Big talk, little action as Alec Peters appears to be stalling, hoping to intimidate director Rob Burnett

Unrelenting, potentially defamatory accusations by Axanar producer Alec Peters against former director Robert Meyer Burnett prompt the lawyer for Peters’ once-stalwart colleague to issue a second legal warning.

• AxaMonitor has a copy of Beverly Hills attorney Torin A. Dorrros’s three-page April 12 letter from to Peters’ attorney of record in Georgia insisting again that Peters refrain from defaming Burnett after Peters’ most recent Axanar: Confidential broadcast.
• In a minute-long rant during the YouTube livestream Peters said:

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“You wanna steal money, you wanna steal equipment, you wanna deny us our assets, I’m taking you to court. … Rob Burnett is a thief. It’s that simple.”

The latest salvo: Dorros’ letter is the most recent chapter in what can only be described as Peters’ sputtering lawsuit in a Georgia court against Burnett, a California resident.

• Big talk, little action: More documents obtained by AxaMonitor cast doubt on Peters’ stated intentions to pursue Burnett for more than $45,000 in damages, largely stemming from $30,000 paid to Burnett that Peters now says were loans for which he wants to be repaid.
• Peters crows about having “overwhelming documentation [of] all our claims,” though none of that was included in his February 18 legal complaint, nor in any subsequent communication with Burnett or Dorros.

Stalling tactics? Despite Peters’ repeated legal threats and reputedly defamatory comments against Burnett, his lawsuit doesn’t appear to be going anywhere in the Georgia court.

• Badly served: After taking almost 25 days to serve the lawsuit papers on Burnett, neither Peters nor his attorney, H. Michael Dever, have filed the required proof of service with the court. Without such proof Burnett isn’t required to reply to the suit, effectively grinding Peters’ legal action to a halt.
• No reply: Dorros also criticizes the lack of response by Dever to his earlier letter. Dever’s refusal to reply contrasts with Peters’ insistence on making an end run around his own attorney and communicating directly with Burnett’s lawyer.
• Peters’ lawyer MIA? According to Gwinnett County state court records, Peters attorney is listed as being on a leave of absence since March 29.
• ‘Experienced counsel’: Apparently concerned by Peters’ lack of legal experience, Dorros asks Dever: “I have not received any response from you to my prior correspondences. I would thus respectfully request a response as to whether I should be handling this matter through you or directly with Mr. Peters—I do believe it would be to the parties’ benefit to have experienced counsel such as yourself involved in the process.”
• Mixed message: Dorros’ letter also strikes a conciliatory tone offering to negotiate return of Axanar’s so-called digital assets (e.g., visual effects, footage, artwork and more) retained by Burnett. But Peters’ demand fails to include his promised screenshots of three hard drives detailing the assets he does have.
• Already in possession? Dorros also says he has evidence Burnett had discharged any obligation by having delivered all the disputed assets long ago.
• Seven days: Dorros asks Peters’ lawyer to provide the information necessary for Burnett to even begin to identify what Peters is looking for.