http://www.clarionledger.com/s...ing-videos/84299200/



Madison man files $50 million suit over hunting videos

Jimmie E. Gates, The Clarion-Ledger 2:15 p.m. CDT May 13, 2016



Madison physician C. Michael Osborne, an outdoor adventurer and hunter, wanted to kill grizzly bears in Alaska.

Osborne went to Alaska on several big game hunts and was introduced to Randy Goza of Wasillas, Alaska, and Goza’s father, Terry Goza, of Hazlehurst.

Upon arrival of one of the trips, Osborne says he met Mississippi native Charles Dixon, who flew him to a remote area of Alaska, to be guided by his son, Clark Dixon of Hazlehurst, a cable TV show host.

During the hunt, Osborne and the other hunters shot video of certain aspects of the expedition for "memory sake." Additionally, Clark Dixon also shot video of certain parts of the trip. They shared pictures and video footage among one another.

None of the hunters had large cameras that would make a person believe a television show was being recorded and produced.


But according to a lawsuit filed this month by Osborne and the Gozas, they say they learned the hunts were appearing on a television show called "Syndicate Hunting" on the Sportsman Channel. Osborne said he learned Clark Dixon was the host of the television show that was created, edited, produced and shown collectively by the defendants, lntermedia Outdoors Holdings, Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks, Sportsman Channel, Syndicate Hunting, The Outdoor Syndicate, LLC, Zap Lab, Ltd., and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, LLC.

The doctor and the Gozas are now seeking $50 million against the Dixons and the companies in the lawsuit filed in Hinds County Circuit Court.

The Clarion-Ledger was unable to get anyone from the Outdoor Sportsman Group/Sportsman Channel to comment about the lawsuit. Clark Dixon, 41, is in federal prison in Arkansas. Charles Dixon couldn't be reached for comment.

“It’s strange to me that you have all these corporations who thought they would take advantage of these people and they wouldn’t say anything,” said Jackson attorney Terris Harris, who represents Osborne and the Gozas.

The lawsuit, which presents only one side of the legal argument, says because of Osborne's success on his first Alaskan hunt with defendants Clark and Charles Dixon, Osborne returned for multiple hunts. And, once again, during those hunts,Clark and Charles Dixon shot video of certain parts of the expedition.


On multiple hunts, Clark Dixon promised the plaintiffs that he would merge all of the hunting footage into a souvenir video.

“Defendants never mentioned the footage would be used for a television show or for any other type of proprietary usages,” the lawsuit says. “Defendants never sought Osborne's permission or approval to his still or video footage for a television show or for any other type of proprietary usages. More importantly, defendants never obtained Osborne's permission to use his likeness or identity in a television show or for any other type of production.”


The lawsuit says Sportsman Channel and Outdoor Channel continued to air episodes of Syndicate Hunting containing Osborne and Goza until September 15, 2015 and Carbon TV continues to play episodes on its website.

In November of last year, Clark Dixon pleaded guilty in federal court in Anchorage to two felony counts involving poaching in the Noatak National Preserve for his role in the illegal take of a brown bear, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, fined $75,000, and ordered to forfeit 17 trophies including grizzly bear, caribou, along with bows and several rifles.

The elderly Dixon also pleaded guilty to poaching-related charges for flying Osborne into their camp on the Noatak National Preserve to hunt grizzly bear, caribou and moose. Osborne killed a grizzly bear without a guide and without the appropriate non-resident permits, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Alaska.

After the hunt, Charles Dixon claimed to have killed Osborne’s grizzly. The elderly Dixon was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine, $10,000 in restitution, and forfeiture of his STOL Quest SQ-4 aircraft used to transport hunters, and illegally take game in and out of the Preserve.

Osborne also pleaded guilty in November for killing the grizzly bear without the proper permits, tags and the same day he was airborne. He was sentenced to five years of probation, fined $65,000, and ordered to pay $16,000 in restitution.

Osborne was also required to forfeit a grizzly bear mount, bull-moose mount, three caribou mounts, and a .375 H&H rifle. And he was required to issue a public service announcement to various publications about his illegal acts.

In a separate case, Terry Goza pleaded guilty to taking a Dall sheep ram, during a same day airborne hunting trip. He was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay a $7,500 fine.

Randy Goza pleaded guilty in December. He was sentenced to five years of probation, ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and $12,000 in restitution.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at 601-961-7212 or jgates@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.

This sort of thing gives all hunters a black eye. It also reveals some of the nasty workings of the TV hunt show industry.

Wow, what a screwed up deal this turned out to be. Sounds like the hunters were suckered into doing things wrong and want to retaliate. Hope they win too.

George

quote:

Originally posted by georgeld:
Wow, what a screwed up deal this turned out to be. Sounds like the hunters were suckered into doing things wrong and want to retaliate. Hope they win too.

George

I disagree. Both hunters were convicted of killing game on the same day they were airborne. There is very little chance that they did not know that this was illegal.

The bottom line is that they are poachers.

I have to agree with Jason on this one. Never have hunted Alaska, but have checked into hunting there and the No Hunting The Same Day Of Flying is one rule that is made abundantly clear.

This is just another case of personal greed on the part of all concerned. Those "Hunters" were not forced to shoot those animals.

50 million? Might as well be 50 billion. With no wrongful deaths (human) involved that is just wishful thinking. I'd be surprised if they collect anything on this. The doctor has enough of his own money to buy some lawyers for a revenge filing. It will drag on several years and his lawyers will either tire of battling the corporate lawyers protecting any deep pockets or the doctor will get tired of writing checks in 10K increments for more filings. The father/son 'guides' are probably very broke now and not collectible.

I'm not a lawyer but I think this is a different kind of tort. If the production company and TV show made millions off the shows they used them in without getting permission and releases then I think they have a claim. As I read it, there were multiple shows and multiple airings. If they sold DVDs of the hunts it's even worse. And it looks like any settlement would be shared by the multiple defendants named in the suit, "... created, edited, produced and shown collectively by the defendants, lntermedia Outdoors Holdings, Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks, Sportsman Channel, Syndicate Hunting, The Outdoor Syndicate, LLC, Zap Lab, Ltd., and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, LLC."

The whole thing makes the hunting industry look like a corrupt, insider controlled, elitist cartel.

quote:

The whole thing makes the hunting industry look like a corrupt, insider controlled, elitist cartel.

I believe as you do in the above comment, and I also believe you may be correct your analysis in the first part of your response.