Miller Brewing Sues Doctors in Dispute Over Trademark

Miller Brewing Co. has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against a group of physicians that mocked Miller Lite beer with “Killer Lite” T-shirts at a huge, company-sponsored charity event last month.

The suit contends that the organization, Doctors Ought to Care, should be forced to turn over profits from the sale of T-shirts and other items because they included a facsimile of the Miller Lite logo.

The items were sold at a Miller-sponsored event Sept. 3 that drew more than 120,000 people to the Astrodome. The event, featuring a concert by the Who, raised $1 million for the Texas Special Olympics.

Houston physician Alan Blum, a member of the group who is named as a defendant, said the lawsuit is a “malicious” attempt to quiet the Augusta, Ga.-based organization.

The lawsuit, filed Sept. 28 in U.S. District Court in Houston, contends that the T-shirts infringed on the Miller trademark for the purpose of damaging the company’s reputation and diluting its good will.

The company also asked the court to permanently halt distribution of the T-shirts.