Man still claims Ravens stole logo

Security guard files 2nd action against team

By Childs Walker | Sun Reporter
February 19, 2008

Article tools

A Baltimore man has sued the Ravens for copyright infringement, alleging that the franchise continues to profit from a logo that he designed in 1995.

Frederick E. Bouchat, a security guard from South Baltimore, filed suit last week in U.S. District Court. The amateur artist has long claimed that he created and copyrighted the franchise's original logo. He says the Ravens copied the image and gave him no credit.

In the lawsuit, he says the Ravens have continued to show the logo in various films featuring clips from the 1996, 1997 and 1998 seasons. Bouchat also names NFL Films, the National Football League and The Sun as defendants in the case, because all sell films or photos featuring the logo.

Bouchat asks that a judge order all film and copies of the logo be returned to him so he can destroy them. He also wants the judge to issue an injunction barring the defendants from using the logo.

In 1998, Bouchat convinced a federal jury that he had created the logo months before the team unveiled it. But last fall, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., upheld a lower court's ruling that Bouchat was not entitled to compensation for the drawing.

The Ravens maintain that their designers never saw Bouchat's drawing before creating the logo and that they changed the emblem once they became aware of the copyright problem. Team spokesman Kevin Byrne said he was unaware of the suit and had no comment.

Karen Kaiser, an attorney for The Sun's parent, the Tribune Company, said she could not comment on pending litigation.

childs.walker@baltsun.com

More articles

Copyright © 2008, The Baltimore Sun

Would you recommend this?

Rate it:
No Somewhat Neutral Yes Highly
QUICK LINKS  |  Football
PHOTOS
• Ravens minicamps
• '08 Ravens draft picks
• Joe Flacco
• Ravens draft picks: '96-'08
• 2007 Ravens season
• Baltimore Colts
• More football photos
RAVENS
• Ravens draft database
 • 2008 schedule
 • Roster
 • Stats
 • 2007 archive
 • 2007 results
 • Player Q&As
 • Q&As with Sun reporters
 • Where are they now?
NFL
• '08 AFC schedule
• '08 NFC schedule
• Stats
• Teams
• Super Bowl XLII
 • Odds
 • Official Web site
Talk about it
baltimoresun.com's Ravens/Football message board
Subscribe to this blogBLOG: Ravens Central Ravens Central

Subscribe to this blogBLOG: Moving the Chains Moving the Chains
baltimoresun.com exclusive
Eyeing the NFL
Follow former Maryland tight end Joey Haynos in his quest to make an NFL roster

Search Classifieds

JOBS   CARS   HOMES   SHOP

Other Features

  • Contests
  • Special Sections
  • Fifty Plus

Featured Video Advertisers

Poll: 2008 AFC North champ?

Which team will finish at the top of the AFC North this season?

Download football desktop wallpaper created from Sun photos
> More sports wallpaper
Baltimore Colts

Baltimore Colts

Look through photos of the Baltimore Colts

Going deep

Archived Sun football coverage
> John Unitas
> John Mackey
> Lenny Moore
> Jim Parker
> Raymond Berry
> Gino Marchetti
> More archived coverage
> Going deep: Other sports

Online resources

Download desktop wallpaper created from Sun sports photos
> Orioles
> 1983 World Series
> Ravens
> More

> Sports photo galleries
> Sports blogs
> Sports contests
> Submit sports feedback
Sports Direct newsletter - Subscribe
Sign up for our breaking sports alerts and weekly e-newsletter