Apple is involved in a lawsuit… and it involves Murder!

Apple has been named as a defendant in a 13 page suit along with Viacom and subsidiary TV network BET, by James Prince and Thomas Randle, who claim they were falsely named as murderers.

It all started when Randle and Prince were shown alongside notorious Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover, with a voiceover caption naming them as “murderers,” repeatedly in conjunction with the BET show “American Gangster.” “American Gangster” profiles the rise and fall of notorious black criminals, and in an advertisement and then 3 more times in the actual episode, this photo was shown. The plaintiffs want the episode pulled, but both BET and Apple have refused to pull it from TV and iTunes respectively, which is how Apple is drawn into the case.

“Such patently false, inflammatory and defamatory publications have materially and substantially harmed the reputation of my clients personally and in the business area in which they operate,” wrote the men’s attorney.

Prince and Randle both say that they had previously contacted Viacom and BET to inform them that they were using the photo without permission and that it was damaging to them and their careers, but the company did not listen.

Via [Apple Insider]