Lawyer blames WWF for child's death

A teenage boy charged with killing his friend was acting out a wrestling scene he'd seen on TV, says his lawyer.

Lawyers representing the 13-year-old from Broward, Florida, are set to make legal history when they blame wrestling for the six-year-old girl's death.

Defence lawyer Jim Lewis has already appeared in court brandishing wrestling toys and has tried to get big-time wrestlers like Hulk Hogan, The Rock and Sting to appear as witnesses.

The World Wrestling Federation has now sued Lewis for slander.

WWF lawyer Jerry McDevitt said: "Every time some dysfunctional juvenile delinquent hurts another kid, you're going to get big headlines if you say the WWF was responsible. This is all Jim Lewis poppycock."

A medical examiner said the six-year-old girl's skull had been pounded flat and her liver was so severely lacerated that parts of it had been severed.

The trial is due to begin on Wednesday.