Actor Tyler Perry returned to federal court in Marshall, Texas, today to face allegations he stole material from someone else for his blockbuster film Diary of a Mad Black Woman.
Donna West of Fort Worth is suing the actor-screenwriter for copyright infringement. She is asking the jury to award her family all profits made from the film, which totaled approximately $50 million.
"I can't put my play on because the stories are basically the same and nobody wants to see that again," she said.
West testified Tuesday that she developed a script titled Fantasy of a Black Woman based primarily on her own experiences. With her in the starring role, the play was performed in July 1991 at the Junior Black Academy of Arts and Letters at the Dallas Convention Center.
"The play was opened to the public. Anyone could have attended," West said.
Perry's movie came out in 2005. Jurors on Tuesday watched it and listened to a reading of the script from West's play.
In her opening statement to the jury, Perry's attorney, Veronica Lewis, said Perry is an "immensely talented" individual who was already successful and had no need to use the materials of others.
The case is expected to be completed early next week.
From The Associated Press
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