Uber Says ‘Sandbagging’ Merits Assault Bellwether Mistrial (1)

Uber Technologies Inc. sought a mistrial Thursday in a groundbreaking driver sexual assault case underway in Arizona after the plaintiff’s lawyer “replaced courtroom demeanor with cynical theatrics” in the jury’s presence.

The rideshare company, facing claims from Jaylynn Dean who alleged Uber’s lax safety protocols allowed a driver to rape her during a ride, said Dean’s attorney is “sandbagging” the company with undisclosed information during testimony from another witness.

“While surprise courtroom appearances and supposedly ‘bombshell’ evidence are the stuff of television dramas, they have no place in actual courtrooms, which require proper disclosures to avoid surprise or ...