Mickey Rooney's Widow Sues the Hollywood Reporter

Claims magazine ran misleading article about her
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 6, 2017 4:28 PM CDT
Mickey Rooney's Widow Sues Magazine for Elder Abuse
In this Monday, April 26, 2004, file photo, Jan, left, and Mickey Rooney pose for photographs after having unveiled their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo/Ann Johansson, File)

Mickey Rooney's widow has filed an elder abuse lawsuit—against a magazine. The lawsuit, which also claims intentional infliction of emotional distress and conspiracy, was filed against the Hollywood Reporter by Janice Rooney; it also names her son from a previous marriage, Mark Aber, and his wife Charlene, among others, as defendants. As Deadline explains, the lawsuit stems from an Oct. 2015 THR article headlined, "Tears and Terror: The Disturbing Final Years of Mickey Rooney." THR interviewed Janice Rooney for the piece, but the lawsuit claims the final product was "deceiving" and took her words "out of context" in a way that was meant to portray her negatively. Mickey Rooney died in 2014 while under the care of Mark and Charlene Aber; he had previously been cared for by Mark's brother Chris until he accused Chris of elder abuse.

A battle over his estate ensued after the actor's death, with Janice Rooney (who separated from her husband in 2012) and Chris Aber challenging Mickey Rooney's will, in which he left all of his assets to Mark Aber. Rooney's eight biological children also contested the will. Janice Rooney's lawsuit seems to stem from the overall family feud; in it, she accuses Charlene Aber of bringing "false and humiliating allegations and innuendos" against her to THR in order to get "revenge" against her, and in turn accuses the magazine of then essentially repeating those allegations in its article. The lawsuit notes that Mickey Rooney's lawsuit and restraining order against Chris Aber did not accuse Janice Rooney of elder abuse, but Deadline states that Janice Rooney has been accused of physically abusing her husband during the ongoing family feud (per the New York Daily News, it was Mickey Rooney's attorney who accused her); she says that's a misunderstanding. (More Mickey Rooney stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X