After filing a defamation lawsuit over allegations of domestic violence made by Empire's executive producer and co-creator Lee Daniels, Sean Penn's ex-wife Madonna has stepped up to defend him, claiming the Milk star never assaulted her during their time together.
"I am aware of the allegations that have surfaced over the years accusing Sean of incidents of physical assault and abuse against me," Madonna's declaration states, according to Rolling Stone. It specifically denies allegations that Penn struck her with a baseball bat in 1987 and declares false a December 1989 incident "which purportedly resulted in Sean's arrest for domestic assault and battery against me."
Penn initially released the complaint Dec. 17. With the "Living for Love" singer in his corner, he might have a strong case. The two were married from 1985 to 1989 and Madonna, who is now in the midst of her Rebel Heart Tour, admitted they had "more than one heated argument" while married but that "Sean has never struck me, 'tied me up' or physically assaulted me, and any report to the contrary is completely outrageous, malicious, reckless and false."
The $10 million lawsuit has been brewing since Daniels defended Empire star Terrence Howard during an interview in September, referencing allegations of domestic abuse by an ex-wife of The Game actor.
"[Terrence] ain't done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden he's some f*ckin' demon," Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter. "That's a sign of the time, of race, of what we are right now in America."
Howard told Rolling Stone in September that he "slapped" Lori McCommas, his first wife, and continued to say that "her lawyer said it was a closed fist, but even slapping her was wrong."
