
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, July 21, 1995                   TAG: 9507220006
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES                                LENGTH: Short

SHEEN TESTIFIES IN HOLLYWOOD MADAM'S TRIAL

A nervous Charlie Sheen admitted in videotaped testimony played in court Thursday that he hired Heidi Fleiss' prostitutes at least 27 times, paying them in excess of $53,500.

The actor's deposition was played after another major development in the Hollywood madam's money laundering trial: Her younger sister reneged on an agreement and refused to testify for the prosecution. The judge found her in contempt and sentenced her to home confinement until she testifies.

Sheen testified under a limited grant of immunity. None of his testimony could be used if the state chose to prosecute him for solicitation. Sheen said he does not expect to be charged by the state.

Prosecutors allege that Fleiss used her sister and father and their bank accounts to launder proceeds from her sophisticated call-girl ring.

Fleiss, 29, already has been convicted in state court of pandering, but has pleaded innocent to federal charges that she hid money earned from her high-priced call girl ring in bank accounts belonging to her father and sister.

by CNB