Charlie Sheen’s former fiancée Scottine Ross has filed suit against the actor, claiming assault and battery, as well as emotional distress and negligence by not disclosing his HIV status when they first engaged in sexual relations in 2013.
Sheen disclosed publicly on “Today” last month that he was HIV positive, and acknowledged that the revelation may lead to litigation. But he denied that he failed to disclose his status to sexual partners.
In her lawsuit filed on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Ross’ attorneys claim that in late October or early November, Sheen’s attorneys attempted to resolve her claims for $1 million, to be paid on Dec. 2. The lawsuit claims that Ross also would have been assigned 5% of his 100% backend participation points on the series “Anger Management.”
Ross claims that in a early stages of their relationship, she and Sheen had sex on at least five occasions before she discovered medication in his cabinet for the treatment of HIV.
“If Sheen had disclosed to Plaintiff that he was HIV positive when they met for the very first time, Plaintiff never would have engaged in sex with him, and the resulting relationship between the two would never have occurred,” her suit states. After a “heart to heart” talk with him, she agreed to stay in a relationship with him.
After the “Today” appearance on Nov. 17, Ross’ lawsuit contends, Sheen claimed that she breached the agreement and refused to sign the settlement documents. She denies that she breached the agreement, and that he never signed it.
Martin Singer, Sheen’s attorney, said in a statement, “Charlie Sheen intends to vigorously defend the lawsuit filed by Scottine Ross. We are confident that Mr. Sheen will prevail in this action and will prevail on his claims for affirmative relief against her.”
In a statement, Ross’ attorney David Ring of Taylor & Ring, which filed the suit, said that Sheen “made it clear on ‘The Today Show’ that he has no intention of honoring the agreement that was reached, and sure enough, he didn’t.”
Her lawsuit describes first meeting Sheen on Nov. 1, 2013, when she arrived at his residence to have sex with him for $10,000 payment. She also said that she was forced to sign a non-disclosure agreement, one that she contends is unenforceable.
She claims that they hit it off, and became romantically involved. Although she did not observe him drinking or using drugs those first few weeks, she described instances later when he “would drink in excess and that he became a different person when he did so.”
After learning that Sheen was HIV positive, Ross claims in her suit that she believed that they “were going to be together for the longterm,” and she researched medication that would help prevent the transmission of HIV and agreed to engage in unprotected sex with him. She is HIV negative, said a spokeswoman for her law firm.
The suit describes multiple outbursts and physical abuse, including an instance when he put a choke hold on her during an argument, and a threat that he would “kick her to the curb” if she did not have an abortion after disclosing she was pregnant. She had the abortion.
Her lawsuit also claims false imprisonment, citing occasions when she says Sheen “intentionally exercised force” or the threat of force to restrain or detain her.
The suit states that Sheen ended their relationship in October 2014 via text message, after which she “went into an emotional tailspin and became extremely depressed and ultimately attempted to commit suicide.” Her complaint says that she is now taking medication and seeing healthcare professionals.
“She admits she was the classic ‘co-dependent’ girlfriend, who ‘accepted’ the verbal and physical abuse in an effort to save the relationship. But she now realizes Sheen likely has no intention of marrying her or staying with her,” he suit states.
