DOCUMENT: Crime

Lohan Seeks Press Muzzle

Actress threatens legal action over father's latest rant

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Lohan Seeks Press Muzzle

FEBRUARY 3--In an aggressive bid to stanch news accounts of her estranged father's latest ravings, actress Lindsay Lohan is threatening legal action against publications that dare to report on the newest twist in the teenage starlet's domestic drama. In a blistering seven-page letter just sent to several celebrity news outlets, Lohan attorney John Lavely warned that publication of Michael Lohan's "malicious, false, and outrageous statements" about the young star and her mother Dina would expose these outfits to "liability and a substantial damage verdict." As Lavely notes, Lohan's cease and desist letter was triggered by a press conference held yesterday by Michael Lohan and his lawyer, Dominic Barbara. During that session, the duo announced that they are seeking about $3 million annually in alimony from Dina, who filed for divorce last year. Barbara asserted that Michael is entitled to half the management fee Dina collects yearly from Lohan, whose income Barbara pegged at $40 million annually. The Lohan legal threat--a copy of which you'll find below, sans the name/address of the recipient--recounts Michael Lohan's rap sheet and his history of violating restraining orders. Lavely also points out "oft-repeated reports" of Michael's psychological problems, drug and alcohol abuse, and how he once was thrown into a "mental home." But Lavely warned that journalists risked legal troubles if they mentioned Michael's claims that his wife and daughter were "emotionally unsound" or that Dina purportedly had substance abuse problems. (7 pages)