Wrestler's widow suing WWE, Conn. Senate candidate:

[Montague]

source: Associated Press/AP Online


Wrestler's widow suing WWE, Conn. Senate candidate
6/22/2010 9:23:00 AM

By SUSAN HAIGH
HARTFORD, Conn. - The widow of a World Wrestling Entertainment performer who died in a 1999 stunt says she's suing the Connecticut-based company and its leaders, including Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon.
Martha Hart said McMahon, who stepped down as WWE chief executive to run for Senate, and her husband, Vince, the current chairman, have continued to use Owen Hart's image to promote the business despite agreeing to stop after his death.
Hart is filing her lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Hartford.

Owen Hart died when he fell 78 feet from a harness as it lowered him into a wrestling ring in Kansas City, Mo., on May 23, 1999.
He was 34.
His family sued the WWE and several other defendants in the death.
Martha Hart agreed to a $18 million settlement with the WWE in 2000.

In her new lawsuit, she alleges the WWE and the McMahons violated a contract that restricts the use of Owen Hart's name, likeness and wrestling footage.
She said in a written statement Tuesday that she learned earlier this year that his image was appearing in WWE promotional materials.
"In the 11 years since Owen's tragic and avoidable death, I have worked tirelessly to disassociate Owen's name and likeness from anything related to WWE in order to protect our children from any reminder of the circumstances surrounding their father's death, and to avoid any misplaced perception that I endorse WWE," she said in a statement.

Representatives for the WWE and McMahon's Senate campaign said they could not immediately comment but expected to release statements later Tuesday.


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[Playboy]

Fucker, you beat me to it 

I just read this article myself a few moments ago. People never seise to amaze me. She already got 18 million dollars in a lawsuit settlement which the WWE rightly paid after Owen's tragic accident. Now she wants more $$$. More $$$ is not gonna bring her dead husband back. This is definately a cash grab IMO. If she is worried that her kids might see their father on TV then maybe she should change the channel or give them a reality check. Life goes on. Just my two pennies.

[Montague]

 

Yeah.
Either she's simply after more money, or she honestly wishes to live in denial for the rest of her & her children's lives.
Or both!

I'd hate to think she's merely exploiting her husband's tragedy.
However, I don't know the woman, so I can't accurately speculate either way.

[Playboy]

Yeah.
Either she's simply after more money, or she honestly wishes to live in denial for the rest of her & her children's lives.
Or both!

I'd hate to think she's merely exploiting her husband's tragedy.
However, I don't know the woman, so I can't accurately speculate either way.

Gotta be after more cash. Gotta be. Why else sue? These people make me laugh.

What do ya think of Batista going to MMA, Mont?

Also, I we could all get our wish and have  WWE Bobby Heenan DVD very soon. If so, i'm definately buying it asap. Along with the Curt Henning DVD as well.

[Montague]

I would definitely buy the Heenan DVD.
He’s one of my all time favorite characters, and also one of the most intelligent.

As for Batista, I couldn't care less either way.
I doubt he'll go far in Hollywood, unless he settles for doing those crappy B-type movies on the Sci-Fy channel.
I don't know what other options he has, but MMA wasn't among those I expected to see him delve into.

Whatever he does, I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually pops up in TNA in some capacity.
Wonder how he'd go over in Japan.

[Playboy]

I would definitely buy the Heenan DVD.
He’s one of my all time favorite characters, and also one of the most intelligent.

As for Batista, I couldn't care less either way.
I doubt he'll go far in Hollywood, unless he settles for doing those crappy B-type movies on the Sci-Fy channel.
I don't know what other options he has, but MMA wasn't among those I expected to see him delve into.

Whatever he does, I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually pops up in TNA in some capacity.
Wonder how he'd go over in Japan.

At age 41 i'm not sure what kind of a "career" he would have. He would defiantely get the shit kicked out of him. He may be big but MMA is a different world. Not entertainment. He doesn't even have a martial arts background.

Heenan is GOLD. I would love to here his commentary on his DVD.

[Montague]

I wonder how much they’ll have as far as current commentary.
Bobby had a pretty difficult time speaking when he last appeared on some WWE DVD’s several years ago.

I know he ran into some complications following his jaw surgery.
Last I heard, he pulled out of some fan convention about a year or so ago after the jaw became infected.
I haven’t seen any news at all posted about him since then.

I'd really like to know how he's doing now.

[Playboy]

I wonder how much they’ll have as far as current commentary.
Bobby had a pretty difficult time speaking when he last appeared on some WWE DVD’s several years ago.

I know he ran into some complications following his jaw surgery.
Last I heard, he pulled out of some fan convention about a year or so ago after the jaw became infected.
I haven’t seen any news at all posted about him since then.

I'd really like to know how he's doing now.

There is a recent Booby Heenan pic on the net (standing next to King Kong Bundy) at an autographing event and the poor guy looked happy but very rough. It was a very graphic pic. I'd post it on here but I don't know how.

More on the WWE vs Martha Hart:

UPDATED REPORT: WWE has made an official statement on Martha Hart's lawsuit. WWE's lead attorney Jerry McDevitt claims Martha Hart's lawsuit is the first time WWE has heard from her since both sides settled Owen Hart's wrongful death lawsuit in 2000. He stated that "WWE has the right to use its own copyrighted material."

Martha gave an interview with the Politico and said, "WWE certainly has no problem marketing, distributing products with [Owen Hart's] likeness on it which again, create a false association between me and the WWE, which does not exist. I have to scream it to the world: I have no association with these people."

She also claims to have sent the WWE a cease-and-desist desist" letter on March 25, 2010 before the Hart and Soul DVD set was released, which contradicts McDevitt's claim, and stated there is no political motivation behind her lawsuit or its timing.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Owen Hart's widow, Martha Hart, has filed a lawsuit against WWE today. She is suing WWE for continuing to use Owen Hart's name and likeness "despite agreeing to stop upon his death." WWE does not sell any Owen Hart merchandise, but his name was brought up during the Stu Hart Hall of Fame induction last year and Bret Hart has mentioned Owen on TV from time to time. WWE also used Owen's name on a display at the WrestleMania AXXESS event dedicated to the Hart Family and Owen was also featured in the Hart & Soul DVD release. Owen matches are also scheduled to be on the upcoming RAW 1993-1994 DVD.

According to the Associated Press, Linda McMahon is one of the defendants in the lawsuit. The full lawsuit can be read at http://www.marthahartsueswwe.com/ Here's the press release on the lawsuit... Widow of Deceased Professional Wrestler Owen Hart Files Lawsuit Against World Wrestling Entertainment, Vince McMahon & Linda McMahon WWE continues to use Owen Hart's Name and Image for Marketing more than 11 Years After he Was Killed in a WWE-sponsored Stunt; In Violation of Contract and Contrary to Family's Wishes HARTFORD, Conn., June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Martha Hart, the widow of the late Owen Hart, a professional wrestler who was killed in a May 1999 stunt orchestrated by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) today filed suit in the U.S. District Court here against WWE, Vince McMahon (current chairman and CEO) and Linda McMahon (CEO until 2009). The lawsuit alleges the WWE and the McMahons used Owen Hart's name and likeness without right in dozens of commercial videos and other materials, violated a contract restricting the use of Owen Hart's name, likeness and wrestling footage, and disregarded Martha Hart's wishes against further association of her late husband's name with WWE following his death. (Mrs. Hart and WWE settled a wrongful death lawsuit in 2000. Mrs. Hart established the Owen Hart Foundation later that year.) "In the eleven years since Owen's tragic and avoidable death, I have worked tirelessly to disassociate Owen's name and likeness from anything related to WWE in order to protect our children from any reminder of the circumstances surrounding their father's death, and to avoid any misplaced perception that I endorse WWE," said Martha Hart in a statement. "Unfortunately, even though WWE, Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon were and are well aware of my wishes and desire to shield my children from WWE and its activities, I was shocked to learn earlier this year that they have been using Owen's name and likeness in videos, websites, television programs and print materials. Given this callous, insensitive and irresponsible behavior, one must question the moral character of Vince and Linda McMahon and the manner in which they conduct their business." According to the lawsuit filed today before the U.S. District Court in Hartford, "Since Owen's death, the WWE and McMahons have sought every available opportunity to further exploit Owen's personality for their own commercial benefit. Their use of Owen's name and likeness draws attention to the WWE's ongoing violent and highly questionable theatrical activities that caused Owen's death. Defendants' use of Owen's name and likeness is also in direct disregard of Martha's and her children's objections...The WWE's wrongful use of Owen's name and likeness, over Martha's continuing objection to any association with defendants and in the absence of any legal right of use, creates the wrongful impression that Martha and the Estate now support, approve or condone the video (which they do not)." The lawsuit seeks to enjoin the WWE from further use of Owen Hart's name and likeness, and seeks unpaid royalties as well as damages for breach of contract, copyright infringement, unjust enrichment, accounting and unfair and deceptive trade practices. Mrs. Hart is represented by the law firm Nixon Peabody LLP. Note to Editors: A copy of the complaint can be found at www.marthahartsueswwe.co m Information on the Owen Hart Foundation can be found at www.owenhart.org

Note from Ryan Clark: I'd expect WWE to go after that domain name she has set up.

[Montague]

No wrestler has ever been able to stop McMahon from using video footage he owns - not even Hellwig.

Martha was already compensated - $18 mil.
This suit seems frivolous, vindictive, and downright juvenile.
I wonder if someone else may be partly behind this - maybe the type of person who could have gotten in Michael Benoit’s ear about writing a nice, long, sob letter trying to somehow blame the McMahon family for actions carried forth by his cold-blooded, murderous son, which - coincidentally - coincided with Linda‘s senate run during the primaries.

I’m only speculating.

Regardless, it’s pretty tasteless for her to bash Bret for merely mentioning his dead brother’s name. You aren’t the only one who lost someone you loved, Martha.

I suspect that, if she gets anything at all, Vince will sign over to her a percentage of the sales.
But, I don’t think she’s going to win this one.

Mrs. Hart is represented by the law firm Nixon Peabody LLP. Note to Editors: A copy of the complaint can be found at www.marthahartsueswwe.co m Information on the Owen Hart Foundation can be found at www.owenhart.org

Vince ought to counter-sue her for using “Hart Foundation,” a name to which he owns copyright.

[Playboy]

No wrestler has ever been able to stop McMahon from using video footage he owns - not even Hellwig.

Martha was already compensated - $18 mil.
This suit seems frivolous, vindictive, and downright juvenile.
I wonder if someone else may be partly behind this - maybe the type of person who could have gotten in Michael Benoit’s ear about writing a nice, long, sob letter trying to somehow blame the McMahon family for actions carried forth by his cold-blooded, murderous son, which - coincidentally - coincided with Linda‘s senate run during the primaries.

I’m only speculating.

Regardless, it’s pretty tasteless for her to bash Bret for merely mentioning his dead brother’s name. You aren’t the only one who lost someone you loved, Martha.

I suspect that, if she gets anything at all, Vince will sign over to her a percentage of the sales.
But, I don’t think she’s going to win this one.



Vince ought to counter-sue her for using “Hart Foundation,” a name to which he owns copyright.

Dead on balls accurate.