April 07--The Los Angeles police criminal investigation of Charlie Sheen involved a long-running and sordid battle between the star and his ex-fiancee that has been going on for some time.
LAPD officials confirmed Wednesday that Sheen was under investigation but did not provide many details.
David Ring, an attorney for Scottine Ross, Sheen's ex-fiancee, said she reported the threat by the actor to the LAPD.
Ring said Ross heard a recording on the tabloid site RadarOnline in which a voice she believed to be Sheen's said he'd rather pay someone $20,000 to kick Ross in the head than settle her lawsuit against the actor.
"Fearing for her safety, the LAPD was contacted, and she got a protective order to keep Sheen away," Ring said. "She knows what he is capable of...she was scared for her life."
Ross, a onetime porn star, sued Sheen in December, alleging assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress for failing to disclose he was HIV positive and placing her at risk.
She accused the TV star of abusing her physically and emotionally while he used drugs and alcohol, as well as negligently exposing her to HIV after he was infected.
Ross alleges in the lawsuit that on various occasions, Sheen held an unloaded gun to her head during a car ride and repeatedly pulled the trigger.
Sheen's attorney adamantly denied any violence by the actor.
"He never kicked, choked, dragged, shook, or struck [her] and he never threatened to kill her or forced her to have an abortion, as she wildly alleges," Martin D. Singer wrote in court documents. In fact, he claims she assaulted him.
Los Angeles police served a search warrant Tuesday at the New York headquarters of the National Enquirer-RadarOnline seeking the 35-minute audio recording as well as digital and electronic data and transcripts, according to the publication. RadarOnline stated the warrant revealed Sheen was the target of a felony criminal investigation and Ross the alleged victim.
Sources familiar with the inquiry said the company did not turn over the recording, citing state and a federal law limiting such warrants.
richard.winton@latimes.com
