The Strange Case Of Lance Dutson

[Dave Zan]

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/topnews/wpn-60-20060429TheStrangeCaseOfLanceDutson.html

A Maine-based blogger has been sued for copyright infringement, defamation, and libel for posting complaints about a Maine tourism campaign.

How far does free speech go online? Dutson's role as defendant in a case brought by the creator of a tourism ad campaign for the state of Maine, Warren Kremer Paino, may determine that. Dutson has been a critic of the state government and of the contractors Maine brought in to do this work.

Dutson copied an ad created for a January 2006 presentation made to the state government for the tourism program. The ad was part of a PowerPoint presentation, and is still available on the state's website (hat tip to Publishing 2.0 blogger Scott Karp for pointing to it.)

The firm claims copyright infringement has been committed. It probably did not help that the sample phone number on the ad just happens to connect to the kind of phone service a lonely person might call out of sexual desperation. Or that Dutson made note of that.

The defendant posted about this in his personal blog:

http://www.mainewebreport.com/2006/04/27/state-contractor-files-federal-lawsuit-against-me/

 

[scrsteven]

Wow, what a story. Blogger rights being attacked!

 

[jberryhill]

Don't know what his problem is, but I got to here:

This is supposed to be our biggest industry, but it’s being run like a trailer-park daycare on its 3rd notice from the Human Services people.

...and promptly determined that Lance Dutson is the sort of person who is not going to get any sympathy from me.

Maybe the State will win, and Lance will have to spend some time living the lifestyle of those he looks down upon.