Politics & Government

Fomer Hells Angels Biker's Lawsuit Over 'Sons of Anarchy' Creation In Court

Chuck Zito claims the idea for the hit FX show was stolen.

Last year, former Hells Angels biker Chuck Zito filed a lawsuit that claimed the idea for the hit FX show Sons of Anarchy was stolen from him, Aoltv.com reported. The lawsuit is in court at the Los Angeles Civic Center downtown for a motions hearing today, according to the City News Service.

The show's set and production facilities are located in North Hollywood.

According to Zito's lawsuit, he pitched a show about an outlaw biker gang to FX in 2004 with the help of an ICM talent agent. The network passed on the show and later began developing Kurt Sutter's Sons of Anarchy in 2006 with the help of ICM .

Find out what's happening in North Hollywood-Toluca Lakewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Sutter blasted the lawsuit in an expletive-filled rant on his personal blog, which he then later removed. According to Aoltv, the posting said, "HAVING THE F***ING IDEA IS NOT THE SHOW. THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS OF OUTLAW MOTORCYCLE TV DRAMAS PITCHED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. NONE OF THEM HAS MADE IT TO SERIES, EXCEPT SOA. BECAUSE THEY SUCKED."

Zito claims 'Sons' is "substantially similar" to his motorcycle show idea and says FX is obligated to pay him more than  $5 million for breaking the "implied-in-fact" contract.

Find out what's happening in North Hollywood-Toluca Lakewith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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