Pryor Cashman has obtained a $9.4 million judgment for willful copyright infringement on behalf of its clients, plaintiffs  Capitol Records, LLC, Screen Gems-EMI Music, Inc., Colgems-EMI Music, Inc., EMI Full Keel Music, Inc., EMI Unart Catalog Inc. and Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment Company, Inc., against Anthony Defries, a former manager of David Bowie, and his related entities.   

The case was pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and was presided over by Judge Kevin P. Castel.

The Judgment awarded Pryor Cashman’s clients enhanced statutory damages of $50,000 per work infringed together with attorney’s fees for a total of $9.4 Million. 

The nearly 200 works infringed included copyrighted sound recordings embodying the performances of such legendary recording artists as David Bowie and Iggy Pop, as well as copyrighted musical compositions performed by David Bowie, Iggy Pop and John Mellencamp. The copyrights that Defries and his related entities were found to have willfully infringed included such classic recordings and songs as Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Space Oddity, Changes and Jack and Diane and albums such as Alladin Sane, Bowie at the Beeb, Pin Ups, Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust.

Plaintiffs were represented by Donald Zakarin, Chairman of Pryor Cashman’s Litigation Group, Litigation Partner Ilene Farkas, and Associate Eric Fishman.

To read the Court’s December 12, 2012 decision and the December 21, 2012 judgment, please click here.