“NCIS” Season 13 may be on hiatus, with no new episode airing this week, but the real-life courtroom drama continues for actress Pauley Perrette, who plays Abby Sciuto on the CBS show. Last week, she went to court and finally faced the man who assaulted her outside her home in early November.

"It was terrifying," she told Entertainment Tonight, last Sunday, when they caught up with her at the Trevor LIVE LA red carpet, theHollywood Palladium. "I really wasn't prepared for how scared I would be. In that moment when I saw him, I might as well have been alone on that sidewalk with him again, and I think that's how it works with trauma."

Perrette is talking about the assault incident, which took place on Nov. 13, while she was walking near her house in Hollywood. A homeless man attacked her randomly on the street and proceeded to hit her numerous times, and he also threatened to kill her. Luckily, she was able to calm him down and managed to escape.

With the help of her friends, the police was able to track down the suspect. They were able to identify him through a sketch that she drew herself. The 46-year-old actress passed out in shock after the incident. She admitted that she was still traumatised and scared, when she saw her assailant again.

The man has been identified as David Merck. He could be facing up to four years in prison if found guilty. Perrette is thankful to be alive and sees the incident as a wakeup call. She is a staunch advocate for the homeless, and she feels that they need her help now more than ever.

Catch Perrette and the rest of the “NCIS” Season 13 cast when the series returns next Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET on CBS.

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