After two weeks of court proceedings, the “Blurred Lines” copyright trial in downtown Los Angeles is now in the hands of the jury.
The attorney representing Marvin Gaye’s family put on a dramatic show in his closing arguments Thursday by accusing Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams of a “campaign of changing statements,” and claiming that they had deliberately tried to confuse and distract the jury away from the fact that they copied Marvin Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got To Give It Up” with their 2013 song.
Richard Busch claimed that ever since the case began, the two have lied and that anyone who has heard “Blurred Lines” — including their own record company, Universal Music Group — knows it’s a copy of “Got To Give It Up.”
“When you do something wrong and you lie and you don’t tell the truth, there are consequences,” he told the jury. After emphasizing that the Gaye family (Marvin’s children Nona, Frankie and Marvin III, and ex-wife Jan) are there to protect their father’s work and legacy, Busch appealed to the jury saying, “The children brought it this far. Now we’re relying on you.”
On the opposite side of the argument, Howard King, attorney for the singer-songwriters, calmly told the jury that “music is magic” and that you can’t “copyright a groove.”
While emphasizing that his clients would never allow him to say anything negative about the Gaye family, King said he questions whether the children are truly in court to protect their father’s legacy.
With Williams’ brilliant mind and massive success in the music industry, “Why would he need to copy anyone to create a hit?” King asked, adding that the musicians would never risk copying a song and having to withstand an ensuing highly publicized court case — just as they currently are doing. “Why would they endure a proceeding like this where their personal and financial details are displayed to the world?
“What was created by Mr. Williams and Mr. Thicke was their own creation,” he stressed.
Jury deliberations resume Friday morning.