Dr. Dre hit with a $ 25 million bill for Beats headphones

Dr. Dre and music mogul Jimmy Iovine were ordered to pay $ 25.2m (£ 19.2m) to a former partner of their helmet company, Beats.

Steven Lamar claims the idea of ​​creating a brand of celebrity approved earphones.

He took the idea to Dre and Iovine in 2006; and the first Beats earphones were released two years later, based on a drawing by Robert Brunner.

The parties then withdrew and Lamar filed a lawsuit against unpaid royalties in 2016.

in which Dre and Iovine agreed to pay Lamar 4% of the base price of each helmet sold.

Only one model, Beats Studio, was specified, but Lamar argued that the design had been carried over a dozen different models, and asked for $ 130 million in royalties.

A Los Angeles jury decided that three pairs of headsets – Studio 2 Remastered, Studio 2 Wireless and Studio 3 – had similar design; With Studio 3 still on sale, the verdict means that Lamar will continue to receive royalties in addition to the court-mandated payment.

The lawsuit saw Dre and Iovine testify about the origin of Beats – a story they have long told in the recent HBO documentary series The Defiant Ones.

Lamar's lawyer said the jury had seen through their attempts to smother the client.

"They tried to portray him as a guy who was right there at the right time and in the right place, and they already had the idea," Brian Melton told Billboard.

"I do not think that's the case and I think we proved the opposite: before they met Lamar, they had not thought about it and he gave them to them on a silver platter.

He added: "For all those who have a good idea and bring it to a company without getting the recognition or credit that they deserve … What does the verdict of the jury say, if it happens to you and you "About a small person, you can go to court and ask a jury of US citizens to determine if you are right or wrong.

"And if you're right, you get the credit you owe."

Beats, which later became a music streaming service as well as a headset company, was acquired by Apple Music in a 3 billion case in 2014.

Lamar's legal case was filed before this case, and did not name Apple as a defendant r.

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