The decide presiding over T.I. and his spouse Tameka “Tiny” Harris‘s lawsuit in opposition to a toymaker has been declared a mistrial, after jurors heard a lady testifying she “didn’t need to assist an organization that steals from African Individuals and their concepts.”
The lawsuit, filed in opposition to MGA Leisure, claims the toy firm stole from their daughter’s likeness for his or her LOL Shock Dollz toy line, which the lady in query known as cultural appropriation.
Zonnique Pullins, T.I.‘s stepdaughter, had beforehand been part of the woman rap group OMG Girlz, whose likeness bares an incredibly resemblance to the aforementioned dolls, The Shade Room beforehand reported.
Jury Overhears Lady Making Prejudicial Feedback In Rapper T.I.’s Lawsuit In opposition to A Toy Firm
On Wednesday, Senior U.S. District Choose James V. Selna declared the mistrial, agreeing with an argument made by MGA’s attorneys.
“I didn’t need to assist an organization that steals from African Individuals and their concepts,” the lady was overheard saying.
Jurors in @MGAEnt v. @Tip heard from a lady who mentioned she stopped shopping for OMG Dolls as a result of “I didn’t need to assist an organization that steals from African Individuals and their concepts.”
At this time, a decide declared a mistrial due to it, agreeing with this argument from MGA’s attorneys. pic.twitter.com/51LXV8gFBO
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) January 25, 2023
Based on court docket paperwork obtained by crime reporter Meghann Cuniff, Choose Selna deemed the lady’s testimony relating to cultural appropriation a “rant” that’s prejudicial in opposition to the defendants, which on this case is MGA Leisure.
Rapper’s Lawyer Makes an attempt To Get Choose To Rethink, Claiming The Lady’s Testimony Wouldn’t Assist Their Case
T.I.’s lawyer, Erin Ranahan, tried to get Choose Selna to rethink, claiming the testimony wasn’t something useful for his or her case.
“We didn’t need that theme earlier than this jury particularly. This isn’t Los Angeles. There’s not a single Black particular person on the jury.”
The rapper and his spouse are suing a toymaker for utilizing his stepdaughter’s likeness in a collection of dolls, which they declare ripped off her look whereas working within the rap group OMG Girlz.
Coming quickly to the federal courthouse in Santa Ana, California: Rapper T.I. and his spouse, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, are going to trial to defend the mental property rights of the previous woman rap group OMG Girlz in a lawsuit with toymaker MGA Leisure. pic.twitter.com/5yTN39AXHA
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) January 5, 2023
In April 2022, Pullins accused the doll firm’s LOL Dolls of plagiarizing the aesthetic of OMG Girlz, a bunch she was in throughout her teenage years, The Shade Room‘s Nick Fenley wrote for Blavity on the time.
The Harris household had been amidst a trial to defend the mental property rights of former woman rap group OMG Girlz, Cuniff stories.
Lawsuit Has “Large Cultural Misappropriation, Racism Points Being Thought-about In Litigation,” Reporter Says
In an Instagram submit Zonnique made in April, she polled her followers on the matter, having them select between “Hope you bought paid” and “Nope, don’t see (the resemblance).”
Roughly 95 p.c of respondents sided with Pullins.
The trial itself goes to be about MGA’s LOL Dolls and whether or not or not they infringe on OMG Girlz. The doll maker was really the primary to provoke litigation again in 2020, however now T.I. and Tiny have gone on the offensive with a counterclaim.
Cuniff stories the go well with has “massive cultural misappropriation and racism points being thought of in litigation, amongst different pre-trial points,” she tweeted.
It’s unclear as to when a brand new trial will start.
