Mississippi Suit Seeks $3.6M for Unpermitted Electronic Use of Photos

A Rankin County, Mississippi photographer is seeking $3.6 million in a lawsuit claiming her images were used without permission in an electronic book.

Suzi Altman filed a copyright infringement suit in Jackson federal court against a division of Random House Inc. in October, the Clarion-Ledger reported.

Altman claims the publisher improperly used her photos of the Sweet Potato Queens in its e-book version of the 2003 bestseller “Sweet Potato Queens’ Big-Ass Cookbook and Financial Planner” by Jill Conner Browne.

Altman seeks damages of $150,000 apiece for 24 alleged infringements.

Altman said she permitted use of her photos in the book’s printed edition, but didn’t expressly grant permission for use in electronic editions.

The publisher said it’s involved in settlement talks — unsuccessful so far — with Altman’s lawyer.