Former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean sues pageant officials

After being stripped of the title, Carrie Prejean has filed a lawsuit against Miss California USA officials accusing them of libel and religious discrimination for her views on same-sex marriage.

Carrie Prejean was stripped of her Miss California USA title earlier this year.

“We will make the case that her title was taken from her solely because of her support of traditional marriage,” her attorney, Charles LiMandri, said in a news release, CNN reported.

Prejean stepped into controversy at the Miss USA pageant in April when, in response to a question from a judge, she declared her opposition to same-sex marriage. Prejean finished as first runner-up.

The complaint was filed in Superior Court of California against Miss California USA officials Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler, as well as publicist Roger Neal.

It alleges that Prejean suffered because of “libel, public disclosure of private facts, religious discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.”

LiMandri had threatened to file a defamation lawsuit if Lewis did not retract statements he made about the former beauty queen. LiMandri’s letter to Lewis’ attorney also accused Lewis of setting Prejean up to be fired because of her statements opposing same-sex marriage.

When Prejean, 22, was dethroned in June, Lewis said it was for “contract violations,” including missed public appearances.

He said then it wasn’t one thing Prejean did, but “many, many, many things.”

“She came to us and said I’m not interested in your input; I’ll make my own decision what I’m going to do,” Lewis told CNN’s Larry King in June. “You know, when you have a contract, when you’re working for someone, you have a responsibility to follow through on what that requirement is.”

Lewis said it was clear “she was not interesting in upholding the title or the responsibilities.”