As ABC disassociates itself from one controversy, a new lawsuit has has thrust the network back into the spotlight of scrutiny.
This time it’s via the estate of Michael Jackson, who have today filed a lawsuit against the channel.
Reps for the King Of Pop had expressed their disapproval of the broadcast of ‘The Last Days Of Michael Jackson’ and now are following through with a legal clapback.
And while MJ’s position as a public figure likely made it difficult to approach any such suit from a defamatory stance, his Estate are centering their filing on copyright. Specifically what they claim is was a disregard for theirs.
Details below…
In a statement issued to media moments ago, lawyers for the Estate announced the following:
Today, the Estate of Michael Jackson filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles against The Walt Disney Company and ABC for their willful and intentional infringements of dozens of copyrights owned by the Estate that were used, without permission, in the ABC prime time special “The Last Days of Michael Jackson” broadcast last week.
Howard Weitzman of Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert LLP added:
“Disney and ABC committed willful and intentional copyright infringement when they used the Estate’s copyrighted materials without the Estate’s permission. Disney’s conduct here was particularly surprising given that it has no tolerance for anyone using its copyrighted material in even the most trivial of manners. Disney and ABC’s conduct is also contrary to law and industry practice, and despite several cautionary letters from the Estate to Disney and ABC attorneys. Disney and ABC never sought the Jackson Estate’s permission to use any of the material owned by the Estate in the broadcast.Can you imagine using Disney’s intellectual property – like Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Star Wars, The Avengers, Toy Story, and so many other works – without asking Disney’s permission or getting a license? The Estate has no choice but to vigorously protect its intellectual property, which is the lifeblood of its business.”
As at writing, there’s been no word back from ABC.
It’s little surprise to see Team MJ going all out, though.
Posthumously, Michael is a billion-dollar business. Hence, anything disparaging in tone was never going to receive a mute response.
I did not watch it but now I might watch it. Most of the viewer comments read that it was a waste of time with no new footage. Hopefully they win the suit. I think Michael should be respected and his music loved and enjoyed. MJ was heavily guarded and there is a lot about his life no one will ever know but that is his business and not for journalists to retell and get it wrong. That pic though….he suffered mental illness in his later years that took hold of him and he was also on prescribed drugs which he overdosed. There are a thousand unanswered questions by his music and life goes on. RIP. The only interview or documentary I would be interested in listening to about him would have to involve Omar Bhatti but he has been tight lipped.
That estate has made millions off of exploiting Michael’s death, they are not victims here. They need to have several seats.
They are legally entitled to make money off him though. MJ left all his money to those white children that are not even his biologically. He left his biological family nothing. When he was alive he refused to help them financially at all. On his 30th anniversary concert he was more than willing to pay all the artists 250k a pop to perform but wanted to pay his brothers nothing for their performance. That same concert he had his own mother seated far away while Elizabeth Taylor sat in her seat next to him. He publicly fired his brothers on the victory tour. None of his family could visit him at Nevetland without an appointment yet he was housing lots of little white boys and flying them around the world with him buying them fanct cars and expensive jewelry / clothes. MJ is not as innocent as he seemed and it is only fair his family get some of those millions for themselves. He was going to leave his family with nothing.
@Jasmine…-. It’s Michael’s money and he can designate whom who wants or does not want to have it. He left his MOTHER money and yes he did ban his family from the ranch. Why? They were moochers. NONE of them worked. So there’s a start.
Superstar when you are worth over a billion dollars you can leave each one a couple million and it is like chump change. It is means printed to leave them nothing and not allow them to visit you while you are still living. I agree MJ had a legal right to do it but just because you have a legal right to do something does not make it right morally.
That estate has alot of nerve. They’ve been exploiting Michael from the moment he died and not even taking his children into consideration, now they want to sue because someone else wants to exploit him? They basically want to be the only ones to own the right to make money off of his death. Hopefully the courts see right through their scam & throws the case out.
@Gina.. – They do have the legal right to make money off his image. That’s how it works and when I state THEY, I mean his MOTHER, as she was left in charge of the kids etc.
Technically the mother stepped down as executor. Tito’s son is the executor now I heard.
@Jasmine….the mother was never the executor, she stepped down from being the legal guardian of the kids…and Tito’s son filled that void. None of the family are executors….. The executors run the estate and Katherine and the kids are the beneficiaries.
I like to know why they crossed out Eugenio Pilar Lopez name in the internet the recycling center owner in lompoc everything is crossed out in my name thanks you
Now they trying to change owner my name Eugenio Pilar Lopez I been trying to get in touch of people and get ahold of things I guess I’m going to have to get help for police to handle things thank you