3 Count: 2 Live Termination

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1: 2 Live Crew Wins Jury Verdict to Retake Control of Catalog Rights From Label: ‘Justice Served’

First off today, Bill Donahue at Billboard reports that members of the rap group 2 Live Crew have won a federal jury verdict, allowing them to reclaim the rights to their music.

The issue deals with a concept known as copyright termination. This allows artists to reclaim previously transferred rights in their works after a set period. However, Lil Joe Records, which acquired the catalog out of bankruptcy, argued that copyright termination didn’t apply to the band due to the bankruptcy.

However, the band argued that the right to copyright termination is inalienable. The jury agreed with that and granted the band their rights, including to their 1989 album As Nasty as They Wanna Be.

2: Muhammad Ali’s Photographer Wins $1.65 Million in Copyright Lawsuit

Next up today, Jeremy Gray at PetaPixel reports that photographer Michael Gaffney has won over a million in damages over the use of some 11 photographs he took of the famed boxer Muhammad Ali.

Gaffney sued Authentic Brands Group (ABG)and its subsidiary Muhammad Ali Enterprises, alleging they used 11 photographs he took in various merchandise and advertising campaigns. After a six-day trial, the jury found the defendants liable for some 23 counts of copyright infringement.

The jury has awarded Gaffney $1.11 million in actual damages and $1.65 million in statutory damages. However, he will have to choose one to collect on moving forward. Though a victory for Gaffney, his lawyers claim the presented evidence of over $8 million in gross revenue from ABG’s use of the images.

3: Pirelli Drops US GP Trophy Design Over Potential Copyright Infringement

Finally, today, Mark Mann-Bryans at Autosport reports that tire maker Pirelli was forced to pull one of its trophies from the United States Grand Prix after being alerted to similarities between it and another design.

The company had planned to introduce a series of “Heroo” trophies at the event, which were meant to celebrate the bravery and difficult work of being a Formula 1 driver. However, the winning drivers were given a more generic trophy at the podium.

According to a now-deleted press release, the reason was potential copyright issues. The details of that issue are unclear. However, the company opted to pull the trophies so they could investigate the matter more thoroughly.

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