Jim Carey could stand trial in death of girlfriend

It’s a sad and strange twist in the life of a man who’s spent much of it making other people laugh.

When Cathriona White, who was dating actor Jim Carrey, died in 2015 due to a prescription drug overdose shortly after the couple separated, it was initially ruled a suicide. Yet Carrey could still be facing a court trial over her passing.

As Metro explains, the issue is whether Carrey can be found liable for White’s death under the Drug Dealer Liability Act of California. Though White’s mother and ex-husband, the plaintiffs in the case, admit that Carrey was not dealing drugs, the fact that it was likely his prescription painkillers that White ODed on means that he could be found negligent.

Carrey’s lawyer has filed a motion to dismiss the case and has also called the plaintiffs’ initial claim is vague, but a judge has so far declined to throw the case out as she seeks more information.

The 55-year-old Carrey is perhaps best known for his string of hit comedy movies from the 1990s, including the Ace Ventura films, Dumb and Dumber and The Mask. He’s continued to appear regularly in movies for the last few decades, stretching his acting muscles a bit in more varied and occasional dramatic roles.

Mark Burton, White’s ex-husband, first filed a wrongful death suit against Carrey in September 2016. White’s mother brought her own suit a month later, one that also alleged that Carrey failed to disclose positive tests for multiple STDs.

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Carrey has denied all of the claims from the start, and he served as a pallbearer at White’s funeral. It remains to be seen how long this case might drag on, but it’s already proven to be an emotional and bitter affair for all of the parties involved.