Ludwig Kaiser’s battery case just got a whole lot messier, and now his accuser is fighting to keep medical records out of the WWE Superstar’s hands. Kaiser’s defense wants to see the evidence behind the alleged injuries, but prosecutors are refusing to turn it over after the accuser objected.
Ringside News has obtained new court documents filed on November 10, 2026, in Orange County, Florida. The filing, titled Motion to Compel Medical Records, shows Kaiser’s attorney, Thomas D. Sommerville, asking a judge to force prosecutors to release medical records belonging to Richard Reap, the man accusing Kaiser of battery following an April 23 confrontation at an Orlando apartment complex.
Here’s the problem for Kaiser’s defense. Reap previously testified under oath that he suffered injuries during the confrontation and sought medical treatment afterward. Kaiser’s attorneys want to examine those records because they believe the documents could tell a different story about what actually happened. The motion doesn’t dance around why the defense wants the records.
“Mr. Reap’s medical records are relevant in this case as he claims his injuries were caused by Mr. Barthel. A review of the medical records could show evidence that Mr. Reap either did not suffer the injuries he claimed, or the injuries he does have were not related to the encounter between Mr. Reap and Mr. Barthel. Clearly these medical records are relevant in this case.”
And here’s where things get interesting. According to the filing, prosecutors initially acknowledged having Reap’s medical records and told Kaiser’s attorney they were being prepared for release. Then something changed.
“Undersigned counsel requested Mr. Reap’s medical records from Assistant State Attorney Juanda Padgett via email. Ms. Padgett initially acknowledged the State was in possession of Mr. Reap’s medical records and advised they were being put together for production to the defense.”
But the records never came. Instead, Kaiser’s attorney says prosecutors reversed course after Reap’s lawyer objected to handing them over.
“Ms. Padgett later stated via email that the State would not produce the medical records because Mr. Reap’s attorney stated he objected.”
Kaiser’s defense didn’t stop there. Sommerville contacted Reap’s civil attorney, Bruce Mounts, directly and says he received confirmation that Reap did not want the records released.
“Undersigned counsel communicated with Mr. Reap’s civil attorney, Bruce Mounts, who confirmed Mr. Reap objects to the production of his medical records.”
That’s quite a change from October 26, when prosecutors filed a Notice of Supplemental Discovery indicating that redacted medical records would be made available to the defense. At the time, the State simply asked Kaiser’s attorney to provide a blank DVD so the documents could be copied and mailed.
“Please provide a blank DVD for copy of Redacted Medical Records. Upon receipt a copy will be made and sent to your office via US mail.”
Now the defense is asking a judge to intervene because those records are being withheld. This latest fight comes after Kaiser suffered a major setback on October 19, when his attempt to get the misdemeanor battery charge dismissed under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law failed. Both Kaiser and Reap testified during that hearing, but the judge wasn’t convinced there were grounds to throw out the case.
Kaiser, whose real name is Marcel Barthel, has maintained that he acted in self-defense during the April 23 confrontation. His attorneys claim Reap became aggressive during an encounter involving Kaiser and his girlfriend, Andrea Bazarte, and made threats involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Reap has accused Kaiser of punching and pushing him during the altercation. Kaiser denies wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty.
The medical records aren’t the only evidence Kaiser’s defense has been fighting over. As Ringside News previously covered, prosecutors disclosed four photographs of Reap’s alleged injuries in October, including images of his head, right elbow, and right side. Kaiser’s attorneys have also pushed to obtain surveillance footage from the apartment building where the confrontation took place.
Now the medical records have become another point of contention. The defense believes they could challenge Reap’s injury claims, but the new filing doesn’t establish what those records actually show. It also doesn’t mean Reap’s objections will prevent their release permanently. That question is now being put before the court.
Kaiser is scheduled for a pretrial conference on December 17, 2026, with a possible trial window running from January 4 through January 22, 2027. Kaiser already tried getting this case thrown out and lost. Now his lawyers are fighting to see medical records that prosecutors previously indicated they would provide, only to change course after the accuser objected. Whether those records actually help Kaiser is another question, but his defense clearly believes they’re worth fighting for.
What do you make of Ludwig Kaiser’s accuser objecting to the release of his medical records after claiming he suffered injuries during their confrontation? Do you think the judge should order the records turned over to Kaiser’s defense? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
