BATON ROUGE – Several entertainment companies are suing a French Settlement business and its owner over allegations of copyright infringement.
Broadcast Music Inc., Bocephus Music Inc., Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music et al. filed a complaint on April 15 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana against BB Enterprises of French Settlement, doing business as Moonlight Inn, David Bell and Loretta Bradley alleging that they violated the United States Copyright Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that they will suffer irreparable injury unless and until a decision is rendered in their favor. The plaintiffs holds BB Enterprises of French Settlement, Bell and Bradley responsible because the defendants allegedly publicly performed BMI's copyrighted musical compositions, failed to purchase a license for the public performance of such compositions and threatened to continue committing copyright infringement. The plaintiffs allege they have contacted the defendants more than 50 times about the necessity of purchasing a license.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek an order restraining defendants from infringing copyrighted musical compositions licensed by BMI, compensation for statutory damages, attorneys' fees and costs and for such other and further relief as is just and equitable. They are represented by Mark A. Balkin and Joseph C. Chautin III of Hardy, Carey, Chautin & Balkin LLP in Mandeville.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana Case number 3:16-cv-00244