MEMPHIS (CN) — Rock and roll icon Jerry Lee Lewis claims in court that his son-in-law posted defamatory statements about the Lewis family on his Facebook page, including accusations of drug use and elder abuse.
Lewis — along with his wife Judith, daughter Lori and son Jerry Lee Lewis III — sued Ezekiel Loftin in Western Tennessee Federal Court on Wednesday, claiming Loftin defamed the Lewis family through a series of Facebook posts.
Loftin is married to Lewis' other daughter Phoebe Lewis, according the complaint. He allegedly "continued to post untrue and defamatory material" about the Lewis family after getting a cease-and-desist letter from their attorney.
According to the complaint, one post about Lewis said: "I am mad at him but I know drugs played a huge part in this. [Judith] was his caregiver and then went into elder abuse and someone handing a man drugs should not be pushing them to the alter in a wheel chair after signing documents saying she would not coerce him into signing any signatures or contracts."
Loftin also allegedly claimed that Lori and Lewis III are not Lewis' biological children.
"Now Judith is telling Jerry and everyone that Lori is his biological child and that is bullsh*t," Loftin allegedly posted. "She has convinced Jerry that Phoebe took some retirement money from him when Judith pried a safe out of a wall and took Phoebe's jewelry and cash from her bedroom which belonged to Jerry and Phoebe."
According to the lawsuit, a subsequent post said: "The only person who knows what happened to that money is Judith who flies through it like a wildfire and now has sold most of Jerry's valuables and vehicles and is down to selling Tupperware and bottle caps touched by the Killer. Elder Abuse!"
"It is obvious at this point the drugs and constant manipulation has taken its toll on the man and he has completely lost any grasp he had on reality," Loftin allegedly wrote about the "Great Balls of Fire" singer.
The Lewis family claims Loftin acted with malice by posting false statements about them on his Facebook page.
"The words employed by defendant in the above referenced Facebook posts were extreme, outrageous, and embarrassing," the complaint states.
The family asserts claims for libel, infliction of emotional distress and false light. They seek $1 million in punitive damages, and are represented by J. D. Barton in Millington, Tenn.
Loftin did not immediately respond Thursday to an emailed request for comment sent to his publication Twisted South Magazine.
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