A lawyer for a former federal prosecutor who is suing LeBron James, Drake and Future for $10 million over claims they lifted intellectual property rights to a movie about the segregated Canadian hockey league for black players, has that he had ‘no choice’ but to do so.
Billy Hunter the former head of the NBA Players Association and a former federal prosecutor – says the he acquired the legal rights to produce any film about the Colored Hockey League that began in 1895.
Hunter has named the NBA legend, his business partner Maverick Carter, and the singers in a suit alleging the new documentary Black Ice violates the terms of his previous acquisition of the rights to tell the story of the league, popular at the turn of last century.
In the lawsuit, filed by Hunter’s attorney Larry Hutcher in Manhattan State Supreme Court reads: ‘While the defendants LeBron James, Drake and Maverick Carter [LeBron’s business partner] are internationally known and renowned in their respective fields of basketball and music, it does not afford them the right to steal another’s intellectual property.’
In a statement to DailyMail.com Hutcher explained his reasonings for taking legal action.
‘There was no choice’ but to file the suit. The athlete and rappers have not responded to any inquiries following the initial cease and desist letter,’ Hutcher wrote.
NBA all-star Lebron James and superstar rapper Drake are among those listed as defendants in Hunter’s $10 million suit over the intellectual property of ‘Black Ice’
‘Billy always thought this was going to be a powerful story and it was literally shocking to him when he found out that the documentary was moving forward.’
‘The legal team considered an injunction to stop the moving from playing at the Toronto International Film Festival but decided against it.’
Attorney, Hutcher, says that Hunter continued to develop the project no matter what and had attempted to court ‘major Hollywood stars’ – including Joseph Fiennes.
Hunter has described it as the ‘sports version of hidden figures’ and is ‘not afraid’ to continue fighting for what he rightfully bought.
Hunter has accused the defendants, which also include The Springhill Company and Uninterrupted Canada – James’ entertainment companies – and Drake and Future’s entertainment brand – Dreamcrew Entertainment – of negotiating a deal that negated Hunter’s legal film rights to the book that the documentary is based on, ‘Black Ice: The Lost History of the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes, 1895 to 1925.’
Billy Hunter, the former longtime head of the NBA Players Association, is suing LeBron James, Drake, Future, and their respective business partners and entertainment companies over what he is claiming is a breached intellectual property agreement for the story of the historical all black Canadian hockey league.
Promo image for ‘Black Ice,’ based on the critically acclaimed book by George and Darril Fosty, who sold the exclusive film rights to the story to Hunter for a total sum of $265,000
The suit additionally names the book’s co-authors George and Darril Fosty of breaching their contract with Hunter, to whom they sold the rights to produce a movie based on the book for a total sum of $265,000.
The complaint alleges that, when confronted about working with James, Drake, and their affiliated companies, the Fostys claimed that the competing venture did not qualify as a violation of Hunter’s ‘exclusive worldwide license.’
The documentary produced by the big-name entertainers is set to be showcased at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10.
Drake and James and their business affiliates reportedly paid the Fostys a $100,000 fee to acquire the already optioned film rights to produce their ‘Black Ice’ documentary, despite Hunter’s legal rights to the story. They and their companies are accused of ‘acting with malice’
One of James’ entertaining groups – Uninterrupted Canada – was named as a defendant in the suit
The festival is known for attracting stars with films they hope will be critical darlings to promote and the timing of Hunter’s lawsuit will no doubt add to the buzz surrounding the film’s debut.
Hunter, 79, who was briefly a professional football player in the 1960s, told the New York Post that he thinks the defendants never truly ‘believed the property rights would be litigated.’
‘They thought I would go away. They gambled’ he said.
This is not the first time Hunter has been involved in a high-profile lawsuit. In 2013, following a falling out with the NBA players union, he was ousted from his post as head of the players association after serving in his role for 16 years.
He filed suit against the union for being replaced and a confidential settlement was ultimately reached between the two parties.
