Courthouse Steps

CASE CAPTION: Bills Dirks (aka Frankie Ross) v. Taxi Productions Inc., KJLH Radio, Steveland Morris Productions and Steveland Morris, L.A. Superior Court # BC321897.

CAUSES OF ACTION: Wrongful termination in violation of public policy; unfair business practices in violation of Calif. Business and Professions Code Sec. 17200 et seq.; and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

COMPLAINT ALLEGATIONS: The plaintiff was a disc jockey for KJLH, a station in Inglewood, CA. In June 2003, the plaintiff was contacted by a representative of a record company who said he had been instructed by Aundrae Russell, the station's program director, to contact the station's creative director, Levi Booker, if he wanted a certain Earth, Wind & Fire song added to the station's playlist. Booker told the representative that this would cost $3500. The representative gave the amount to him in cash. The representative told the plaintiff that KJLH was not giving the song enough play. When the plaintiff told Russell about this, Russell appeared angry that the plaintiff had this information. From then on, Russell's attitude toward the plaintiff became hostile. About 2-3 weeks later, the station conducted a promotional event spotlighting Earth, Wind & Fire for a full day. To the plaintiff's knowledge, the station had never done this for anyone except defendant Morris (aka Stevie Wonder), who has a substantial ownership interest in the station. When the plaintiff later told Wonder of his concerns, Wonder said that he would put Booker on notice to straighten up or be fired. In October 2003, Russell fired the plaintiff without offering a reason.

RELIEF SOUGHT: Unspecified damages.

PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL: Dwight D. Stirling and Joyce E. Crucillo of Long Beach, CA's Stirling Law (562-439-2660).

CASE CAPTION: Michael Tierney v. Miramax Films, L.A. Superior Court # BC321297.

CAUSES OF ACTION: Among others: common law and commercial misappropriation of likeness; intentional and negligent misrepresentation; intentional and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage; and unfair competition.

COMPLAINT ALLEGATIONS: The plaintiff's uncle, actor Lawrence Tierney, appeared in the film “Reservoir Dogs.” The plaintiff is the actor's sole legal heir. On April 29, 2002, Toby Dana, legal clearance coordinator for Miramax, sent the plaintiff a fax stating that Miramax wanted to use a clip of “Reservoir Dogs” on the DVD of the movie “Jackie Brown” as an example of director Quentin Tarantino's previous work. The plaintiff asked for a reasonable fee for the use. Dana offered $700. No agreement was reached. Dana was later replaced by Andrea Scharf, who in September 2002, left a voice-mail message for the plaintiff apologizing for Miramax using the clip on the DVD without the plaintiff's written consent.

RELIEF SOUGHT: Injunctive relief and unspecified damages.

PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL: Mark Yablonovich, Marc Primo and Christopher Nissen of Los Angeles' Initiative Legal Group (310-556-5637).

CAUSES OF ACTION: Breach of implied-in-fact contract; breach of confidence; unfair competition; and an accounting.

COMPLAINT ALLEGATIONS: In August 2003, the plaintiff developed an idea for a reality TV series that put unknown boxers and their significant others in a training compound to compete for the grand prize of a Las Vegas fight against a known boxing champion. The plaintiff registered her treatment in September 2003, then discussed it with GRB Entertainment, a production company. The plaintiff contacted the defendants in October and disclosed the concept in detail after defendant Schaefer promised confidentiality. The plaintiff later pitched the idea to Schaefer and defendant De La Hoya at the Golden Boy offices. The parties negotiated until January 2004. Then in March 2004, the plaintiff first learned that the defendants had reached an agreement with Endemol USA and Fox TV to develop the plaintiff's idea. The defendants have denied the plaintiff's role in the show's development.

RELIEF SOUGHT: Unspecified damages.

PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL: Bruce A. Broillet and Scott H. Los Angeles' Carr of Greene, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler (310-576-1200) and Donn Christensen of Arcadia, CA (626-357-9123).

CASE CAPTION: Bills Dirks (aka Frankie Ross) v. Taxi Productions Inc., KJLH Radio, Steveland Morris Productions and Steveland Morris, L.A. Superior Court # BC321897.

CAUSES OF ACTION: Wrongful termination in violation of public policy; unfair business practices in violation of Calif. Business and Professions Code Sec. 17200 et seq.; and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

COMPLAINT ALLEGATIONS: The plaintiff was a disc jockey for KJLH, a station in Inglewood, CA. In June 2003, the plaintiff was contacted by a representative of a record company who said he had been instructed by Aundrae Russell, the station's program director, to contact the station's creative director, Levi Booker, if he wanted a certain Earth, Wind & Fire song added to the station's playlist. Booker told the representative that this would cost $3500. The representative gave the amount to him in cash. The representative told the plaintiff that KJLH was not giving the song enough play. When the plaintiff told Russell about this, Russell appeared angry that the plaintiff had this information. From then on, Russell's attitude toward the plaintiff became hostile. About 2-3 weeks later, the station conducted a promotional event spotlighting Earth, Wind & Fire for a full day. To the plaintiff's knowledge, the station had never done this for anyone except defendant Morris (aka Stevie Wonder), who has a substantial ownership interest in the station. When the plaintiff later told Wonder of his concerns, Wonder said that he would put Booker on notice to straighten up or be fired. In October 2003, Russell fired the plaintiff without offering a reason.

RELIEF SOUGHT: Unspecified damages.

PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL: Dwight D. Stirling and Joyce E. Crucillo of Long Beach, CA's Stirling Law (562-439-2660).

CASE CAPTION: Michael Tierney v. Miramax Films, L.A. Superior Court # BC321297.

CAUSES OF ACTION: Among others: common law and commercial misappropriation of likeness; intentional and negligent misrepresentation; intentional and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage; and unfair competition.

COMPLAINT ALLEGATIONS: The plaintiff's uncle, actor Lawrence Tierney, appeared in the film “Reservoir Dogs.” The plaintiff is the actor's sole legal heir. On April 29, 2002, Toby Dana, legal clearance coordinator for Miramax, sent the plaintiff a fax stating that Miramax wanted to use a clip of “Reservoir Dogs” on the DVD of the movie “Jackie Brown” as an example of director Quentin Tarantino's previous work. The plaintiff asked for a reasonable fee for the use. Dana offered $700. No agreement was reached. Dana was later replaced by Andrea Scharf, who in September 2002, left a voice-mail message for the plaintiff apologizing for Miramax using the clip on the DVD without the plaintiff's written consent.

RELIEF SOUGHT: Injunctive relief and unspecified damages.

PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL: Mark Yablonovich, Marc Primo and Christopher Nissen of Los Angeles' Initiative Legal Group (310-556-5637).

CAUSES OF ACTION: Breach of implied-in-fact contract; breach of confidence; unfair competition; and an accounting.

COMPLAINT ALLEGATIONS: In August 2003, the plaintiff developed an idea for a reality TV series that put unknown boxers and their significant others in a training compound to compete for the grand prize of a Las Vegas fight against a known boxing champion. The plaintiff registered her treatment in September 2003, then discussed it with GRB Entertainment, a production company. The plaintiff contacted the defendants in October and disclosed the concept in detail after defendant Schaefer promised confidentiality. The plaintiff later pitched the idea to Schaefer and defendant De La Hoya at the Golden Boy offices. The parties negotiated until January 2004. Then in March 2004, the plaintiff first learned that the defendants had reached an agreement with Endemol USA and Fox TV to develop the plaintiff's idea. The defendants have denied the plaintiff's role in the show's development.

RELIEF SOUGHT: Unspecified damages.

PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL: Bruce A. Broillet and Scott H. Los Angeles' Carr of Greene, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler (310-576-1200) and Donn Christensen of Arcadia, CA (626-357-9123).