Gregory L. Hudson

Why I Sued Eddie Murphy Gregory L. Hudson

In 2002 playwright Gregory L. Hudson filed a 100 million dollar copyright infringement lawsuit against Eddie Murphy, Heavy D, Universal Pictures, Robert Ramsey, Matthew Stone, Imagine Films Entertainment, and Brian Grazer over the "hit" movie, Life, starring Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Bernie Mac, Ned Beatty, and Heavy D. Hudson's lawsuit alleged that "protected elements" (characters, scenes, dialogue, etc.) from Hudson's hilarious stage play comedy, No Harm, No Foul, was used to create the "Academy Award-winning hit movie" (released in 1999) without Hudson's permission after a promise to pay him.

This "true story" is cleverly written and tells Hudson's "heart-pumping" journey from the day he learned his play had been use through how he "single-handedly tracked down" Murphy, Heavy D, Universal, and served them with the lawsuit. Chapter thirteen, "The 100 Year Curse," paints a chilling picture of hard times encountered by Murphy and others associated with Life and its creators.

This "David and Goliath" story highlights copyright theft against independent artists and the unfairness of the American judicial system. It shows Hudson's betrayal by his lawyers and how he was prejudice by federal judges, which shouldn't happen to anyone.