Tattoo artist Kat Von D is celebrating a win in court after a jury determined she did not violate any copyright laws for a custom tattoo she did featuring an image of jazz legend Miles Davis.
The 41-year-old tattooist and reality show star, whose real name is Katherine von Drachenberg, was seen smiling while leaving the courthouse after the decision, per the Associated Press. The outlet noted that the jury deliberated for just two hours before deciding that Von D was not guilty.
Von D was sued by the artist Jeffrey Sedlik for allegedly copying a portrait he made of Davis in 1989, which she said she used as inspiration to create a tattoo for a friend.
Van D described the image as “fan art” during the trial and said she did the tattoo as a gift. “I made zero money off it. I’m not mass-producing anything. I think there is a big difference,” she said.
The jury determined that the tattoo fell within the legal doctrine of fair use of a copyrighted work.
“I’m obviously very happy for this to be over. It’s been two years of a nightmare worrying about this, not just for myself but for my fellow tattoo artists,” Von D said after the verdict. She also said the whole experience has made her reluctant to return to doing tattoos.
“I think I don’t want to ever tattoo again, my heart has been crushed through this in different ways. We’ll see with time,” she said.
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Her attorney, Allen B. Grodsky, said of the outcome: “We’ve said all along that this case never should have been brought. The jury recognized that this was just ridiculous.”
Meanwhile, Sedlik’s attorney, Robert Edward Allen, said they plan to appeal the verdict. “If those two things are not substantially similar, then no one’s art is safe,” Allen said in a statement.
“It’s about copying others’ protected works,” he added. “It’s not going to hurt the tattoo industry. The tattoo police are not going to come after anyone.”
Von D rose to fame while starring on TLC’s “Miami Ink” starting in 2005. She also starred in the show’s spinoff, “LA Ink,” from 2007 to 2011. The reality star made headlines recently for her conversion to Christianity following years of being associated with witchcraft and a macabre aesthetic.