Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998 | 5:19 a.m.
In the introduction of the book "Naked Instinct: The Unauthorized Biography of Sharon Stone" a source is quoted as saying she witnessed Stone harassing the nurse, identified as "Jane" Payne, in what the source "suspects may have amounted to date rape."
Janice Payne, whose name was slightly changed or mistaken in the book, says nothing of a sexual nature happened between her and the actress at the hotel or ever. Now she is suing Carol Publishing, author Frank Sanello and the source, whose real identity she claims to have uncovered, for more than $10,000 in damages.
Sanello could not be reached for comment.
Steven Schragis, head of the Secaucus, N.J., publishing firm, said he has not seen a copy of the lawsuit but stands behind his author and his product.
Payne met Stone in 1994 when she was hired to give the actress medical care on the set of the film "Casino," according to the lawsuit filed Friday in District Court.
During the filming, Stone became interested in buying the film rights to Payne's experiences as a nurse for a disaster site medical service, the lawsuit says.
The court document says that in December 1995, Payne attended a charity function in Los Angeles honoring Stone. At one point during the evening, Stone ushered Payne into a bathroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel so they could be out of earshot of autograph seekers while discussing the potential film project, the lawsuit says.
They had a brief, private conversation in a stall then stepped outside and were standing in the lobby of the bathroom surrounded by other women when a Las Vegas woman named Sylvia Kaufenberg walked into the bathroom, Payne claims in her lawsuit.
In the introduction of the unauthorized biography Sanello recounted an interview with a woman he calls by the pseudonym "Mrs. Lew Rothenberg."
"Rothenberg" is described as a wealthy socialite, a grandmother and "the kind of source journalism students dream about," Sanello wrote.
"Rothenberg" went to find Payne when she disappeared from their shared table for a long time, leaving her date unattended and concerned, Sanello wrote. The woman told the author she walked into the bathroom as "Sharon was saying what a terrific body the nurse had .... Fondling her, touching her, holding her, patting her."
What the socialite believed was occurring was "public sex" the author said.
Payne and her attorneys believe "Rothenberg" is really Kaufenberg, who sat at Payne's table during the event. Kaufenberg, who is named in the lawsuit, could not be reached for comment.
Some of the information in the book, like the fact Payne was wearing a rented dress that evening, only Kaufenberg knew, Graham said.
Stone's publicist was not available for comment Thursday.
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