A Los Angeles judge has granted request from the 20th Century Fox to scuttle the fraud lawsuit filed by two fraternity brothers who alleged to be duped in making improper remarks in "Borat."
- February 22, 2007
AceShowbiz -
All apparently ends well for the 20th Century Fox regarding the "Borat" versus the two college guys case. Los Angeles Judge Joseph Biderman has finally granted its request to scuttle the fraud lawsuit placed by Christopher Rotunda and Justin Seay who alleged that they were tricked to make racist and sexist comments in the flick.
Fox's attorney, Louis Petrich, previously filed a motion Wednesday, February 14 claiming that the movie at the center of the lawsuit brought against the company and actor Sacha Baron Cohen obviously falls within the state's definition of speech regarding matters of public concern and so, asked the legal suit to be dismissed in turn.
According to courtroom assistant Rosie White, based on her remark to The Hollywood Reporter's media law site hollywoodreporteresq.com, Biderman's ruling is going to be available on Friday, February 23. Responding to this matter, the attorney for Rotunda and Seay, Olivier Taillieu, simply said that his clients would appeal the court's decision.
Rotunda and Seay filed a legal action in November 2006 suing Fox, Cohen, One America Productions, Everyman Pictures and Gold/Miller Productions in November, for fraud, rescission of contract; statutory and common law false light of framing their improper remarks which made them appear "insensitive to minorities." The pair, however, lost their bid for a court order to remove the scene they were in as well as a request to block the DVD release of the movie.
