NEW YORK (AP) — A Manhattan appeals court has given the go-ahead to a $45 million lawsuit against "Titanic" actor Leonardo DiCaprio for his alleged role in a street fight over actress Elizabeth Berkley.
DiCaprio, 26, and several others were sued by Roger Wilson, 41, who says the film star encouraged friends to attack Wilson on March 4, 1998.
Wilson, a screenwriter and actor, says he was beat up outside the Asia de Cuba restaurant when he confronted DiCaprio's friends about advances made toward Berkley, his girlfriend, on DiCaprio's behalf.
The ruling upheld a lower court decision that dismissed an assault allegation against DiCaprio but sustained a charge of "aiding and abetting an assault and battery."
The appeals court wrote that DiCaprio's shouted incitement, and the immediate reaction of the others to follow and allegedly assault Wilson raised enough questions for a trial.