Charlie Sheen sued the National Enquirer and its parent company, America Media Inc., Friday for defamation over Corey Haim rape allegations.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 52-year-old actor is suing the outlet after it published a story on November 8, that alleged the “Wall Street” star sodomized Haim when he was 13 years old during the shooting of “Lucas,” when the two worked on the movie in 1986. (RELATED: Shocking Report Claims Charlie Sheen Raped Corey Haim At Age 13)
REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
“[T]he editor of National Enquirer, Defendant Dylan Howard, is running the story against Mr. Sheen because of a personal vendetta that arose after he was unable to be the first to break the story that Mr. Sheen was HIV positive,” Attorney Shane Bernard stated in a complaint filed in the L.A. County Superior Court.
“The statements are categorically false and in the article, Defendant NEI [National Enquirer Inc.] outright states that the individual who claimed that the abuse occurred, Defendant Dominick Brascia, is himself accused of having molested Corey Haim,” Bernard adds. “Thus, Defendant Howard and Defendants NEI and AMI [American Media Inc] entertained serious doubt as to the truth of the publication and/or acted with a high degree of awareness of probably falsity.”
In response, AMI told the outlet they look forward to exposing the “Two and a Half Men” star’s “depravities.”
“We look forward to litigating against Charlie Sheen, and can’t wait to expose his depravities in a court of law,” an AMI spokesperson explained.
In the report published last month, Haim’s friend Dominick Brascia alleged that Sheen, then-19 years old, sexually assaulted “The Lost Boys” star during the production of the film.
“Haim told me he had sex with Sheen when they filmed ‘Lucas,'” Brascia said. “He told me they smoked pot and had sex. He said they had anal sex. Haim said after it happened Sheen became very cold and rejected him. When Corey wanted to fool around again, Charlie was not interested.”
Shortly after the story broke, Sheen “categorically” denied the allegations.
The suit also comes amid a flood of sexual harassment allegations made against Howard in recent days.