A US court has sided with Bob Marley's family which sued a company that sold shirts depicting the reggae legend, in a case with potential ramifications for merchandise of other deceased stars.
The estate of the Jamaican icon had filed a suit after low-cost T-shirts - featuring a photo of a speaking Marley next to the yellow, green and red colors associated with his Rastafarian faith - went on sale at Walmart, Target and other major US retailers.
A jury in the western state of Nevada in 2011 awarded more than $2 million in damages to firms owned by Marley's children which said they had lost an order to sell T-shirts at Walmart as the unauthorized rival was distributing a similar product.
The court, which heard a survey of 509 customers at a shopping mall, agreed that the T-shirts could create an impression that Marley had endorsed them.
"We conclude that the evidence presented at trial was sufficient for a jury to find defendants violated the Lanham Act by using Marley's likeness," Smith wrote.
Individual US states have established a right to publicity but, despite longstanding debate, there is no law at a federal level.
"Even now - more than 30 years after his death - Marley's influence continues to resonate, and his iconic image to command millions of dollars each year in merchandising revenue," the court ruling said.
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