Jim Carrey calls lawsuit over ex-girlfriend's death 'heartless'



LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jim Carrey says a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the husband of his ex-girlfriend is a "heartless" attempt to exploit him.

Mark Burton sued Carrey in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, accusing the actor of providing the prescription drugs Cathriona White used to overdose in September 2015. The wrongful death lawsuit contends Carrey improperly obtained prescriptions for Ambien and the powerful opioid oxycodone under the alias Arthur King.

Carrey wrote in a statement that he loved White and said the suit was an attempt to profit from her death.

"What a terrible shame," Carrey said in his statement. "It would be easy for me to get in a back room with this man's lawyer and make this go away, but there are some moments in life when you have to stand up and defend your honor against the evil in this world.

"I will not tolerate this heartless attempt to exploit me or the woman I loved. Cat's troubles were born long before I met her and sadly her tragic end was beyond anyone's control. I really hope that some day soon people will stop trying to profit from this and let her rest in peace."

The suit accuses Carrey of giving White the medications days before she was found dead in one of Carrey's homes. White and Carrey dated in 2012 and were photographed together in May 2015.

Coroner's officials later ruled the 30-year-old makeup artist's death a suicide.

Burton and White married in 2013.