Ed Sheeran Trial Turns to 'Total Chaos' as Plaintiff Suffers Medical Emergency and Collapses
Wildly popular British singer Ed Sheeran is in the midst of a legal battle over alleged similarities between one of his songs and that of R&B legend Marvin Gaye’s.
Given the gravitas of the figures involved, it’s little surprise that there are quite a few eyes (and ears) glued to the proceedings of this musical legal battle.
What was a surprise, however, is what happened on just the second day of the copyright infringement trial.
According to People magazine, Kathryn Griffin Townsend, the woman who is spearheading accusations that Sheeran is ripping off Gaye, collapsed in the courtroom.
During a cross-examination, Townsend fell ill and slumped over in her seat.
According to ET, Townsend’s “eyes closed and her legs buckled.”
She was eventually escorted out of the courtroom with help of her family and legal counsel. She reportedly collapsed just outside the doors, where people had to call for medical assistance.
Judge Louis L. Stanton announced that Townsend had been taken to a hospital.
“The courtroom was in shock. No one was allowed to leave,” one eyewitness told ET. “It was total chaos when it first happened.”
Townsend’s legal team explained that the episode had been triggered by a prior existing condition.
Townsend is the daughter of “Let’s Get It On” co-writer Ed Griffin. That song is the Gaye song at the heart of the legal matter.
As for Sheeran, his song “Thinking Out Loud” is the one currently under intense scrutiny.
You can listen to both songs below, and judge for yourself if you feel that Sheeran deliberately lifted portions of Gaye’s iconic song.
Here is Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud”:
This video is of Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”:
Sheeran’s song came out in 2014, while Gaye’s came out in 1973. In the course of the trials, it was revealed that Sheeran had actually first heard the Gaye song while watching an “Austin Powers” movie.
According to People, Townsend is being represented by celebrity lawyer Ben Crump. The lawsuit originated in 2017 and included Sony and others, so the accusations have lingered for a while now.
Sheeran, for his part, has vigorously defended his honor, even when presented with video showing him performing a “mash-up” of the two songs at the heart of this thorny legal situation.
“I mash up songs at lots of gigs. Many songs have similar chords. You can go from ‘Let It Be’ to ‘No Woman No Cry’ and switch back,” Sheeran said, according to ET.
“And quite frankly, if I’d 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.”
According to People, Sheeran further defended his actions by calling pop songs “building blocks.”
“It is my belief that most pop songs are built on building blocks that have been freely available for hundreds of years,” the 32-year-old musician said.
The site reported Sheeran grew “visibly frustrated multiple times” while on the stand.
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