Joseph P. Costa, Esq., State Bar Number 130131
Darius A. Vosylus, Esq, State Bar Number 175030
17383 Sunset Blvd,, Suite A350
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Telephone: (310) 594-6611
Facsimile: (310) 394-6612
Attorneys for Plaintiff Amber Dixon Brenner
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Case No.: 673
AMBER DIXON BRENNER, an 18ST cyo05 73,
individual, OMPLAINT FOR:
Plaintiff, (1) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
ve UNDER CIVIL CODE
SALIM AKIL, an individual; and DOES SECTION 10s
tae cee (2)BREACH OF IMPLIED IN
Defendants. FACT CONTRACT
IEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
Plaintiff Amber Dixon Brenner (“Brenner” or “Plaintiff’) complains and
alleges against Defendant Salim Akil (“Defendant”) as follows:
COMPLAINTTHE PARTIES
1. Plaintiff Amber Dixon Brenner is an actress and screenwriter living in Los
Angeles, California.
2. Plaintiff is informed and believes and thereon alleges that Defendant Salim
Akil is an individual residing in Los Angeles County, California.
3. The true names and capacities, whether individual, corporate, associate or
otherwise, of Defendants DOES | through 10, inclusive, are presently unknown to|
Plaintiff, who therefore sue these Defendants by such fictitious names. Plaintiff is
informed and believes and thereon alleges that each of the DOE Defendants was
and is either intentionally or in some other manner, the cause or contributing causa
of, or otherwise responsible for, the acts alleged herein. Plaintiff will amend this
Complaint to allege the true names and capacities of each DOE Defendant,
together with such allegations as may be appropriate, when their names have been
ascertained.
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
Plaintiff's Literary Work
4. On or about August 18, 2015, Plaintiff completed the original
screenplay entitled “Luv & Perversity in the East Village” (“LPEV"). Thi
unpublished work of fiction was based in part on the physically and sexuall
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COMPLAINTabusive relationship that Plaintiff had with defendant Salim Akil. After years o'
being involved in this abusive boyfriend/girlfriend dating sexual relationship,
Plaintiff wrote about loving a person who is detrimental to her own life and takes
‘the readers on a journey that explores love in the context of such an abusive,
relationship, as told from the perspective of the young female protagonist. LPEV’
female protagonist is a young, attractive, black entertainment professional, wh
falls in love with a dominant and aggressive male who turns her life upside down.
It is set in black Hollywood and explores many of the cultural norms of said
culture.
Plaii
iff’s Submission to Defendant of Plaintiff's Literary Work
5. In or around January 2016, Plaintiff decided to provide Defendan
Salim Akil with a copy of the LPEV screenplay. Her motives at that time werd
based in part on seeing if he would be interested, as a film director, to collaborat
on the project. As an actress and screenwriter, Plaintiff had previously auditioned
for roles that defendant Akil was either producing, or directing. In or around
January 21, 2016, Defendant Salim Akil sent an e-mail to Plaintiff acknowledging
that he was almost done with LPEV and was really enjoying it. Plaintiff’
submission of LPEV was made with the implied understanding that Defendant
Akil would not use any of the ideas within LPEV without the involvement anc
compensation of Plaintiff.
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COMPLAINT