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Led Zeppelin lawyers want 'Stairway to Heaven' suit thrown out

Posted at 8:55 PM, Jun 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-20 20:55:40-04

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Led Zeppelin's lawyers have asked a judge to throw out a case accusing the band's songwriters of ripping off a riff for "Stairway to Heaven."

Attorney Peter Anderson said Monday the estate of Randy Wolfe failed to prove over four days of trial that the copyright to his 1968 song "Taurus" was violated.

Anderson says the estate for the late founder of the band Spirit hasn't shown it owns the copyright to the song "Taurus" and hasn't shown "Stairway" is substantially similar.

The attorney says the plaintiff also failed to show damages or present evidence of revenues from "Stairway."

The motion is expected to be argued when the trial resumes Tuesday in a Los Angeles federal courtroom.

Wolfe's estate claims "Taurus" was used in the intro to "Stairway."