July 17 date set for Colin Farrell sex tape trial

updated 6:07 p.m. ET Jan. 20, 2006

LOS ANGELES - A July 17 trial date was scheduled Friday in Colin Farrell’s lawsuit against an ex-girlfriend who wants to sell their homemade sex tape.

A Superior Court judge set trial for the lawsuit against former Playboy Playmate Nicole Narain, although lawyers for both sides agreed to enter mediation to resolve the case before trial. Judge Elihu M. Berle ordered talks to wrap up by April 20.

The 29-year-old star of “The New World” and “Alexander” wasn’t in court.

His lawsuit names Narain, who was Playboy’s Miss January 2002, and two others for allegedly planning to market an explicit 14-minute tape that Farrell contended was never intended for public viewing.

The lawsuit said the release of the videotape would irreparably harm Farrell’s reputation and career.

Earlier this month, an Internet site that purported to be selling access to the tape was shut down for violating a court order blocking the tape’s release but graphic stills appeared on another site.

Farrell’s lawyer, Paul Berra, said those believed responsible for releasing the tape would be brought into the lawsuit.

On Friday, another Internet site offered a tape for downloading that it said may be the disputed tape.

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