The woman who accused actor-screenwriter Tyler Perry of stealing material from her play for his movie “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” lost her federal lawsuit on Tuesday.
Jurors in the East Texas town of Marshall found Donna West did not present evidence that supported her claim of copyright infringement.
In the lawsuit filed in May 2007, West argued that Perry lifted material from a script she wrote titled “Fantasy of a Black Woman.” The play was performed three times in 1991 in Dallas and West contended Perry could have gained access to the script in 1998.
Perry, who testified during the trial, insisted that his screenplay is an original work.
Attorneys for West said Perry was then a newcomer who could not have produced such a script. They plan to seek a new trial.
West, asked for damages and profits made from Perry’s 2005 film, which earned $50 million in theaters.
