The multimillion-dollar "custody battle" comes down to one question: Was the creator of the street-smart dolls working for attel when he sold his idea to !"# Carter Bryant, the desiner !ho "a#e u$ !ith the initia% idea &or the !i%d%y su""ess&u% Bratz %ine o& do%%s, sett%ed his %ea% 'att%e !ith toy iant Matte% (M)T* a #onth ao+ But you !ou%dn,t -no! that &ro# the ri%%in he,s 'een ettin in &edera% "ourt in .i/erside, Ca%i&+ Bryant is the star !itness in the hih0$ro&i%e dustu$ (Business1ee-+"o#, 3210231* 'et!een Matte% and its ar"hri/a% M4) Entertain#ent, "ontro%%ed 'y entre$reneur 5saa" 6arian+ The "i/i% "ase in 7+S+ 8istri"t Court, Centra% 8istri"t o& Ca%i&ornia, is a "ustody 'att%e o& sorts o/er the Bratz do%%s+ Their %aun"h se/en years ao sent Matte%,s i"oni" Bar'ie 'rand into a #ar-et0share tai%s$in+ Matte% "%ai#s it shou%d o!n Bratz, 'e"ause Bryant !as !or-in &or Matte% !hen he &irst $it"hed the idea &or the sassy, street0"hi" do%%s to 6arian+ Bryant has #aintained he "on"ei/ed o& the do%%s durin an eiht0#onth 'rea- he too- &ro# Matte% in 1338+ 9e ad#itted on the !itness stand that he ne/er o&&ered his do%% desin to Matte% and instead $it"hed it to M4) and another "o#$any+ :5 "reated these "hara"ters,: he said+ :5 had no idea they,d e/er "o#$ete !ith anythin Matte% did+: Surprisingly Relentless M4) has sin"e $aid Bryant :se/era% #i%%ion do%%ars: in roya%ties, he said+ 6ast !ee-, 6arian testi&ied it !as #ore than ;30 #i%%ion+ Bryant sett%ed Matte%,s suit aainst hi# &or undis"%osed ter#s <ust $rior to the start o& the tria% on May 2=+ The toy iant is sti%% $ursuin its "o$yriht in&rine#ent "%ai# aainst 6arian,s "o#$any+ The -ey to that !i%% 'e "on/in"in the <ury that Bryant a"tua%%y "reated the Bratz do%%s !hi%e he !as e#$%oyed 'y Matte% in 1333 and 2000+ 8ressed "onser/ati/e%y in a dar- suit and a $a%e ye%%o! shirt, his "heru'i" &a"e #i%d 'ehind arty !ire0&ra#ed eye%asses, Bryant see#ed %i-e an un%i-e%y $er$ in a hih0 sta-es inte%%e"tua% $ro$erty 'att%e+ >et Matte%,s %ea% tea#ed ha##ered a!ay at hi#, tryin to #a-e hi# "ontradi"t hi#se%& on su"h see#in%y #inor detai%s as !hether there !as a "a#era $resent durin a $ra"ti"e de$osition he,d i/en !ith his o!n %a!yers in 2004+ :5 thin- e/eryone, in"%udin M4), is sur$rised at ho! re%ent%ess%y Matte% is $ursuin this "ase,: says 4erri"- Johnson, a toy ana%yst at BM? Ca$ita% Mar-ets (BM?* !ho has 'een &o%%o!in the tria% &ro# a&ar+ Bryant, a 330year0o%d Missouri nati/e, too- the stand &or a se"ond day on June 12+ 9e said he,d heard ru#ors !hi%e at Matte% that &e%%o! e#$%oyees :#oon%ihted: on $ro<e"ts &or other "o#$anies+ But attorney 1i%%ia# Pri"e, a #e#'er o& Matte%,s %ea% tea#, "ontinued to $ro'e unti% Bryant ad#itted he "ou%dn,t na#e other Matte% e#$%oyees !ho had !or-ed &or ri/a%s+ :5 had <ust heard a'out it,: he said+ :5t !as a enera% ru#or+: Didn't Understand the Agreement Pri"e sho!ed Bryant $ortions o& an :in/entions aree#ent: he had sined !hen he returned to !or- at Matte% in January, 1333+ The "ontra"t, &air%y standard in the industry, $rohi'its e#$%oyees &ro# !or-in si#u%taneous%y &or "o#$etin "o#$anies and re@uires the# to dis"%ose $rodu"t ideas they "on"ei/e o& !hi%e e#$%oyed 'y Matte%+ Bryant testi&ied he &e%t he had not had an :o$$ortunity to "onsu%t !ith a %a!yer a'out the ter#s o& the aree#ent: at the ti#e and that he :understood it the 'est 5 "ou%d, 'ut 5 didn,t understand e/erythin a'out it+: Bryant has said he did the initia% dra!ins &or Bratz in 1338 !hen not e#$%oyed 'y Matte%+ But on the !itness stand he ad#itted to 'a"-datin one set o& dra!ins to )uust o& 1338 e/en thouh they,d a"tua%%y 'een done a year %ater, a&ter he had returned to Matte%+ Bryant said he had done so 'e&ore he -ne! there !as any %ea% "ha%%ene to Bratz o!nershi$+ )%thouh Bryant,s &riends and &a#i%y are ex$e"ted to testi&y that they sa! Bratz dra!ins as ear%y as 1338, the desiner said he didn,t ha/e "o$ies dated &ro# that ti#e $eriod+ :5 don,t usua%%y $ut a date on #aster dra!ins,: he ex$%ained+ Used Mattel's Fax Machine )ttorney Pri"e !a%-ed Bryant throuh /arious ste$s he too- to $it"h the Bratz do%%s to other "o#$anies !hi%e he !as at Matte%+ Bryant ad#itted he,d done #ore extensi/e s-et"hes o& the do%%s, used o%d Bar'ie do%% $arts to #a-e a $rototy$e, and used a Matte% &ax #a"hine to "orres$ond !ith M4)+ 9e,d a%so as-ed Matte% "o0!or-ers to he%$ hi# desin a Bratz %oo, $aint a $rototy$e do%%,s &a"e, and i#$%ant hair in the du##y do%%,s head+ Pri"e as-ed Bryant se/era% ti#es i& he didn,t thin- he !as 'etrayin his &e%%o! Matte% e#$%oyees 'y as-in the# to !or- on his $ro<e"t !ithout te%%in the# it !as not Matte% !or-+ :5 didn,t thin- it !as that 'i a dea%,: Bryant said+ :5 don,t -no! Ai&B 5 understood M4) !as a "o#$etitor o& Matte%+ 5 -ne! they !ere a toy "o#$any+ 5 didn,t -no! ho! 'i they !ere+: Erasing the Evidence? Ear%ier in the !ee-, Jude Ste$hen 6arson ru%ed Matte%,s %ea% tea# "ou%d introdu"e e/iden"e that Bryant used a so&t!are $rora# "a%%ed E/iden"e Eraser <ust $rior to handin his "o#$uter o/er to Matte% in/estiators &or do"u#ent retrie/a%+ M4),s side has ex$%ained Bryant !as <ust tryin to re#o/e $ornora$hi" :$o$ u$: ads+ Matte% a%so %i-e%y s"ored $oints &or its side !hen it sho!ed a %etter Bryant had !ritten to an M4) attorney in 2000 !hen he !as neotiatin the sa%e o& the Bratz desins to 6arian+ M4) a$$arent%y had as-ed Bryant &or "o$ies o& any e#$%oy#ent aree#ents he,d sined !ith Matte%+ Bryant ex$%ained in the %etter that he "ou%dn,t as- Matte%,s hu#an resour"e de$art#ent &or "o$ies o& the do"u#ents !ithout :raisin sus$i"ion+: Pa%#eri is a senior "orres$ondent in BusinessWeek,s 6os )ne%es 'ureau+ To$ Ce!s Ju%y 18, 2008, 12:13PM EST text size: T T $ould attel %nd &' With Bratz# (n winning its co'yright case against !") attel could grab hundreds of millions in back royalties* and maybe even ownershi' of the su'erhot Bratz dolls 'y Christo$her Pa%#eri 5t !as the Batt%e o& the 8o%%s, and Bar'ie has !on+ ) 7+S+ 8istri"t Court <ury in .i/erside, Ca%i&+, &ound toy#a-er M4) Entertain#ent ui%ty o& "ontra"t inter&eren"e and "o$yriht in&rine#ent !hen it hired do%% desiner Carter Bryant a!ay &ro# Matte% (M)T* in 2000+ The /erdi"t "ou%d 'rin the !or%d,s %arest toy#a-er hundreds o& #i%%ions o& do%%ars in 'a"- roya%ties or outriht o!nershi$ o& the !i%d%y su""ess&u% Bratz %ine o& do%%s %aun"hed 'y M4) in 2001+ The Ju%y 1= de"ision re$resents a rare shot o& ood ne!s &or Matte%, !hi"h has su&&ered a #a<or %oss o& #ar-et share &or its &%ashi$ Bar'ie 'rand sin"e the Bratz %aun"h+ Matte% has a%so 'een in/o%/ed in a s$ate o& toy re"a%%s o/er the $ast year+ :This is a /i"tory &or a%% the hard0!or-in $eo$%e at Matte% !ho "o#e toether to "reate #any o& the #ost 'e%o/ed toys &or "hi%dren,: said Chair#an and Chie& Exe"uti/e ?&&i"er .o'ert E"-ert in a state#ent+ :5t is a%so a /i"tory &or a%% those !ho 'e%ie/e in &air $%ay+: Cot so &ast, says 5saa" 6arian, the 5ranian0'orn entre$reneur !ho is the #a<ority o!ner o& M4) (Business1ee-+"o#, D210208*, !hi"h is a%so 'ased in su'ur'an 6os )ne%es+ 6arian says he,%% ha/e an o$$ortunity to re/ea% ne! e/iden"e the <ury !as 'arred &ro# seein in the &irst $hase o& the tria%+ 5n the se"ond $hase, !hi"h is to 'ein on Ju%y 23 and %ast a'out three !ee-s, the sa#e <urors !i%% 'e as-ed to deter#ine da#aes+ 6arian has a%so /o!ed to a$$ea%+ :5t,s not o/er yet,: 6arian to%d BusinessWeek+ :1e o!n the na#e Bratz+ There,s no !ay they are e/er oin to et it+: ?n Ju%y 18, Matte%, 'ased in E% Seundo, Ca%i&+, re$orted that its earnins &e%% 'y near%y ha%&, to ;11+8 #i%%ion, or 3 "ents $er share, in the se"ond @uarter+ Bar'ie sa%es !or%d!ide &e%% DE+ Sti%%, the resu%ts 'eat ana%ysts, a%ready $essi#isti" ex$e"tations+ 6inda Bo%ton 1eiser, an ana%yst !ith Caris .esear"h, esti#ates that Bratz enerates ;1+1 'i%%ion a year in sa%es and "ou%d add as #u"h as ;11F #i%%ion a year in earnins to Matte% i& the "o#$any !as a!arded a%% rihts to Bratz sa%es and $ro&its+ Buoyed in $art 'y the Bratz /erdi"t, Matte% shares sured 12E, to ;20 $er share+ The Brat !"ncepti"n The "ase &o"used on Bryant, 33, !ho !or-ed at Matte% 'ut "%ai#ed he "on"ei/ed the idea (Business1ee-+"o#, D213208* &or the $outy0%i$$ed Bratz do%%s durin an eiht0 #onth hiatus &ro# the "o#$any in 1338+ )t the tria%, Bryant testi&ied that he used Matte% do%% $arts and &e%%o! e#$%oyees, ti#e, and he s-et"hed #any Bratz dra!ins a&ter returnin to Matte% in 1333+ )s is "usto#ary in the industry, Bryant sined an aree#ent i/in Matte% rihts to anythin he desined !hi%e e#$%oyed 'y the "o#$any+ Bryant earned #ore than ;30 #i%%ion in roya%ties &ro# M4)+ 9e sett%ed a "o$yriht in&rine#ent suit 'rouht aainst hi# 'y Matte% <ust 'e&ore the M4) "ase 'ean in May+ 6arian ad#its the !or- Bryant did on the do%%s !hi%e at Matte% did not #a-e hi# a sy#$atheti" !itness &or M4)+ :There,s no @uestion he did not ha/e ood <ud#ent,: 6arian says+ :But !e didn,t -no! a'out that+ 1hy $unish M4)G: 6arian says that in the se"ond $hase o& the tria% and &or the a$$ea% he,%% $oint out that Matte% uses #u"h the sa#e %ea% re/ie! &or hirin ne! toy desiners as M4) did+ 9e "%ai#s Matte% !as !e%% a!are o& the Bratz do%%s and !as e/en o&&ered a "han"e to distri'ute the# in 2001+ 9e says &urther e/iden"e !i%% sho! Matte%,s stratey has 'een to :%itiate M4) to death+: 6arian has his o!n "ountersuit "%ai#in Matte% "o$ied Bratz desins &or its o!n do%% %ines+ That "ase "ou%d o to tria% in the &a%%+ S"ott 6ands'au#, a 6os )ne%es attorney !ith se/era% toy industry "%ients, says he a%!ays te%%s the# to !or- !ith in/entors !ho !or- inde$endent%y and not &or ri/a% toy "o#$anies+ :)%% these "reati/e $eo$%e drea# o& ha/in their o!n %ines,: he says+ :5& you,/e ot an e#$%oyee &ro# another "o#$any a$$roa"hin you !ith an idea, you ouht to thin- %on and hard a'out 'uyin it+: Pa%#eri is a senior "orres$ondent in BusinessWeek,s 6os )ne%es 'ureau+ The )sso"iated Press 8e"e#'er 31, 2008, =:28)M ET text size: T T +udge agrees to change date for !" to 'ull Bratz The <ude !ho 'arred M4) Entertain#ent 5n"+ &ro# se%%in or #a-in its $o$u%ar Bratz do%%s areed Tuesday to extend a dead%ine he set &or the "o#$any to ta-e the $rodu"ts o&& store she%/es+ M4), !hi"h !as initia%%y to%d to sto$ se%%in Bratz 'y He'+ 11, had arued in "ourt that retai%ers !ou%d not order the toys un%ess the "ourt "ou%d uarantee they !ou%d re#ain in stores throuh #ost o& 2003+ 7+S+ 8istri"t Jude Ste$hen 6arson o'%ied, and a%%o!ed M4) to &i%e a #otion &or a %ater dead%ine 'y next !ee-+ :4i/en the "%ear i#$ortan"e o& the Bratz %ine to M4),s &inan"ia% hea%th, it,s not a 'i %ea$ to see that (the He'ruary dead%ine* !ou%d ha/e sini&i"ant e"ono#i" i#$a"t on the /ia'i%ity o& M4),: 6arson said+ Ear%ier this #onth, the <ude ru%ed that M4) #ust sto$ #anu&a"turin and se%%in Bratz 00 #ar-in a /i"tory &or ri/a% Bar'ie #a-er Matte% 5n"+, !hi"h sued M4) &our years ao &or "o$yriht in&rine#ent+ 6arson,s 'an order &o%%o!ed a <ury,s &indin that Bratz desiner Carter Bryant de/e%o$ed the "on"e$t &or Bratz !hi%e !or-in &or Matte%+ The <ury a!arded Matte% a "o#'ined ;100 #i%%ion a&ter a %enthy tria%+ BARBIE'S REVENGE Brawl ,ver -oll (s .eading to Trial attel "lleges /kulduggery (n $laim to 0ival1s Bratz -esign By 2($.,3"/ $"/%4 ay 56) 5778 6?S )C4E6ES 00 Hour years ao, attel 5n"+ exhorted its exe"uti/es to he%$ sa/e Bar'ie &ro# a ne! do%% "%i@ue "a%%ed the Bratz+ :The 9ouse is on HireI: said an interna% $resentation on the de"%ine o& its i"oni" Bar'ie do%% &ran"hise+ Mar-et share !as dro$$in at a :"hi%%in rate,: the $resentation said+ Bar'ie needed to 'e #ore :aressi/e, re/o%utionary, and ruth%ess+: That "a%% to ar#s has %ed to a &edera% "ourthouse+ 5n a %a!suit set &or tria% on Tuesday in .i/erside, Ca%i&+, Matte% a""uses M4) Entertain#ent 5n"+, the #a-er o& Bratz, o& essentia%%y stea%in the idea &or the $outy0%i$$ed do%%s !ith the 'i heads+ Matte% is tryin to seize o!nershi$ o& the Bratz %ine, !hi"h ana%ysts esti#ate ra"-s u$ annua% sa%es o& #ore than ;F00 #i%%ion+ M4) denies !rondoin, and a""uses Matte% in a se$arate suit o& "o$yin Bratz+ ?n Monday, the &or#er Matte% desiner !ho so%d the Bratz "on"e$t to M4), !ho !as a%so a de&endant in the %a!suit, areed to a "on&identia% sett%e#ent !ith his &or#er e#$%oyer+ Matte% had a""used the desiner, Carter Bryant, o& drea#in u$ the hit do%% !hi%e on Matte%,s $ayro%%+ Matte% didn,t dis"%ose the ter#s o& the sett%e#ent, 'ut said the aree#ent !i%% 'o%ster its "aseJ M4) says its $osition isn,t under#ined+ Mr+ Bryant de"%ined to "o##ent+ The Bratz0Bar'ie 'ra!% has #a<or ra#i&i"ations &or 'oth "o#$anies+ The Bratz %ine, !hi"h hit stores in 2001 and s!i&t%y 'e"a#e the industry,s hottest do%%, a""ounts &or a'out ha%& o& re/enues at "%ose%y he%d M4)+ 5t has 'e"o#e a #a<or threat to the Bar'ie &ran"hise, !hi"h $rodu"es annua% !or%d0!ide sa%es esti#ated at a'out ;1+2F 'i%%ion+ Matte% has 'een te%%in in/estors it,s !or-in to so%/e Bar'ie,s $ro'%e#s, 'ut sa%es o& the Bar'ie %ine de"%ined 12E in the 7+S+ in the &irst @uarter as "o#$etitors "he!ed a!ay at its #ar-et share+ .e"ent%y re%eased "ourt re"ords re/ea% <ust ho! nasty the #u%tiyear &iht has 'e"o#e+ .att%ed 'y the su""ess o& Bratz, Matte% hired $ri/ate in/estiators to s$y on one o& its o!n exe"uti/es !ho# it sus$e"ted o& %ea-in se"rets+ )nd M4), $ossi'%y &earin the -ind o& %itiation it no! &a"es, tried to -ee$ @uiet Mr+ Bryant,s ro%e in "reatin Bratz, interna% e#ai%s sho!+ The dis$ute hines in $art on !hen Mr+ Bryant &irst "a#e u$ !ith the idea &or the Bratz do%%s and s-et"hed it in his note'oo-+ Mr+ Bryant has said that he !asn,t !or-in &or Matte% at the ti#e+ Matte% has hired &orensi" ex$erts to test his note'oo- in an e&&ort to under#ine his story, "ourt re"ords indi"ate+ M4), &or its $art, has arued in "ourt that too #u"h ti#e has e%a$sed &or Matte% to e/en 'rin su"h an inte%%e"tua%0$ro$erty "%ai#+ Mr+ Bryant, no! 33 years o%d, desined "%othes &or Matte% do%%s unti% 1338+ 9e then %e&t the "o#$any and #o/ed 'a"- to his $arents, ho#e near S$rin&ie%d, Mo+, to ta-e a 'rea- &ro# 6os )ne%es %i&e, a""ordin to s!orn state#ents 'y Mr+ Bryant and his $arents+ 8ri/in $ast S$rin&ie%d,s Ki"-a$oo 9ih S"hoo%, he said in a de$osition, he had a eure-a #o#ent in/o%/in &ashions and hairsty%es+ 1Big) Baggy +eans1 The %o"a% teenaers, he said, :!ere !earin -ind o&, you -no!, o/ersized "%othes, 'i, 'ay <eans+++<ust ot #e to -ind o& thin-in, you -no!, !ou%dn,t it 'e "oo% i& there !ere so#e "hara"ters that -ind o& a""urate%y re$resented today,s teenaer+: Mr+ Bryant said he !ent 'a"- ho#e to s-et"h an idea: sassy ir%s !ith &rizzed hair, 'are 'e%%ies and ar#s a-i#'o+ :Meet the BratzI: reads a note he said he !rote to a""o#$any one o& the dra!ins+ The note des"ri'es a "hara"ter na#ed 9a%%idae !ho has :ot the 'eat,: and :on date niht, it,s a sassy short dress L tota%%y ne! ,do+: 9e said he she%/ed the dra!ins &or a !hi%e+ By the &o%%o!in year, 1333, Mr+ Bryant returned to the 6os )ne%es area and sined a ne! "ontra"t !ith Matte%+ 9e desined "%othes &or Bar'ie, in"%udin its :"o%%e"tor: %ines+ n his de$osition, he said he 'ean thin-in a'out the Bratz aain a&ter returnin to Matte%, and e/en had the s-et"hes notarized to #a-e it "%ear Bratz !as his idea+ 9e said he didn,t 'e%ie/e Matte% !ou%d 'e interested in the "hara"ters, and he didn,t sho! the# to his e#$%oyer+ 9e did sho! the# to Meroni"a Mar%o!, a &ree%an"e desiner to !ho# he had &irst #entioned the idea in a ha%%!ay durin a &ire dri%% at Matte%, a""ordin to Ms+ Mar%o!,s de$osition+ E/entua%%y, he sho!ed her the s-et"hes in his "ar, in Matte%,s $ar-in %ot, she re"a%%ed+ By that su##er, she had %e&t Matte% and !as doin &ree%an"e !or- &or M4)+ She o&&ered to introdu"e Mr+ Bryant to the "o#$any+ M4), !hi"h is %o"ated in the San Hernando Ma%%ey, !as &ounded in 13=3 'y 5saa" 6arian+ )t &irst, it so%d "hea$, hand0he%d /ideoa#es+ Court do"u#ents indi"ate the "o#$any !as %osin #oney in 2000+ ?n Se$t+ 1, 2000, Mr+ Bryant too- a day o&& &ro# Matte% to #eet Mr+ 6arian at his o&&i"e+ Mr+ Bryant arri/ed !ith a '%a"- $ort&o%io "ontainin his Bratz s-et"hes and a s#a%% #ode% o& the do%% !earin a short s-irt+ 5t !as a rouh $rototy$e #ade o& do%% $arts+ Mr+ Bryant said in his de$osition he had used a do%% head &ro# a Matte% !aste 'in and other $arts o& his o!n, and had $aid a Matte% "o%%eaue to $aint it+ Mr+ 6arian said in his de$osition that he ex$ressed "on"ern a'out Matte%: :5 as-ed hi# i& this !as so#ethin that he !as doin at Matte%+++and he said ,Co+,: 9e added: :5 didn,t !ant to ha/e a %a!suit+: Mr+ Bryant to%d hi# it !as a side $ro<e"t, a""ordin to the de$ositions o& 'oth #en+ )'out t!o !ee-s %ater, Mr+ 6arian "a%%ed the desiner at ho#e and said he !as interested in the $ro<e"t, the t!o #en said+ 5n the !ee-s that &o%%o!ed, Mr+ Bryant "ontinued to dis"uss the do%% idea !ith M4)+ Many o& the "a%%s too- $%a"e &ro# his des- at Matte%, a""ordin to $hone re"ords and his de$osition+ 9e "ontinued to !or- &or Matte% e/en a&ter Mr+ 6arian as-ed hi# to @uit, a""ordin to 'oth #en,s de$ositions+ 5n ?"to'er 2000, !hen he &ina%%y a/e noti"e to Matte% that he !as %ea/in, he re&used to say !here he !as oin+ 9e <oined &or"es !ith M4), and the Bratz $ro<e"t shi&ted into ear+ Mr+ Bryant 'ean sha$in !hat !ou%d 'e"o#e the do%% %ine,s edy sty%e+ 9e had a%ready #ade resear"h tri$s to Toys :.: 7s to exa#ine toys, and to 9ot To$i", a oth0ro"- "%othin store, !here he 'ouht thins %i-e thons, strin 'i-inis and #eta% 'e%ts+ :This is oin to 'e 'iI: he !rote to Mr+ 6arian+ 1hen the do%% %anded on store she%/es in 2001, it enerated 'uzz in the #edia, on 1a%% Street, and #ost i#$ortant%y, a#on youn ir%s+ Sa%es too- o&&, yie%din a 'onanza &or Mr+ Bryant, !ho re"ei/ed a roya%ty o& 3E o& sa%es on the Bratz %ines he !or-ed on+ Matte% %ater "%ai#ed that he re"ei/ed #ore than ;30 #i%%ion &ro# the aree#ent+ 5n )uust 2002, Matte% Chie& Exe"uti/e .o'ert E"-ert re"ei/ed an anony#ous %etter+ :8ear CE?,: the %etter 'ean+ :5 ha/e in&or#ation that 5 thin- Matte% shou%d in/estiate+: The %etter !ent on to say Mr+ Bryant had "reated Bratz !hi%e at Matte% 00 a%%ein that he had :!or-ed out a dea% !ith M4) that %et hi# "o%%e"t a %are su# o& #oney ea"h year &ro# M4) in ex"hane &or his se"re"y+: There is so#e e/iden"e that M4) !as "on"erned that i& Mr+ Bryant,s in/o%/e#ent 'e"a#e -no!n, it #iht 'rin trou'%e &ro# Matte%+ 5n a Mar"h 2002 e#ai% that is in the "ourt re"ord, Mr+ 6arian s"o%ded e#$%oyees o/er in&or#ation a'out Mr+ Bryant,s in/o%/e#ent that !as i/en to an on%ine Bratz &an rou$, re&errin to $ossi'%e :%ea% rie&+: :There #ust 'e no #ention a'out Matte% or any o& their $ro$erties, Carter ABryantB, any M4) Bratz arts, et",: he !rote+ 5n a Mar"h 2004 arti"%e in the San Hernando Ma%%ey Business Journa%, Mr+ 6arian !as @uoted sayin his teenae son !as the in/entor: :5t !as Jason,s idea &or Bratz+: 5n a %ater de$osition, Mr+ 6arian said he !as #is@uoted+ The arti"%e,s author said in his o!n de$osition that he "ou%dn,t re#e#'er the inter/ie! in detai%, 'ut that Mr+ 6arian hadn,t "o#$%ained a&ter the arti"%e ran+ By 2004, the Bratz %ine !as not"hin steady sa%es !ith :t!eenae: ir%s 'et!een 8 and 12 years o%d, and its a$$ea% !as s$readin to "hi%dren as youn as F, Bar'ie,s $ri#e territory+ Matte% had tried to u$date its do%% %ines 'y introdu"in ur'an0"hi" do%%s under the na#es :My S"ene: and :H%a/as+: 1$all to "ction1 5n a 2004 e#ai% under the headin :Con&identia%: The Bar'ie Ca%% to )"tion,: Ti#othy Ki%$in, head o& Matte%,s ir%s di/ision, %a#ented that Matte% had :'een out0thouht and out0exe"uted+: 9e ex$ressed sur$rise that she%& s$a"e &or Bratz at 1a%0Mart had in"reased 180E, !hi%e Bar'ie,s had de"%ined 33E+ Misits to i#$ortant retai%ers, the e#ai% said, had sho!n that :the Bar'ie 'usiness is in serious de"%ine+: Hixin it !ou%d re@uire :renades: to 'e %aun"hed, he !rote+ :Co#$%a"en"y !i%% -i%% us+: :The 9ouse is on HireI: 'e"a#e a "at"h $hrase in interna% $resentations in 2004, o&ten a""o#$anied 'y a %oo o& a 'urnin house+ Matte% 'ean to in/estiate its ri/a%+ )n undated interna% Matte% &i%e, !hi"h turned u$ in $retria% dis"o/ery, "ontains detai%ed in&or#ation on Mr+ 6arian,s $ersona% %i&e, in"%udin the aes o& his "hi%dren and his #other,s ho#e address+ The &i%e noted Mr+ 6arian,s $en"hant &or !ritin $oetry, and in"%uded the na#e o& his &a#i%y,s Je!ish te#$%e+ ?ne do"u#ent "on"%uded that Mr+ 6arian :'e%ie/es he is a%% -no!in and a%% $o!er&u%: and :'e"o#es enraed i& to%d ,C?+,: Mr+ 6arian has said the dossier is :&ar &ro# the truth+: The $retria% dis"o/ery a%so re/ea%ed that Matte% had in/estiated one o& its o!n exe"uti/es+ ) "on&identia% #e#o to .i"hard de )nda, Matte%,s head o& interna% se"urity, in"%uded a sur/ei%%an"e %o &ro# a $ri/ate dete"ti/e sent to the ho#e o& .ona%d Bra!er, a Matte% /i"e $resident and enera% #anaer !ho %ater %e&t to !or- &or M4)+ 5n/estiators !at"hed Mr+ Bra!er,s ho#e in Manhattan Bea"h and &o%%o!ed his "ar as he ran errands+ The re$ort indi"ates the in/estiators /ideota$ed Mr+ Bra!er,s "hi%d on o""asion+ Matte% e/entua%%y sued Mr+ Bra!er, a%%ein he souht to $ass "o#$any se"rets to M4)+ )&ter that %a!suit !as dis#issed, Matte% a$$ea%ed, and the t!o $arties sett%ed the "ase in 200D+ 5n a su'se@uent de$osition, Mr+ Bra!er #entioned that $rior to his de$arture, one stratey Matte% "onsidered in :tryin to de&eat Bratz !as to %itiate the# to death+: &nnamed 1$om'etitor1 5n )$ri% 2004, Matte% sued Mr+ Bryant &or his in/o%/e#ent !ith an unna#ed :"o#$etitor: that a%%eed%y re"ei/ed Matte% inte%%e"tua% $ro$erty+ 5n 200F, M4) &i%ed a "o#$%aint aainst Matte%, "%ai#in its u$dated Bar'ie %ine 'orro!ed &ro# Bratz+ That "ase is set to o to tria% this &a%%+ 5n Co/e#'er 200D, Matte% added M4) and Mr+ 6arian as de&endants in its %a!suit aainst Mr+ Bryant+ M4),s %a!yers ha/e arued that Matte% didn,t &i%e its "%ai#s aainst M4) !ithin the three0year statute o& %i#itations &or su"h a"tions+ M4) "ontends that "%o"- started ti"-in no %ater than 2002 !ith the anony#ous %etter to Mr+ E"-ert a'out Mr+ Bryant,s ro%e in "reatin Bratz+ Matte% %i-e%y -ne! a'out Mr+ Bryant,s in/o%/e#ent :as ear%y as the day he @uit,: says Tho#as Co%an, a %a!yer &or M4)+ Matte% says it !as una!are o& Mr+ Bryant,s $re"ise in/o%/e#ent in the 'irth o& the Bratz unti% a 2003 1a%% Street Journa% story #entioned his "onne"tion+ The "o#$any says the anony#ous %etter !as insu&&i"ient to esta'%ish Mr+ Bryant,s ro%e+ The "ase #ay "o#e do!n to an ana%ysis o& Mr+ Bryant,s &irst Bratz dra!ins+ )t tria%, Matte% is ex$e"ted to raise @uestions a'out Mr+ Bryant,s a""ount o& ho! he 'ean doin the ear%y Bratz s-et"hes a&ter seein the Missouri hih0s"hoo% teens, 'et!een his t!o stints at Matte%+ Mr+ Bryant said he tore the s-et"hes out o& a note'oo- in 1338 'e&ore he returned to Matte%+ Matte% says its &orensi" ex$erts !i%% arue that an ana%ysis o& $a$er &i'er sho!s that those $aes are si#i%ar to $aes &ro# a 1333 note'oo- Mr+ Bryant used &or Matte% $ro<e"ts+ Matte%,s %a!yers say tra"e in- a$$ears to ha/e '%ed into the &ina% $aes o& the 1333 note'oo- 00 and the in- #at"hes the sha$e o& Mr+ Bryant,s ear%iest Bratz s-et"hes+ M4) says its !itnesses !i%% su'stantiate Mr+ Bryant,s "%ai# that he dre! the $i"tures in 1338+ Mr+ Bryant hi#se%& is ex$e"ted to ta-e the stand+ Write to Ci"ho%as Casey at ni"ho%as+"aseyN!s<+"o# 2
UR# $"r this article% http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120345433842377837.html
&yperlin's in this Article% ()* http%++"nline,-s.,c"m+pu/lic+res"urces+d"cuments+in$"0 enlarge1ic23,html (4* mailt"%nich"las,casey5-s.,c"m