Slain Father of Special Needs Children Copyrighted Their Names
By now, everyone has heard of Byrd and Melanie Billings, the Florida couple who were gunned down in cold blood in their own home in early July. Not one detail of this sad story is run of the mill as the Billings were the proud parents of 17 children, 13 of whom were adopted and have special needs. Now another puzzling wrinkle has been added to mix; Mr. Billings reportedly copyrighted his children’s names and repeatedly alleged infringement.
I know what you're thinking: "Copyrighting a name?! Is that possible?!"
My answer is no. And even if it is, it's doubtful that he would be able to pursue a copyright infringement claim. Copyrights protect an expression of creativity on a tangible medium. I don't care how creative Hollywood parents get with their babies' names--it's not eligible for copyright protection. Write a poem with the kid's name, and now the poem is eligible for copyright protection.
Strangely, Mr. Billings frequently sent letters to the Florida Department of Children and Families, accusing the agency of infringing upon copyrights on his children’s names and demanding $100 million dollars in silver coins or Federal Reserve notes. He claimed that the DCF violated copyrights, trademarks, contracts, admiralty and maritime law, the Truth in Lending Act, and committed libel. This story has gotten odder and odder in the days have since the shootings.
Mr. Billings appears to have had a checkered past including ownership of a strip club, alleged involvement in an adoption scam, and associations with disreputable individuals. This has led some to speculate whether the killings were a contract hit. Unfortunately, nothing conclusive has been discovered as to motive.
Despite the darker facts that have emerged, the Billings seem to have been a sweet couple blessed with the wherewithal to take care of several developmentally-disabled children. It’s tragic that some of their own colleagues may have been responsible for their murders, and I sincerely hope that the perpetrators are brought to justice and punished to the full extent of the law. I can’t fathom such callous indifference to life!
How do you feel about these new revelations? Please post your comments!
