Potential juror in Led Zep trial dismissed after admitting "very strong love for these two guys"

[Miles Archer]

The group reviewing evidence in a trial to decide whether “Stairway to Heaven” included a copied riff won’t include one of Led Zeppelin‘s biggest fans.

Jury selection in the Los Angeles civil trial brought by a trustee of Spirit‘s Randy California began today, with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant on hand in the courtroom. The appointed trustee, Michael Skidmore, filed the plagiarism complaint, which argues that a portion of Led Zeppelin’s iconic 1971 song was lifted from Spirit’s “Taurus,” released three years earlier.

Seven of the first 14 possible jurors were dismissed, including one Led Zeppelin fan who said his “love for these two guys” is “very strong.” A final group, featuring four men and four women, was later sworn in after being vetted by Zeppelin attorney Peter Anderson and fellow lawyer Francis Malofiy, who’s representing the trustee.

U.S. District Court judge R. Gary Klausner has been trying to rein in the circus-like atmosphere that might have surrounded the trial, including barring laptops, cellphones and pens among those in the gallery. Billboard reports that two violators have already been removed from the courtroom. Even those taking photos elsewhere in the building have been told they will be asked to leave.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/led-zeppelin-plagiarism-jury/

[mackerel]

1. 45 years later, good to see they got right on that one.

[cemaphonic]

2. This is one of those cases that I wish could be adjudicated by a panel of experts instead of a jury.

That "Marvin Gaye's estate vs. Robin Thicke" case a year or so back opened the floodgates for a bunch of bullshit copyright suits, and a settlement this high-profile and lucrative has the potential to completely fuck up copyright law as it applies to music. Hopefully, Plant & Page have a lawyer that can explain the technical merits to layman, because the other side can run with emotional appeal, and Zeppelin's long history of justifiable copyright settlements.

[lame54]

4. Fucking up copyright law as it applies to music...

would be a very good thing

But this case is BS

[cemaphonic]

5. Except this sort of case fucks it up worse than it is now!

It would be even more stacked toward established acts and their labels/publishing companies if the defacto standard for copyright infringement becomes "They kinda sound similar."

[Orrex]

3. He was dismissed because he's got a whole lotta love.

[malthaussen]

6. Funny how many of these suits are brought by estates...

... if the putative owner of the copyright didn't bring suit 45 years ago, why would it have merit now?

-- Mal

[Major Nikon]

7. This is the nature of case law

Another case won over similar merits opens the flood gates for others.

[malthaussen]

8. I'm hip.

My question is one of equity, not law. In law, what has merit is whatever works.

-- Mal

[Major Nikon]

9. The law is the means of redress for cases of inequity

At their level, music is big business and is subject to all the trappings of big business.

[OriginalGeek]

10. I read that at some point

the lawyer asked Jimmy if he felt had a gift with the guitar.

Jimmy thought for a few seconds and replied "Well, yeah."

I mean, he's under oath - he gotta tell the truth.