Tampa Man Slaps William Shatner With $170M Paternity Suit

TAMPA, FL — As Capt. James T. Kirk on “Star Trek” William Shatner was famed for his on-camera trysts with the ladies. It’s an alleged off-camera incident that has prompted a Tampa man to file a $170 million lawsuit against the actor.

Peter Sloan, 59, who also goes by the name “Peter Shatner,” according to Hillsborough County court records, filed suit late last week, records show. Sloan claims his birth mother, a Canadian actress named Kathy Burt, had a one-night stand with Shatner while they were working in Toronto, several media outlets have reported. That close encounter, Sloan contends, resulted in his conception.

Burk gave Sloan up for adoption when he was only a few days old, but later connected with her son and told him of his parentage, Sloan has said. Sloan’s suit seeks $170 million in damages and also requests Shatner submit to DNA testing.

In court documents published by Page Six, Sloan claims he met Shatner on the set of “T.J. Hooker” back in 1984. At that time, Shatner “admitted he was the plaintiff’s father,” the suit alleges.

Shatner, 85, has adamantly denied Sloan’s claims.

Peter Shatner’s Facebook page includes photos of that 1984 encounter. On Thursday, he published a photo of that, he says, depicts his mother and William Shatner on a film set in December 1955.

Sloan also claims Shatner and a number of others have libeled, defamed and slandered him over the years. Hillsborough County court documents show the lawsuit also names Shatner’s publicist Cherry Hepburn, Twitter, Amazon.com, IMDB Pro and Shatner’s social media director Paul Camuso as defendants.

Sloan has told The Tampa Tribune in the past he only wanted to connect with the man he believes to be his father. Recently, the paper reported, the life insurance broker and real estate planner decided he was tired of being made to look like a fraud.

“There has been a pattern of behavior that makes me look like I am lying and I won’t stand for that anymore,” Sloan told the Tribune. “I am tired of being called a fraud by his people and him.”

Just how soon Sloan will get his day in court is unknown. No hearing dates have been issued yet, but court records show that summons have been issued.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Salvatore Capalbi