'Desperate Housewives' Stars Potential Witnesses In Nicollette Sheridan Suit

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Several "Desperate Housewives" stars are listed as potential witnesses in a lawsuit brought by former castmate Nicollette Sheridan. The actress alleges the show's creator, Marc Cherry, hit her on the head on set then fired her when she complained.

Sheridan, 48, filed suit in April 2010 against Marc Cherry, ABC, and Touchstone Television Productions.

Both sides submitted tentative witness lists to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Allen White. Those mentioned as witnesses include Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman and Eva Longoria.

Sheridan played Edie Britt in the "Desperate Housewives" series. Her character, who eventually dies, is embroiled in numerous intrigues with other characters, fakes a suicide attempt, has affairs with other housewives' spouses or former spouses, and burns down the house of one of those housewives.

Defense attorneys claim in court papers "characters die on television series all the time" and "death is as much a part of scripted television as it is a part of life. Of course, whenever a character dies, an actor loses a job. That is what happened here."

Cherry decided to eliminate Sheridan's character in May 2008, according to the papers.

The defense maintains there is evidence of the decision to eliminate Sheridan's character prior to her Sept. 2008 complaint that Cherry struck her on the head with an open hand.

A trial has been set for Feb. 21.

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