No Doubt settles lawsuit over 'Band Hero' vid game

LOS ANGELES (AP) — No Doubt has settled its lawsuit against gaming giant Activision over the use of band members' likenesses in the video game "Band Hero," court records state.

The settlement was reached Monday, a few weeks before trial was set to begin on the band's claims of fraud, violation of publicity rights, and breach of contract.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

The band's attorney, Bert Deixler, declined comment. Michael Zeller, an attorney for Activision, did not immediately return a phone message.

The band sued Activision Publishing Inc. over a feature in the game that allows players to perform the songs of other artists using the likenesses of No Doubt front woman Gwen Stefani and other band members.

Activision had denied all wrongdoing and argued the idea of "unlocking" unadvertised features of a video game has been around since the early days of the industry.

The game debuted in November 2009 and was a spinoff of Activision's popular "Guitar Hero" game series.

No Doubt's lawsuit was filed after the release of "Band Hero" and claimed it turned the group into a "virtual karaoke circus act."

The case cited instances in which players could use Stefani's avatar to perform suggestive lyrics from the Rolling Stones' hit "Honky Tonk Women," or have a virtual version of bassist Tony Kanal sing his band's hit "Just a Girl" in Stefani's voice.

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NYC seeks footage for Central Park jogger lawsuit

NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for the city are seeking access to footage gathered by documentary filmmaker Ken Burns in research for his movie about the five men exonerated in the Central Park jogger rape case.

The city has issued a subpoena for the outtakes and other materials from the film "The Central Park Five," its Law Department confirmed Wednesday.

The request is connected to a $250 million federal lawsuit filed by the men against the city nine years ago, after their sentences were vacated. They were exonerated after a man already jailed for other crimes confessed to the attack, and DNA evidence supported his claim.

In April 1989, a 28-year-old investment banker was found in the park after being beaten and raped while jogging. She was in a coma for 12 days and was left with permanent damage. In 2003, Trisha Meili disclosed her identity and published her memoir.

At the time of their arrest, the five suspects, then teens, were held for more than 24 hours before they confessed. All later recanted, and they claim the confessions were coerced. City lawyer Celeste Koeleveld has said the city stands by the decisions made by the detectives and prosecutors in bringing the case against the five men.

For years, the city has refused requests by Burns and his team to interview officials about the case, said Burns, who has said he hopes the film will help push the city to settle the case.

Attorney John Siegal, who represents Burns and others who worked on the project, argued the city won't be able to prove the film and notes are necessary to its defense and unavailable elsewhere. The city must do so to get access to the material, he said.

Koeleveld says the city should receive access to the recordings.

"The plaintiffs' interviews go to the heart of the case and cannot be obtained elsewhere," Koeleveld said. "If the plaintiffs truly want an open airing of the facts, they should encourage the filmmakers not to hide anything."

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