GUNS N’ ROSES Sued Over Copyright Infringement, Manager Sued For Disturbing Workplace Harassment

The last word dream of each live performance photographer out there’s to be offered with the chance to develop into a tour photographer for a giant band. Nevertheless, evidently goals may flip into nightmares if we’re to consider the small print uncovered in a lawsuit unleashed by ex-Guns N’ Roses photographer Katarina Benzova.

The authorized battle includes claims of copyright infringement and unsettling office sexual harassment. Benzova contends that the band and its administration, Group Brazil, falsely asserted possession over a considerable variety of her images, unleashing a storm of unauthorized makes use of throughout numerous media platforms. The lawsuit alleges not solely copyright infringement but additionally alleges a office setting “utterly devoid of any sexual harassment coverage, sexual harassment handbook, sexual harassment coaching, and human useful resource division”, that left Benzova weak to unwelcome advances from Guns N’ Roses‘s supervisor, Fernando Lebeis.

Benzova‘s lawsuit involves gentle after Guns N’ Roses fired the preliminary salvo with their very own authorized artillery. In a press release with Rolling Stone, the band mentioned Benzova was contracted to supply tour pictures providers for Guns N’ Roses in 2010, and that she “was with the band for 12 years and was paid and handled terribly nicely.” When Benzova providers have been now not required in 2022, “she tried to assert possession of images, which her contract states are owned by the band.” The assertion argues that Benzova “improperly registered” her photographs of the band with the Copyright Workplace and has “falsely alleged copyright infringement towards numerous individuals and entities.”

Benzova‘s lawsuit – however – paints an image of her 12-year stint as a freelancer for the band, emphasizing the dearth of formal contracts throughout substantial durations. She contends that, throughout these uncontracted durations, she was the only real proprietor of her images and secured 180 Copyright registrations for her work. Nevertheless, throughout those self same durations, the band and Group Brazil shamelessly “commercialized at the least 145 of her images” with out authorization, resulting in widespread infringement throughout various mediums. As well as, she can also be searching for a courtroom order that may declare her “the only real proprietor” of the pictures she took since 2010, the interval she wasn’t certain to a written contract.

Benzova claims that Guns N’ Roses and Group Brazil made a behavior of routinely infringing upon her copyright and that of others, including that Lebeis as soon as admitted to “knowingly and deliberately infringing upon” her copyrights, “stating that he knew however was too lazy to present her credit score,” or allegedly going even additional to say “she did not want credit score as a result of everybody already knew that she was the photographer of Guns N’ Roses.”

Including a darker observe to the authorized symphony, Benzova alleges a disturbing sample of sexual harassment by Lebeis, involving undesirable advances, specific messages, and even unsettling makes an attempt to power himself onto her “making an attempt to power her to kiss him.” Benzova asserts that her rejection of Lebeis‘s advances resulted in a sequence of retaliatory actions, together with monetary repercussions – reducing her compensation, withholding cash owed to her – and demotions; reserving her in cheaper resorts; demanding she would pay for flights Group Brazil had allegedly already agreed to pay for; and extra. Benzova‘s claims painting a poisonous dynamic the place makes an attempt to claim her rights have been met with stonewalling, gaslighting, and psychological manipulation.

Whether or not this authorized conflict would be the crescendo to Guns N’ Roses‘ legacy or a mere backstage drama stays to be seen. The allegations, if confirmed, might tarnish the band’s fame and immediate a reevaluation of the trade’s therapy of photographers and freelancers. Within the period of #MeToo and heightened consciousness, the highlight on office harassment and copyright battles could power Guns N’ Roses to confront not simply authorized penalties but additionally a possible shift in public notion.