Jim Carrey arrives at the final taping of the "Late Show with David Letterman" in New York City on May 20, 2015. The actor is fighting a civil lawsuit brought against him by the husband of his ex-girlfriend, who committed suicide in 2015. File Photo by Dennis Van Tine/UPI |
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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Jim Carrey's lawyer has released a statement denying a civil lawsuit's claims that the Hollywood actor gave his Irish ex-girlfriend Cathriona White STDs before she took her own life.
White's husband Mark Burton filed a lawsuit this week accusing Carrey of wrongful death in White's 2015 suicide. The documents alleged the comedy icon provided the makeup artist with the prescription drugs she used to fatally overdose, then failed to alert authorities around the time of her death. Carrey quickly and vehemently denied the assertions.
The lawsuit was later amended to allege Carrey neglected to inform White he had herpes and gonorrhea before he had sex with her and consequently passed the diseases onto her, The Wrap reported.
"The claim that Mr. Carrey gave Cathriona White an STD is categorically disputed. This is a desperate, bogus claim made by the 'husband' of the sham marriage," lawyer Martin D. Singer said in a statement Thursday night.
"This is an outrageous act by Mr. Burton, who numerous witnesses will confirm engaged in an illegal sham marriage in violation of the federal law prohibiting marriage fraud to evade immigration laws, after Cathriona White had asked numerous people -- including my client -- to marry her so she could stay in the country. Ms. White admitted that it was a sham marriage, and numerous witnesses have confirmed that Ms. White even held a phony 'wedding' with another man before Mr. Burton went through with the sham marriage, after which Ms. White and Mr. Burton lived in different states," Singer explained.
"When Mr. Burton's media-hound lawyer was notified that the lawsuit's baseless claims have no merit, the despicable bogus amended complaint was filed to continue the shakedown attempt. However, Mr. Burton will not get a penny because we will prove that the claims in the first amended complaint are false fabrications. ... My client will not pay money to end this opportunist's transparent shakedown lawsuit, and this malicious case will be dismissed. Mr. Carrey has suffered a great deal in the last year with the suicide of the woman he dearly loved, and it is outrageous that he should be subjected to this predatory lawsuit."
