Black Widow
07-16-2010, 11:51 AM
World Wrestling Entertainment as well as Vince and Linda McMahon personally all have until 8/11 to officially respond to Martha Hart's lawsuit against them regarding their usage of the late Owen Hart's likeness and footage in WWE-related materials as well as alleged failure to pay his estate for those uses.
The lawsuit, filed in June, alleges that WWE and the McMahons used Owen Hart's name and likeness without right in dozens of commercial videos and other materials, violated a contract restricting the use of Owen Hart's name, likeness and wrestling footage, and disregarded Martha Hart's wishes against further association of Owen to WWE following his death
Owen Hart, one of the most beloved wrestlers within the industry at the time of his death, died in May 1999 after falling 78 feet in Kansas City, Missouri as he was lowered to the ring for an entrance as the Blue Blazer. Hart and WWE later settled a wrongful death lawsuit. While the terms were confidential, Bret Hart wrote in his autobiography that he later learned the settlement was $18 million.
Hart recounted the passing of her husband and the subsequent legal battle against WWE in the book "Broken Hart: The Life and Death of Owen Hart."
Owen's brother Bret has spoken out against the lawsuit, while WWE's attorney Jerry McDevitt has referred to the suit as politically motivated.
PWI
The lawsuit, filed in June, alleges that WWE and the McMahons used Owen Hart's name and likeness without right in dozens of commercial videos and other materials, violated a contract restricting the use of Owen Hart's name, likeness and wrestling footage, and disregarded Martha Hart's wishes against further association of Owen to WWE following his death
Owen Hart, one of the most beloved wrestlers within the industry at the time of his death, died in May 1999 after falling 78 feet in Kansas City, Missouri as he was lowered to the ring for an entrance as the Blue Blazer. Hart and WWE later settled a wrongful death lawsuit. While the terms were confidential, Bret Hart wrote in his autobiography that he later learned the settlement was $18 million.
Hart recounted the passing of her husband and the subsequent legal battle against WWE in the book "Broken Hart: The Life and Death of Owen Hart."
Owen's brother Bret has spoken out against the lawsuit, while WWE's attorney Jerry McDevitt has referred to the suit as politically motivated.
PWI