A photographer is suing hit recording artist Erykah Badu, Universal Music Group Inc. and a D.C. woman who previously worked for the singer over a copyrighted photograph used to market the artist.
The suit, filed Feb. 28 by California photographer Paige Parsons in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks $150,000 in damages for copyright infringement.
The defendants are Badu, her record label, Universal Music, and D.C. resident Carla Sims. Parsons alleges the defendants knowingly copied and distributed her copyrighted photograph even though they never paid to license it.
Universal Music did not return an email for comment. Sims’ attorney, Kennedy Barnes from Lackey Hershman LLP in Dallas, said his client plans to vigorously defend against the charges. He said he just received the lawsuit, and he declined to discuss the merits of the case, saying only that his client does not believe there was any infringement.
The suit also names Frederic Yonnet International Music Group,…
