Sean Penn Wins First Court Battle Against 'Empire' Creator Lee Daniels in Defamation Lawsuit

Sean Penn is one step closer to claiming $10 million in damages from his lawsuit against Empire creator Lee Daniels. The I Am Sam star sued Daniels for defamation over comments implying that Penn has abused women in the past. Now, this past Tuesday (Nov. 3), Penn saw his first legal win when a federal judge sent the case back to New York State court and ordered Daniels to pay the actor's legal fees.

It all began with a Hollywood Reporter interview Daniels gave where he remarked on Empire castmember Terrence Howard's recent domestic abuse scandal.

"[Terrence Howard] ain't done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden he's some f*ckin' demon," Daniels said to The Hollywood Reporter.

Daniels was referencing widely publicized allegations from the late 80s during Penn's marriage to then-burgeoning pop icon Madonna. The actor's relationship with the press was exceedingly antagonistic at the time, and reports indicate separate incidents where Penn hit the singer in the head with a baseball bat in 1987 and tied her to a chair for several hours in 1988. The latter resulted in the couple's divorce, but the singer never went through with any of the charges she pressed against Penn.

Because he was never formally charged with domestic battery, Penn asserts that there is no evidence he ever abused women.

Despite losing the initial court battle and being required to pay Penn's legal fees, Daniels may not be doomed. The Precious director never outright called Sean Penn a wife-beater, and can claim the quote was taken out of context.

In the initial legal complaint, Penn's lawyers refer to their client as one of the "greatest actors and humanitarians of our time," and, "an American icon."

The lawsuit, uncovered by Deadline, reads, "Daniels' defense of Howard (and his improper invocation of two of the greatest actors and humanitarians of our time, Brando and Penn, in doing so) is apparently part of a misguided campaign to profit and further bolster and brand his show Empire."

Was it defamation or is Sean Penn overreacting? It's up to the courts to decide now.