'Straight Outta Compton': Most of Jerry Heller's Lawsuit Tossed ... Except for Two Scenes
'Straight Outta Compton' Most of Heller's Lawsuit Tossed ... Except for Two Scenes
N.W.A's former manager Jerry Heller just got most of his lawsuit over "Straight Outta Compton" shot down in court -- but the case is still going forward because of one implication.
Heller sued the film's producers, feeling it was filled with defamatory lies about his dealings with the group. A federal judge didn't see it that way, ruling most of the movie did NOT defame Heller ... so he dismissed the suit.
However, the judge did rule Heller might have a point when it comes to 2 scenes. The first shows Heller (played by Paul Giamatti) telling Ice Cube, lawyers "are paid to make trouble" and "create problems where none exists." He was discouraging Cube from getting a lawyer to look over a contract.
The second scene shows Ice Cube telling a reporter about the incident with Heller.
That part of the case will go forward, but Heller still must prove the interaction with Cube didn't happen and that it was written into the script with malice.