Marleys tossle for Rights.. again

Bob Marley

Kencot (Rjr): The widow and nine children of reggae icon Bob Marley have taken legal action to prevent his half brother from using the Marley name to promote an annual Miami music festival and profit from other businesses in Jamaica. The lawsuit filed Thursday in a US federal court contends that the half brother, businessman Richard Booker, and several affiliated companies are violating copyright and trademark laws by using Marley’s name, photographs, lyrics, symbols and other intellectual property without authorization. The Associated Press reports that the lawsuit, filed by Fort Lauderdale attorney Bruce Hemerlee, seeks unspecified damages and also asks a judge to stop Booker and the companies from using any Marley-related references in the various ventures. The lawsuit says people could be deceived into thinking those uses are officially endorsed by Marley’s widow, Rita Marley, and their children. The entities include the Bob Marley Movement of Jah People Inc., which promotes the music festival, a restaurant in Jamaica called Mama Marley’s and several businesses with the name Nine Mile - the part of Jamaica where Marley grew up and is now buried. The lawsuit says Rita Marley and her children have long opposed Booker’s attempts to trademark Marley-related business names and that at one point they reached a licensing deal, but Booker reneged on the deal. The 19th annual festival is scheduled for March of next year on Virginia Key, near Miami.Three of Marley’s children - Stephen, Damien and Julian, are scheduled to perform at the festival. Marley, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died of cancer in 1981 at age 36.