Actor Alec Baldwin has been slammed a "coward" after refusing to disclose any information in court during a $500,000 ($277,000) lawsuit against him last week (ends11JUN04).

The suit against Alec, his mother CAROL, and her CAROL M BALDWIN BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FUND has been dragging on since 1997 - when Alec allegedly reneged on a deal to pose for a photo with his three brothers for photographer JAMES EDSTROM in return for Edstrom's help organising a gala for the fund.

Edstrom, whose lawyer JOHN McHUGH posed questions to Baldwin, tells the NEW YORK POST's PAGE SIX, "It was useless. He claimed not to remember any fact, conversation or event relating to the Carol M Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund. He could not remember specifically attending its most successful gala in 1997, claiming that he had attended all the galas and could not differentiate one from another."

At the 1997 event, Alec refused to pose with his brothers for a shot that, at the time, could have reportedly fetched Edstrom $100,000 (GBP55,500) for worldwide publication rights. Edstrom contends that Carol had promised her sons would pose, while Alec now says she had no right to make that deal.

At the deposition, says Edstrom, "He claimed ignorance of his mother's very public declarations relating to his and his family's support for the fund and to be absolutely ignorant of her public promises to produce her sons as a reward for services provided to the fund. Alec claims to know nothing."

Not only did Baldwin plead ignorance, but his lawyer wouldn't allow him to answer most questions, Edstrom claims.

He adds, "NEIL GREENBERG refused to let Alec answer almost any question - including whether he knew anything about $50,000 (GBP27,000) missing from the fund that our depositions have already uncovered.

"He walked into the room and turned the chair to the window and refused to look at me or anyone while he stared out the window answering, 'I don't remember,' or 'I don't know.' He smiled when his attorney told him not to answer. He's a coward."

Baldwin says through an assistant, "I look forward to resolving this in court."

14/06/2004 13:48