1. Lebron Counter Sued A Photographer For $1 Million
Photographer Steven Mitchell sent out a $150,000 lawsuit against Lebron James for James posting on his Instagram account a photo he took (without Steven’s permission or crediting him). Lebron had been photographed by Steven Mitchell during a Lakers game, but LeBron did not obtain Mitchell’s consent to post the image and did not give Mitchell credit.
The Athletic reports that LeBron James removed the image after Mitchell sued him in March and claimed in court documents that he had the right to use the image without permission if he wasn’t trying to profit from it.
The Lakers player didn’t want to profit from the Facebook post, but there are other posts where the NBA star is making a tidy sum of money. According to the report, James’ thesis was hampered by the interplay between entertainment and business.
LeBron James countersued Mitchell, saying that Mitchell was exploiting James’ images on his website illegally in an effort to promote his own photo agency. The countersuit filed by the former Miami Heat player sought $1 million, but Mitchell’s initial lawsuit demanded at least $150,000.
However, James ultimately resolved the case after speaking with Judge Jean Rosenbluth through James’ attorney, Howard Shire.
The two parties did eventually settle the matter privately. LeBron’s lawsuit could serve as a model for other high-profile sportsmen and celebrities because copyright infringement is a crime that is becoming widespread these days.
NEXT – Lebron comments regarding his wine consumption