LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles photographer alleges her photo of the Notorious B.I.G. was used without her permission.
Venus Bernardo filed a complaint on Feb. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division against New York Media LLC, doing business as Vulture.com; and Branded Entertainment Network Inc., formerly known as Corbis Images, alleging copyright infringement.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that she photographed hip-hop star Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace moments before he was fatally shot. The plaintiff holds New York Media LLC and Branded Entertainment Network Inc. responsible because the defendants allegedly publicly displayed and used plaintiff's photograph without her permission.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks general and compensatory damages, profits, statutory damages of $150,000 per defendant, interest, court costs and any further relief this court grants. She is represented by Keith J. Wesley of Browne George Ross LLP in Los Angeles.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division Case number 2:17-cv-01514-JAK-E