Blood money

A homeless man is fighting back against a film crew that released a video of him fighting a homeless woman. The San Diego man says he never gave the filmmakers permission to tape him, though the footage later appeared on a video called Bumfights: Cause for Concern. Promoted on Howard Stern's radio show, the video eventually sold 300,000 copies over the Internet at $20 per copy.

In his suit, Peter LaForte says his right to privacy was violated-and that he's suffered "constant shame, embarrassment, and humiliation" as a result of the video. He was filmed fighting a homeless woman in a San Diego public restroom.

Mr. LaForte's lawyers, Browne Greene and Mark Quigley, claim Ray Leticia and other Bumfights crew members gave the woman $20 to fight someone. When they asked Mr. LaForte if he would take her on, he refused. So filmmakers egged on the woman until she attacked him. Afterwards, they offered the man money and asked him to sign a release, but he refused.

"No means no," said Mr. Quigley. The filmmakers, he said, "should not be allowed to profit from their wrongful conduct." An attorney for the filmmakers said his clients would be vindicated when they tell their side of the story.