He is Marshall: Tyler Perry Takes on Fort Worth Woman's Theft Claim

A brief follow to yesterday's item concerning the Fort Worth playwright suing Tyler Perry over Diary of a Mad Black Woman out in Marshall -- chiefly, because Perry testified yesterday and reiterated his claim that he didn't lift a single word from Donna West. Recounts the Associated Press: "'I never...

By Robert Wilonsky

December 4, 2008

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18855504",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17105533",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105532",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105535",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

A brief follow to yesterday's item concerning the Fort Worth playwright suing Tyler Perry over Diary of a Mad Black Woman out in Marshall -- chiefly, because Perry testified yesterday and reiterated his claim that he didn't lift a single word from Donna West. Recounts the Associated Press: "'I never stole anything from anybody -- never,' Perry said, locking his eyes with the jury." One look at the video above, with Perry being swamped for autographs outside the courtroom, probably gives some indication of how this'll turn out.

But this curious note from the end of the story: "L.D. Dabney, an associate of West and a theater arts enthusiast of the Dallas area, testified earlier Wednesday that when he first saw Perry's film in July 2006, he thought it was based on West's play because he knew what was going to happen from one scene to the next." L.D. Dabney -- that names sounds familiar. Because it is: He's the guy for whom Ron Price worked as a sales manager, dispensing hospital supplies, during his run for the Dallas Independent School District board way back when. --Robert Wilonsky

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Dallas Observer has been defined as the free, independent voice of Dallas — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.