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Report: Teenager Sues WMG, Buckcherry, And Atlantic Over Video Shoot
September 12, 2006 at 8:16 AM (PT)
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A 16-year-old girl has sued WARNER MUSIC GROUP (WMG) and the rock group BUCKCHERRY, alleging the band "lured the teen to a club where she was coerced into making a pornographic music video," reports the AP. The lawsuit, which was filed SEPTEMBER 7 in LOS ANGELES Superior Court, claims damages in excess of $25,000 against WMG, its ATLANTIC imprint, the band, and several other defendants allegedly involved in the making of the video.
The band allegedly posted a notice on MYSPACE inviting fans to attend a casting call at a L.A. nightclub to make the video, noting free food and alcohol would be provided, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff, listed only as JANE DOE in the suit, attended the shoot and was allegedly "repeatedly urged to drink shots of alcohol and filmed while engaged in sexually explicit acts with another girl, the lawsuit states."
The band's attorney, SKIP MILLER, said precautions were taken to keep minors out of the video shoot. He told the L.A. TIMES the plaintiff "must have presented fake identification showing she was over 18."
"This woman filled out a release form with false information. And once it was determined this woman was underage, the video was removed," MILLER told the newspaper. The teen claims in the lawsuit she was never asked to show proof of her age.
In a statement, WMG said the video was produced before BUCKCHERRY was signed to ATLANTIC. The video shoot took place in OCTOBER, but the band was signed to the label in MAY, according to the statement.
"We were distressed when we were notified that there was an underage performer in the video and acted immediately to remove the video from circulation. We take these issues seriously and we regret this happened," the company statement said.
Airing of the video caused the teen "severe emotional distress," the complaint states.
"What's very troubling to us is that our client's mother contacted ATLANTIC back in JUNE and nothing was really done," said the plaintiff's attorney, DOUGLAS N. SILVERSTEIN.
"The fact is, they were serving alcohol to these girls," added SILVERSTEIN. "Everybody knows you have to be 21 to drink alcohol."