is arrested prior to the sentencing date or fails to appear in court on the appointed day.
Porretta played the character of Dan Rubin in 10 episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1993. In recent years, he has been active as a voice actor for video games, with credits including Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto V and Alan Wake, according to IMDB. He was also cast in an episode of the television series The Blacklist in 2019.