A&E Television Faces Lawsuit Over Copyright of 3D Jesus Christ (Exclusive)

A graphic artist demands that the History channel atone for stealing his digital resurrection of Jesus and Abraham Lincoln.

The History channel is about to find out whether it broke the first commandment of copyright law.

Raymond Downing, a New York-based 3D digital illustrator, is suing A&E Television Networks, owner of the History Channel, and Left Right Inc., a production company, for infringing the copyright of his virtual reproduction of Jesus by overusing material subject to a licensing agreement.

According to his lawsuit, which has just been moved to a New York federal court, Downing, and his Studio Macbeth firm, first created a virtual depiction of Abraham Lincoln, which he licensed to the History Channel for the 2009 show, Stealing Lincoln's Body. Downing won an Emmy for his work.

But Downing says the rights granted were limited -- History was allegedly only allowed 10 graphic animation sequences and the rights were "non-transferable, non-sublicensable and related solely to the Real Face of Jesus Program for the History Channel."

In November 2010, Downing says he licensed "Jesus Animations" for the Lost 40 Days production for $120,000, but was duped by misrepresentations about what the show would be about.

And even if that licensing deal is legitimate, Downing believes that the defendants have gone beyond the scope of what was allowed in the contract by doing things like using Virtual Lincoln in the Real Faces of Jesus program, using too much of Virtual Jesus and Jesus Animations, falsely representing who created the graphics and broadcasting the content on other A&E affiliates such as the H2 network.

Alleging copyright infringement, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, breach of fair dealing and fraud, he's now seeking an injunction against further use of his Lincoln and Jesus recreations.

Read More: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/ae-television-sued-3d-jesus-381511