THE CASE OF THE HEADLESS MICKEY MOUSE

SANTA ANA, Calif (Reuter)

A California woman was told Friday she could sue Walt Disney Co. because her grandchildren 
were "traumatized" by seeing Disney characters take their costumes off. 

An Orange County judge ruled that a lawsuit by Billie Jean Matay, a former Mouseketeer, 
whose family was robbed of $1,650 in the parking lot at Disneyland in 1995, could go 
ahead with her suit. 

In it, Matay charges that her three grandchildren, aged 5 to 11, were traumatized by
being taken away after the robbery to a backstage area where Disney characters took
their costumes off.

Orange Country Superior Court Judge Richard Luesebrink refused to throw out Matay's 
lawsuit, even though Disney lawyers argued that there was nothing traumatic about a 
"cartoon character taking off a cartoon character costume."     
"It's ridiculous. I don't want to fight a cause of action that doesn't exist," Disney 
lawyer Stephren Waimey said.  Matay's lawyers argued that Disneyland had to protect  
children from emotional distress -- such as that caused by seeing Mickey Mouse without
his head on. 

The suit, which will be heard Aug. 18, also alleges that poor security at Disneyland led
to the robbery.