Attorney: George Zimmerman stole photographer's work to make paintingLawyer for photographer who took picture of Angela Corey: "You just can't do that."By Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel
1:14 p.m. EST, January 24, 2014
An attorney for the photographer whose picture of State Attorney Angela Corey appears to be the basis for George Zimmerman's latest painting says the artwork is a copyright violation — one his client intends to fight.
The photographer, Rick Wilson, is now being represented by Jacksonville attorney John Phillips. In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel, Phillips said Zimmerman should expect a cease-and-desist letter, and if he doesn't heed it, legal action.
"If you've seen the two photos, it's identical," Philips said, adding: "You just can't do that. You just can't take somebody else's work and make it your own."
Zimmerman's brother revealed the painting Wednesday on Twitter: An red-and-orange image of Angela Corey, the special prosecutor who charged Zimmerman with murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
The image of Corey appears to be an altered reproduction of a photograph Wilson took for the Associated Press April 11, 2012, during a press conference in which Corey revealed Zimmerman would face a second-degree murder charge.
Phillips said the Associated Press has already sent a cease and desist letter to Zimmerman, and he expected to send one on Wilson's behalf Friday afternoon.
If Zimmerman moves forward with plans to sell the image, "the next step would be to, in conjunction with the AP, to file suit against him," Phillips said.
"I don't know what Zimmerman was thinking, but he's stolen Rick's work," Phillips added.
He said a potential lawsuit against Zimmerman would be for injunctive relief — to prevent Zimmerman from continuing to use the photo — as well as civil, and possibly punitive, damages.
"The big word here with Mr. Zimmerman that keeps coming up seems to be accountability," Phillips said.
In an interview with WESH-Channel 2, Zimmerman's painting teacher, Jeff Sonksen, indicated that he taught Zimmerman to paint using "projected images."
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