Ed Sheeran Accuser Collapases On Day Two Of Trial

A woman suing Ed Sheeran for copyright infringement sensationally collapsed at the courthouse on day two of the trial.

Kathryn Griffin Townsend has accused the singer of ‘ripping off’ Marvin Gaye’s classic hit Let’s Get It On with his track Thinking Out Loud but the case took an unexpected twist when she fainted during proceedings.

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The trial resumed on Wednesday in New York when Dr. Alexander Stewart, a professor of music at the University of Vermont took to the stand to talk through the alleged similarities between the two songs.

At one point, the complainant became unwell and slumped over before being helped out of the court.

Musician Ed Sheeran leaves after the first day of his copyright-infringement trial at Manhattan Federal Court. Pic: Getty Images

Once outside she collapsed and lay on the ground for some time while waiting for a medic. Judge Louis L. Staunton later confirmed that Kathryn had been taken to hospital but currently, no further update on her condition has been issued.

It’s the second time the Galway Girl singer has found himself in court over allegations of using other artist’s music in his work. He was previously vindicated over similar allegations surrounding his Shape of You hit.

He looked dapper in a jacket, tie and highly polished shoes, the singer arrived at Manhattan Federal Court to testify on day one of the trial.

The lawsuit, filed in 2017, finally made it to trial and is expected to last a week in the courtroom of 95-year-old Judge Louis L. Stanton.

Kathryn Townsend, heir of Ed Townsend and plaintiff in copyright infringement lawsuit brought against British music artist, Ed Sheeran, collapsed in Manhattan Federal Court Wednesday. Pic: REX

Jury selection and opening statements began in the lawsuit brought by the heirs of Gaye’s co-writer, Ed Townsend, alleging ‘striking similarities’ and ‘overt common elements’ between the songs.

In defence of his song-writing, Ed stated, ‘Most pop songs can fit over most pop songs … You could go from Let it Be to No Woman, No Cry and switch back.’

He continued by making a strong argument, detailing, ‘If I had done what you’re accusing me of doing, I’d be quite an idiot to stand on a stage in front of 20,000 people and do that’.

When he was interrupted by lawyer Keisha Rice, Ed continued his argument, explaining that the reason he was being cut off was that what he was saying ‘is actually going to make a lot of sense’.

Ed Sheeran headlines on the Pyramid Stage during day 4 of the Glastonbury Festival 2017. Pic: Getty Images

‘No one owns basic musical building blocks,’ the singer continued to argue to back up his initial point about overlap existing musically in the industry due to the nature of music-making.

Sheeran, 32, wrote Thinking Out Loud with English singer-songwriter Amy Wadge in 2014 and won a Grammy for it that year. Let’s Get It On became one of Motown Records’ best-known singles, reaching number one in the Billboard pop singles chart in September 1973.

Jurors are expected to consider the raw elements of melody, harmony and rhythm that make up the composition of Let’s Get It On, as documented on sheet music filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Sheeran’s lawyers have said the undeniable structural symmetry of both songs points to the foundations of popular music. ‘The two songs share versions of a similar and unprotectable chord progression freely available to all songwriters,’ they said in a court filing.

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES – APRIL 25: Musician Ed Sheeran leaves US Federal Court in New York City on April 25, 2023. (Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Townsend family lawyers pointed out that artists such as Boyz II Men have performed mash-ups of the two songs, and that Sheeran himself has segued into Let’s Get It On during live performances of Thinking Out Loud.

They sought to play a potentially damning YouTube video of one such Sheeran performance for the jury at trial. Judge Stanton denied their motion to include it but said he would reconsider after he sees other evidence that is presented.

Sheeran’s label Atlantic Records and Sony/ATV Music Publishing are also named as defendants in the lawsuit. Usually, plaintiffs in copyright lawsuits cast a wide net in naming defendants. In this case, however, Sheeran’s cowriter on the song was never named.

Musician Ed Sheeran leaves federal court in New York, US, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Sheeran will have to convince a New York federal jury that his 2014 hit song “Thinking Out Loud” didn’t copy from Marvin Gaye’s classic soul groove “Lets Get It On,” the latest trial in an increasingly litigious music industry. Photographer: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In his earlier trial, Sheeran was sued by musician Sami Chokri over the similarities in a refrain in Shape Of You. Mr Chokri claimed the phrase ‘Oh I’ in Sheeran’s song was ‘strikingly similar’ to the ‘Oh Why’ hook in his track. After a judge ruled Sheeran had not violated copyright laws, the musician said the ‘baseless’ claim was ‘way too common’.

He added: ‘[This culture] is really damaging to the songwriting industry. There’s only so many notes and very few chords used in pop music.’

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