Byrne v. British Broadcasting Corporation

DISCLAIMER:
BBC logo used only to identify adversary

By George Rush & Joanna Molloy

Irish-American rapper Chris Byrne is going after the BBC.

The co-founder of the New York band Black 47 charges in a lawsuit filed yesterday in a Manhattan federal court that the broadcaster used his recording "Fenians" without permission to deliver an "anti Irish message" on a documentary about alleged gunrunners.

"The BBC stole both my work and my reputation to service their theory that Irish Republicans are fundamentally dishonest," Byrne said in a statement .

The BBC declined to comment.

LATEST NEWS

• Byrne v. BBC Settled. BBC To Apologize On The Air
• Federal Court Gives Green Light To Irish-American Rapper's $5 Million Copyright Case Against The BBC

COURT PAPERS

• Affidavit of Former BBC Producer Martin Dillon in Opposition to BBC Motion to Dismiss
• Affidavit of Human Rights Solicitor Geoffrey Bindman in Opposition to BBC Motion to Dismiss
• Affidavit of PBS Documentary Producer Daniel Polin in Opposition to BBC Motion to Dismiss
• Our Brief in Opposition to BBC Motion to Dismiss
• The Complaint

COURT DECISIONS

• Federal Court Decision Denying BBC Motion to Dismiss

MEDIA COVERAGE

• Sunday Times of London - "An Expensive Tune" BBC Apologizes
• The Sun - Rapper Sues BBC Over Song 'Slur' - 4/27/00
• The Irish News - US Rap Star Sues BBC Over Copyright - 4/28/00
• Andersonstown News - "Fenians" Writer Sues BBC - 4/29/00
• The Sunday Times (London) - BBC Faces $5m Republican Rap - 4/30/00
• The People - Ex-Nypd Cop In $5 Million Bid To Sue Beeb - 4/30/00
• Home & Away - Irish American Artist Sues Bbc - 5/01/00
• The Irish Voice - Off The Record - 5/3/00
• The Record (Bergen County, NJ) - An Irish Stew Simmering With Politics And Hip-Hop - 7/21/00
• New York Law Journal - Copyright Infringement Suit Advances Against British Broadcasting Corp. - 3/1/01
• The Sunday Times - Republican Rapper Wins Right To Fight BBC In America - 3/4/01
• Ireland On Sunday - Seanchai Scores Major Victory In BBC Lawsuit - 3/4/01
• Irish Echo - BBC Blanked In Manhattan Court Again - 3/14/01
• The East Hampton Independent - A Court Win For An Irishman With Roots In Montauk - 3/16/01
• Irish Voice - How Byrne Beat The BBC - 10/01
• Irish Echo - Rapper Byrne Wins BBC Case - 10/3/01
• Irish Echo - Unrepentent Fenian, Well.... - 10/17/01

LINKS

• The Pat Finucane Center for Human Rights and Social Change
• Bloody Sunday Trust
• British Irish Rights Watch
• Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
• For the Love of Ireland
• The [Irish] Nation
• The Rosemary Nelson Campaign
• Committee on the Administration of Justice
• Lower Ormeau Concerned Community
• Irish Orange Watch Committee
• Sinn Féin
• The Irish People
• Irish Northern Aid Committee
• For Justice In Ireland