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| "I survived the Led Zeppelin trial" |
Journalist Pamela Chelin attended the trial and provided timely updates. After the verdict someone at the courthouse handed her this "I survived the Led Zeppelin trial" pass (right).
Chelin reported: While the jury found that Jimmy Page & Robert Plant had access to Taurus before writing Stairway To Heaven, they found that the songs were not substantially similar.
Plaintiff Michael Skidmore's attorney, Francis Malofiy, said "We are sad and disappointed but obviously we have to respect the jury's decision." Malofiy told Chelin, "There are many appealable issues. Obviously I will have to discuss them with my client."
Malofiy seemed frustrated by the decision. He said that while the jury found that Page & Plant had access to Taurus, only the sheet music and not the audio of the song was admissible at the trial.
Jimmy Page & Robert Plant post-trial statement:
"We are grateful for the jury's conscientious service and are pleased that it has ruled in our favor, putting to rest questions about the origins of Stairway to Heaven and confirming what we have known for 45 years. We appreciate our fans' support, and look forward to putting this legal matter behind us."
Warner Music Group post-trial statement:
At Warner Music Group, supporting our artists and protecting their creative freedom is paramount. We are pleased that the jury found in favor of Led Zeppelin, reaffirming the true origins of Stairway to Heaven. Led Zeppelin is one of the greatest bands in historyt, and Jimmy Page and Robert Plant are peerless songwriters who created many of rock's most influential and enduring songs."
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