LOS ANGELES - Lawyers for Verne Troyer are negotiating with a porn broker and distributor on a settlement to permanently prevent the distribution of a sex tape the actor made with a former girlfriend.

U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez on Friday granted both sides another week to negotiate before holding a hearing on whether the tape can be sold or released. He also extended a temporary restraining order barring porn distributor SugarDVD from selling or taking orders for the tape, said Tracy Rane, Troyer's attorney.

Edwin McPherson, another of Troyer's attorneys, said the two sides were discussing a permanent injunction that would keep SugarDVD or Blatt from marketing the tape or still images.

"Mr. Troyer is working to prohibit the release of the full tape," Rane said.

The actor sued porn distributor SugarDVD, broker Kevin Blatt and celebrity gossip Web site TMZ for $20 million last month and sought to have release of the tape barred.

He is best-known for his role as Mini Me in two of the "Austin Powers" movies.

Court records do not list attorneys for SugarDVD or Blatt.

Troyer had claimed the sex tape was stolen from his home, but TMZ presented a statement from his ex-girlfriend, Ranae Shrider, saying she took the tape and authorized parts of its release to TMZ.

TMZ aired parts of the tape on its Web site and TV show, prompting Troyer's lawsuit. A statement on SugarDVD's site claimed it was trying to broker a deal for the tape, but that statement has since been removed.

Source: AP