Law and Crime Sues Court TV For Claiming It’s Only Network Providing Live Coverage of Entire Derek Chauvin Trial
Attorney Eric Nelson and Derek Chauvin
Law and Crime Network has sued Court TV for false advertising and unfair business practices after Court TV promoted itself as “the only multi-platform network devoted to live, gavel-to-gavel coverage, in-depth legal reporting and expert analysis” of the Derek Chauvin trial, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The complaint, filed in New York, said that Court TV has been promoting itself as the only network providing comprehensive live coverage of the trial of Chauvin, the police officer accused of killing George Floyd after kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Law and ;Crime — Mediaite’s sister company — alleges that Court TV continued to promote itself in this way, despite knowing that Law and Crime was also providing gavel-to-gavel, comprehensive live trial coverage.
“Prior to the start of the Chauvin Trial on March 2, 2021, and in a likely effort to combat Law and Crime Network’s success, Court TV distributed an announcement entitled ‘How to Watch: Court TV’s Live Coverage of MN v. Derek Chauvin,’” the complaint said. The announcement “falsely claimed it was ‘the only multi-platform network devoted to live, gavel-to-gavel coverage, in-depth legal reporting and expert analysis of the nation’s most important and compelling trials.’”
According to the complaint, Court TV’s announcement caused Law and Crime’s distribution partners to contact the network and ask if it was still planning to cover the live proceedings.
“Law and Crime was forced to explain that, of course, Court TV was not the only outlet covering the trial live,” the complaint said.
Court TV continued promoting itself as the only network providing live coverage of the trial, even after Law and Crime sent Court TV a cease and desist letter, asking that Court TV change its promotional materials so that it was clear Court TV wasn’t the only network providing live coverage of the case, the complaint said.
According to the complaint, Court TV General Counsel James Kimmell responded to L&C, saying “Thank you for letting us know that Law and Crime will be covering the Chauvin trial,” and adding that “Court TV has modified its promotional materials accordingly.”
However, days later, Court TV “issued a new press release titled ‘Court TV’s Coverage of the Death of George Floyd Murder Trial Begins,’ where it made the same or similar misleading and false statements,” the complaint said. That press release said that “Court TV will be the only network in the world to cover the proceedings live and in their entirety,” according to an exhibit filed with the complaint.
The complaint also alleged that Court TV is purposely mischaracterizing its role as the “pool” camera for the trial, meaning that Court TV will distribute the live courtroom feed to all networks and media covering the Chauvin trial, in real time.
“Serving as ‘the pool’ does not afford a network any more, or earlier, access to the feed or footage,” the complaint said, “and is usually a somewhat random designation simply done to ensure an orderly process for the court and media alike.”
Law and Crime is asking for an injunction prohibiting Court TV “from engaging in false or misleading advertising” regarding its coverage of the Chauvin trial, an order requiring Court TV to correct its previous assertion that it’s the only network providing comprehensive coverage, and other relief.
Notably, Law and Crime isn’t requesting monetary damages at this point.
“Ensuring a fair trial for Derek Chauvin, sympathy for the heartbroken family of George Floyd, and an opportunity for the public to have accurate information about this critically important event ought to be the primary focus,” the complaint said. “Consequently, despite the fact that financial damages to plaintiff have been real, quantifiable, and are clearly warranted, Plaintiff does not, at this time, seek monetary damages. Plaintiff merely demands that Court TV be forced to cease its deceptive practices and remedy its past wrongs.”
Court TV did not respond to the Hollywood Reporter’s request for comment.
