Sounds like a fair verdict and I cannot see how it could ever have been in doubt really. It also represents a court's unwillingness to believe that, as one person put it, 'juvenile scribblings' constitutes a complete change and rework of the original. I have no sympathy for Prince whatsoever. After all, if Cariou's work was essentially a 'mere compilation of facts' the least Prince could have done was get off his @ss and produce his own 'mere compilation of facts' from which to work. Even if the originals were 'factual' they were Cariou's 'factual compilations.' Prince's legal position also suggests that a lay person cannot really claim to own something they made unless someone else (read lofty artist like Prince) regards it is 'sufficiently creative as to earn the status of a meaningful creation.' The arrogance is astonishing and as pretentious as the art world can be, I can't help but feel that prince has ruined his credibility in court. There is nothing cool about showing a total lack of respect for other people and the value of their work, while essential admitting you thought you set the value of other people's creations.... and can take at will those things you do not rate highly. For justice to be served, this ought to be the end of Prince's career.
