The Region - News from Feb. 12, 1987

A musician who claims that he was assaulted by actor Sean Penn in a Los Angeles nightclub filed suit seeking $25,000 in civil damages for the April 12 incident, for which Penn is awaiting trial on a misdemeanor battery charge. David Wolinski’s attorney, David Dudley, said the San Fernando Valley songwriter had been talking with Penn’s wife, rock singer Madonna, an old friend, when Penn hit him, then picked up a maitre d’s podium to strike him again. Wolinski claims in his Los Angeles Superior Court suit that the attack was unprovoked and seeks unspecified punitive damages in addition to payment of his medical bills. Howard Weitzman, Penn’s attorney, denied Wolinski’s account.