New York Supreme Court's appellate division issues a stay on an injunction, which prevented Lifetime from airing and promoting 'Romeo Killer: The Christopher Porco Story'.
- March 22, 2013
AceShowbiz -
Lifetime scored a victory in the legal battle agaist Christopher Porco who is seeking to prevent the network from airing a movie about himself. On Tuesday, March 19, Clinton County Supreme Court Judge Robert J. Muller issued an injuction against the "Romeo Killer: The Christopher Porco Story" debut, but the situation has now overturned.
On Thursday, New York State Appellate Division, Third Department, issued a stay on the injunction, meaning that Lifetime can air the telepic as planned, Saturday, March 23 at 8 P.M. ET/PT. Moreover, Porco has been ordered to show cause on why the injunction order shouldn't be lifted in a hearing scheduled for April 10.
Judge Muller granted Porco the injunction earlier this week in response to a motion filed by the convicted killer in February. Porco, who is serving 50 years to life for a second degree-murder of his father, claimed that the movie "substantially fictionalized account ... about plaintiff and the events that led to his incarceration" and used his name for "purposes of trade," in violation of New York Civil Rights Law section 51.
In its defense, Lifetime said that "the essential elements of the movie are true and accurate and based on court and police records, interviews with persons involved, and historical and other documents."
The cable channel filed an emergency appeal on Wednesday, arguing that "a preliminary injunction will have a devastating financial and reputational impact on Lifetime, with millions of dollars in investment, lost revenues, and untold harm to its brand."
Lifetime is now promoting the movie as the "Lifetime original movie Chris Porco doesn't want you to see." It also states that "the two-hour film is inspired by the true story of a handsome young college student who became the prime suspect in the shocking murder of his father."
