TNA Receives Cease And Desist Letter Over Potential Gimmick Infringement
Could Crazzy Steve and The Decay get TNA in a legal battle?
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling has been sent a cease and desist letter from Ohio independent wrestler Justin "Krimson" Carnes, who claims that the gimmicks of TNA Tag Team Champion Crazzy Steve and his stable, The Decay, infringe on his own "evil clown" character.
He specifically cites Steve's mannerisms, face paint, red mist, and costume as stolen from the Krimson character, and claims that The Decay is based on the "Dead Wrestlers' Society" stable he created in 2010.
This is not Carnes's first dealing with TNA, as he contacted the promotion in 2011 with similar complaints. At that point, he claimed that TNA had lifted his name for Tommy "Crimson" Mercer and his persona for Sting's "Joker" character. According to Carnes, that case of gimmick infringement made independent promoters believe he was copying TNA and therefore, made it more difficult for him to get work.
Carnes, who also competed as Conrad Kennedy III, has also worked for TNA in the past. In 2004, he lost an Xplosion match to Chris Sabin at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds.
In Carnes's letter, the independent wrestler gave TNA until April 6 to acknowledge in writing that they will comply with his request and stop using the disputed trademarks. Though TNA's legal team has the letter, they have not yet responded to Carnes.