Dr. Dre Lawsuit Still Kickin’

Dr. Dre may still have to go to court to face a lawsuit filed by former Detroit city employees in connection with the rapper’s “Up In Smoke Tour” documentary filmed five years ago. An appeals court ruling released April 20th offers the plaintiffs one more legal avenue.

The Michigan Court of Appeals primarily upheld the 2003 Wayne County Circuit Court decision to dismiss the case, but said a claim of eavesdropping could again be addressed at the circuit court level if there is enough evidence, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The lawsuit, filed in 2002, was over video footage taken backstage at a July 2000 concert headlined by Dr. Dre at Joe Louis Arena.

City officials including former mayoral spokesperson Greg Bowens and former police officials Paula Bridges and Gary Brown alleged a hidden camera and microphones were used to record an argument backstage between themselves and some of Dre’s representatives over a sexually explicit video that was to be shown during the concert. The resulting footage was used in the documentary without the plaintiffs’ knowledge or consent.

Defense attorney Herschel Fink has said the lawsuit is bogus because everyone knew the cameras were rolling.