Jury Selection Begins in Cher Case

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jury selection has begun in a lawsuit accusing Cher of firing an accountant for noting labor violations, including the hiring of illegal immigrants, during construction of the entertainer's Malibu mansion.

Salvatore Sampino sued Cher in July 2000, alleging wrongful termination. He said he was fired in May 2000.
``All I can say is the truth is the truth. I'll defend myself in there,'' Cher said before entering court Thursday.

Cher and her attorneys have denied the accusations, saying Sampino wasn't fired but quit. They also say he was never employed by Cher but by Artemis Design and Consulting, the principal contractor on the home.

Artemis and Inshallah Trust Project, a family trust controlled by the entertainer, are also named as defendants in the suit.

The lawsuit alleges undocumented day laborers were paid cash for their work and were not offered worker's compensation benefits or overtime.

Sampino, 40, seeks unspecified damages for wrongful termination, retaliation, sexual harassment, defamation, unfair competition, negligence and unpaid wages.

The trial is expected to last several weeks.