Kat Von D won the copyright lawsuit related to a tattoo of musician Miles Davis last Friday, the 27th, filed by photographer Jeffrey Sedlik in 2021.
The dispute began when Sedlik claimed that a tattoo of a portrait of the jazz artist, done by Von D in 2017, infringed on his copyright over an image captured in 1989 during a cover story for JAZZIZ .
The Decision
After nearly three years since the start of the process, the jury concluded that the reproduction of the tattoo did not violate copyright, acquitting Kat Von D of all charges. The tattoo artist's lawyer emphasized that the case should not even have been brought, and the jury agreed within two hours that there was no infringement.
Upon leaving the courtroom, Kat Von D expressed her happiness with the verdict. "I am extremely happy, grateful, and very thankful," the tattoo artist told Rolling Stone .
"It was two years of nightmare, worrying about the outcome. Not just for me, but for all my fellow tattoo artists and all the people who are fans of the people who got tattooed."
Regarding the outcome, the photographer's lawyer, Robert Allen, expressed disappointment, arguing that important issues should not have reached the jury, especially regarding the similarity between the tattoo and the photograph. He further added that his client is a perfectionist and created his works with rich detail.
READ ALSO : Kat Von D is on trial for alleged illegal use of Miles Davis' image.
