Law and Disorder

TV blues

Kordesia Hester v. Nickelodeon Studios and Viacom Inc., Case No. EC050247

Who created the concept for the hit Nickelodeon show “True Jackson, VP”?

Kordesia Hester, a New York corrections officer at Rikers Island, claims she did, and that Nickelodeon Studios stole her idea, according to a lawsuit filed in Burbank Superior Court.

Hester got an e-mail about a Nickelodeon event which was asking writers with diverse backgrounds to create a two-minute pitch for a unique show idea.

Hester, a single mother, and her daughter worked on their pitch and came up with a situational comedy called “Chad Starr the EXEkidTIVE.”

Their story was about a black teen who was struggling to balance his ordinary adolescence while operating a successful entertainment company, according to the lawsuit. Hester flew to Long Beach for the Nickelodeon event in October 2007 and pitched her story to the studio’s vice president, Roland Poindexter. He took her written version of the pitch in exchange for his business card.

She returned to New York and got a call from Poindexter’s secretary, who wanted to set up a conference call. But the call was never set up, and Hester’s calls to Poindexter were never returned. Hester assumed that Poindexter wasn’t interested in her pitch.

A year later, Hester was shocked to see “True Jackson, VP” on the Nickelodeon channel because the show’s story plot was similar to her pitch. She claims the show has the same themes, characters and ideas as her pitch.

Nickelodeon’s conduct, she claims, was “fraudulent, oppressive and malicious.” Hester is suing for more than $25,000 and wants a jury trial.

Ill side effects

Kathleen McColgan v. Gregory Yu and CVS Pharmacy Inc., Case No. EC050331

Kathleen McColgan went to physician Gregory Yu for medical treatment, and he prescribed her two antibiotics in April 2008 to help ease her ailments.

She claims a CVS Pharmacy employee told her that she could take the pills concurrently. But the antibiotics caused her more harm than good, McColgan claims in a lawsuit filed in Glendale Superior Court.

As result of taking the pills, a bacteria known as Clostridium difficile grew inside her intestines. The bacteria causes bloating, diarrhea, constipation and can lead to severe abdominal pain.

Since getting the bacteria, McColgan has had two surgical procedures and suffers from spasms, diarrhea, dehydration, anxiety and depression. She claims that she can no longer enjoy life. McColgan is suing for more than $25,000 in damages.

Cross-suit

Robert Bryar v. Daniel Schaffer, Case No. EC050246

Daniel Schaffer didn’t like reading about some of the allegations Robert Bryar made in a lawsuit against him, so he filed a countersuit in Burbank Superior Court.

Bryar, drummer for the emo band My Chemical Romance, was suing Schaffer for lying about the death of his rescued dog, Dixie, according to the first lawsuit. He claims Schaffer was responsible for his dog’s death.

Schaffer, a self-described dog trainer to the stars, had been caring for the dog in April 2008 while Bryar went to Chicago. But the dog died under his care and Bryar claims that Schaffer made up several elaborate stories to cover up the death.

So Schaffer filed a cross-complaint. He claims that he didn’t cause and was not responsible for the dog’s death. Schaffer also said he is not a public liability, which Bryar alleged in his lawsuit.

Law & Disorder is a weekly digest of the strange, bizarre and occasionally heartbreaking cases found in our local courthouses. Remember: The accused are presumed innocent until proved otherwise; filing a lawsuit does not automatically make the defendant liable, and the person in the black robe is probably a judge. Send your tips