In the News: “The Hangover Part II” Raises Novel Legal Issue.

Noam Cohen of The New York Times recently reported in “On Tyson’s Face, It’s Art. On film, a Legal Issue” that Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. was sued last month by Mr. S. Victor Whitmill for copyright infringement.  Mr. Whitmill is the tattoo artist that inked the left-side of boxer Mike Tyson’s eye with his Maori-inspired tattoo design. Now, Mr. Whitmill has sued Warner Bros. because the character played by Ed Helms sports the same tattoo in parody of Mike Tyson. If the case does not settle out of court, it will likely be the first case to determine whether and how far copyright law protects body art.   Check out the Complaint and Warner Bros.’ Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction filed in Whitmill v. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Case No. 4:11-cv-752.