Tyler Perry victorious in recent lawsuit

The jury listened as the script for the play, Fantasy of a Black Woman by Donna West, was read. They watched as the movie, Diary of a Mad Black Woman by actor and screenwriter Tyler Perry, played. The jury even heard the testimony of L.D. Dabney, a Dallas area arts buff and associate of West, who stated that he thought Perry's movie was based on West's play when he viewed the film. Still, in the end, the jury sided the with once-struggling playwright turned uber-successful entertainment mogul.

Perry took to the stand in his own defense and endured charges that he took material from other movies like Martin Lawrence's Big Momma's House. Aubrey Pittman, West's attorney, contended that Perry incorporated ideas from The Color Purple, An Officer and a Gentleman and Mrs. Doubtfire into his mega-hit movie as well.

Making eye contact with the jury, Perry responded unequivocally, "I never stole anything from anybody--- never."

West was seeking all proceeds from the movie which took in $50.4 million at theaters across the country.

Tyler Perry Sued for Copyright Infringement

Tyler Perry is defending against charges of copyright infringement in U.S. District Court in Texas. Donna West is claiming that Perry stole material from a play that she wrote based on her own life. West is accusing the phenominally successful writer, actor and producer of basing much of his runnaway hit film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman on her play, "Fantasy of a Black Woman". She states that she can no longer put on the play, performed in July, 1991, in Dallas, because no one is interested in seeing the same storyline acted out again. Perry's film hit the theaters in 2005. The case is expected to come to a close by next Tuesday.