Desperate Housewives' creator Marc Cherry has said that anger was not a factor in the decision to kill off Nicollette Sheridan's character, despite her complaints that her boss hit her on the set. Marc concluded his testimony in the actress's wrongful dismissal case by denying claims from Nicollette's lawyers that he tried to influence the statements of Desperate Housewives employees to fit his version of the dispute. A longtime executive producer on the show corroborated Marc's version, saying he learned that Nicolette's role would be eliminated months before the September 2008 dispute. Marc and other witnesses have said approval to kill off Nicollette's character Edie Britt was given in May 2008, four months before the actress accused Cherry of striking her hard in the head during a discussion of a scene. George Perkins, an executive producer who wasn't present for the May meeting, said he learned about plans for Edie's death the following month and had the impression it was a final decision. George also informed human resources about the bust-up between Marc and Nicollette. Marc testified that he was simply trying to convey some direction to the actress on how to use physical humour. Nicollette, 48, told jurors last week she was stunned and humiliated by the blow, which she described as a wallop. She testified Marc informed her that her character would be killed off in February 2009 and told her that he had just made the decision. Actor James Denton, who rehearsed and shot with Nicollette on the day of her dispute with Marc, told jurors he didn't learn of Edie's death until he received a script detailing it the following year. "I can't say I was shocked, only because people get killed so often," he testified.
