The ten-day trial back in January found the toy company not guilty of copyright infringement for their L.O.L. Surprise O.M.G. dolls, despite claims from the Harrises that the dolls stole the pop group’s aesthetic per Blavity’s report. The case ended in a mistrial due to unauthorized evidence being displayed to jurors.
Of the many issues within the trial, MGA is asking for the T.I. and Tiny to repay their fees for a case that was riddled with “litigation tactics, over-reaching claims, and misconduct,” says the business’ lawyers in a statement revealed by Billboard.
The misconduct at play was a customer’s testimony that the dolls were racist in imagery and culturally appropriated from Black teenage girls. The company successfully fought against the evidence being revealed to jurors as the claims of racism would not grant them a fair trial.
Normally, U.S. Law states that both parties must pay for their own legal representation regardless of the outcome, but the “exceptional” circumstances surrounding the case prompted MGA to ask for a reimbursement from the “Whatever You Like” rapper’s pockets.
The company continued bashing the plantiff for the failed accusation,
“Both in the manner the OMG Girlz litigated this case, and the weakness of the substantive claims and theories the OMG Girlz presented (as confirmed by the jury), the Court should conclude that this case stands out from others.”
While no declaration by the courts has been made yet on T.I. writing a hefty check to MGA Entertainment, the rapper, his wife, and the singers have remained silent on the issue since the conclusion of their failed lawsuit.
RELATED CONTENT: Witness Testimony About Cultural Appropriation; Causes Mistrial in T.I. and Tiny OMG Girlz Lawsuit
Source: Black Enterprise
