Manuel Noriega Sues Activision Over Likeness
Noriega Doesn't Agree With His Portrayal in the "Call of Duty" Franchise
Infamous Panamanian dictator, Manuel Noriega, is suing Activision for the “blatant misuse” of his image in "Call of Duty: Black Ops II." Noriega is most notable for his dictatorial role in Panama from 1983 till he was ousted by a American-led invasion in 1989. Noriega was extradited to the United States and found guilty on numerous charges including drug trafficking, money laundering, and racketeering.
“Plaintiff was portrayed as an antagonist and portrayed as the culprit of numerous fictional heinous crimes, creating the false impression that defendants are authorized to use plaintiff's image and likeness. Noriega, Court House News
Apart from being portrayed in "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" as a “kidnapper, murderer, and enemy of the state,” Noriega has also taken offense to the idea of Activision making more money off of the premise of historical realism, a history that Noriega is denying. According to Noriega's lawyer, this type of image likeness means that Noriega is in need of payment from the sales "Call of Duty: Black Ops II."
The questions is, how well will Noriega’s claim hold up in an American courts, especially considering he isn’t an American citizen. Well, according to the BBC, not that well.
Noriega isn't a US citizen or even a resident. This means that his legal claim becomes questionable, because it's unclear on what legal basis he can actually bring a case against Activision. BBC
Whether or not this case withers and dies before Noriega is able to save his fragile reputation only time will tell, but this type of anger of video game likeness will only grow in the coming years.
Source: Courthouse News Service BBC News
