Xvod writes on www.xxxporntalk.com: I read an artical from xbiz saying Lex Steele and Vanessa Blue were fighting over copyright. Am I dreaming or isn’t this the same shit Lex went through at Red Light District and whined like a bitch about??? It’s surprising to me that when it’s his studio, he thinks it’s OK to make content deals and then fuck people out of their money and content.
According to the story on www.Xbiz.com, Steele and Blue — have filed federal lawsuits against each other over the ownership of a number of videos that first appeared under the Mercenary Pictures banner. Steele’s the company’s president and is also the chief performer.
Steele claims that Blue appropriated copyrights illegally for various volumes of such Mercenary titles as “Black Reign,” “Superwhores,” “Ebony” and “Climax TV.”
Steele also claims that Blue, who was an employee of the company and directed for them under the name Domina X, provided Mercenary scenes on VanessaBlue.com and earned membership fees over the video-on-demand clips.
Steele’s suit seeks compensatory, as well as punitive damages, along with injunctive relief.
Blue’s separate complaint alleges copyright infringement and breach of an implied contract, among other charges, against Steele, Mercenary and Canada-based HVL Cyberweb Solutions Inc., which allegedly entered into a web distribution deal with Mercenary through its Braincash division.
Blue claims that Steele fraudulently filed for certificates of registration over the titles and that Steele’s company agreed to pay her 75 percent of the gross revenue generated from LexSteele.com.
That promise, Blue contends, was made if she relocated her residence from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, which she eventually did. Blue claims, Steele and his company to date have made at least one payment but breached its contract starting in June 2006.
Blue asks for compensatory damages and enhanced damages over the alleged copyright infringement.
Both cases are wending their way through U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, with Blue’s case against Steele slated next year for jury trial on May 12.
Attorney Michael Fattorosi, www.adultbizlaw.com represents Blue. Attorney Robert Esensten, who represents Steele, did not respond for comment.