Reuters AlertNet Lite - Geena Davis sues group over charity ownership

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Geena Davis sues group over charity ownership

28 Aug 2007 20:13:58 GMT
Source: Reuters

LOS ANGELES, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis has sued the owners of a Minnesota-based nonprofit group who she claims stole her idea for a charity she created dealing with depictions of kids in the media.

In the suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, Davis has asked a judge to rule that the charity See Jane belongs to her and order Joseph Kelly and Nancy Gruver to stop using her celebrity and goodwill to promote their nonprofit group.

According to court papers, Davis claims that Kelly and Gruver, who run Dads & Daughters in Duluth, Minnesota, have told Davis that they are the lawful owners to the See Jane charity.

The actress, 51, won an Oscar for best supporting actress in 1988 for "The Accidental Tourist" and later was nominated for best actress in "Thelma & Louise." Recently she played a U.S. president on the television show "Commander in Chief."

In a statement, Kelly and Gruver said they were "shocked" to learn Davis filed the suit. "The lawsuit, which we believe has no legal merit, is filled with inaccuracies and false allegations," the statement said.

In the suit, Davis claims that in 2004 she conceived the idea for See Jane, a charitable group for researching and advocating depictions of gender in children's media.

Dads & Daughters provides information and support services for fathers, stepfathers and new dads that helps them build better lives, according to their Web site.

Davis said she was introduced to the Dads & Daughters owners as possible financial sponsors for See Jane. She began working with them and then went about raising money, which reached $750,000.

In July, Kelly and Gruver told Davis they were expanding Dads & Daughters and moving it to New York City. Davis told them she wanted to take See Jane elsewhere, and the pair claimed they owned See Jane, according to the suit.

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Last updated:Tue Aug 28 20:13:31 2007