2/5/99 : The MJIFC today received the following press release
directly from MJJ Productions:
Press Release by MJJ Productions - Michael Jackson scores another
victory: Judge awards Michael Jackson $200,000 for attorney's fees
in copyright case.
A Denver Federal Judge has awarded Michael Jackson $200,000 in
attorney's fees as the prevailing party in a copyright infringement
case brought by Crystal Cartier. The award comes five years after
a Denver federal jury ruled that Jackson did not steal the hit song
"Dangerous". The Federal Judge found that the plaintiff's case was
"implausible and objectively unreasonable."
Eve Wagner, who represents Jackson, along with local attorneys in
Denver, commented on the victory:
"We are delighted with the fee award. Successful artists are often
forced to spend significant dollars defending against baseless
lawsuits, such as the one brought by Crystal Cartier. Unfortunately,
with the contingency fee system, many plaintiff's pay nothing; if
they win, they hit the jackpot. In this case, the judge specifically
acknowledged that the fee award was appropriate to deter lawsuits
against defendant Michael Jackson, who because of his fame and wealth, attracts
lawsuits and threats thereof with regularity. Hopefully, the judge's
order will send a message that will deter plaintiffs and lawysers
from filing frivilous lawsuits."
Wagner also remarked, "Jackson has now won four out of four
copyright infringement lawsuits brought against him." Previous
cases include a 1984 suit involving the Jackson song "The Girl
Is Mine" and a 1994 action involving Jackson hits "Thriller",
"We Are The World", and "The Girl Is Mine". The most recent
victory, in 1998, was the case brought in Italy involving
the hit song, "Will You Be There".
以上資料取自Michael Jackson Internet Fan Club
中譯:
MJ國際歌友會在二月五日收到了MJJ的公開新聞稿:MJ又打贏了另一場
官司,法官並判決MJ獲得200000美元的律師訴訟費用
美國丹佛的聯邦法庭在日前判決MJ在一個著作權官司中獲賠200000美元,
此訴訟為Crystal Cartier控告MJ嫖竊了Dangerous這一首歌.經過長達五
年的訴訟,陪審團確信Dangerous為MJ本人所創作而非他人作品.法官發現
原告的控訴是"不可置信且不合理的"
Eve Wagner是代表MJ的律師,他對這場勝利下了以下評論:
"我們很高興我們獲得了應有的賠償.一個成功的藝術工作者經常要被強迫
去面對許多沒根據的指控,就像這次的官司一樣.很不幸的,經由目前賠償損害
的體制,這類的原告往往沒有多大的損失.假如不巧他們贏了訴訟,他們反而可以
荷包滿滿.在這次訴訟中,法官相信這個賠償金額足以使類似控訴MJ的不法份子
止步,而這些指控往往是因為MJ的名聲以及財富所伴隨而來的.希望這次法官的聲
明能夠遏止那些有類似不良意圖的原告以及律師"
Wagner也提到:"MJ現在已經贏得了所有四場的著作權官司"
之前的著作前官司,包括了1984年的"The Girl Is Mine",1994的"Thriller",
"We Are The World"和"The Girl Is Mine",最近的勝利是1998的"Will You
Be There",地點是在義大利.
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