Jul 11, 2008 1:44 pm US/Pacific
Negotiations Continue Over Verne Troyer Sex Tape
LOS ANGELES (AP) ―
Attorneys for Verne Troyer are seeking additional protection against the release of a sex tape while they negotiate with a porn broker and distributor, court documents show.
U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez had scheduled a hearing for Monday to listen to arguments about the tape the Troyer made with an ex-girlfriend. He has temporarily blocked its release, but his order expires on Monday.
Troyer's attorneys want a one-week delay to continue their negotiations with SugarDVD and Blatt, documents filed Thursday show. They also want Gutierrez to extend his temporary restraining order barring SugarDVD from taking orders or selling the tape.
The actor sued porn distributor SugarDVD, broker Kevin Blatt and celebrity gossip Web site TMZ for $20 million last month and sought to have release of the tape barred.
Troyer is best-known for his role as Mini Me in two of the "Austin Powers" movies.
The filings do not indicate what kind of negotiations are occurring. A lawyer for Troyer did not return a phone message Friday morning and court records do not list attorneys for SugarDVD or Blatt.
Troyer had claimed the sex tape was stolen from his home, but TMZ presented a statement from his ex-girlfriend, Ranae Shrider, saying she took the tape and authorized parts of its release to TMZ.
TMZ aired parts of the tape on its Web site and TV show, prompting Troyer's lawsuit. A statement on SugarDVD's site claimed it was trying to broker a deal for the tape, but that statement has since been removed.
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