First person to sue YouTube is no longer suing YouTube

By Eriq Gardner

CORRECTED AND RETRACTED POST: A previous version of this article identified video journalist Bob Tur as the leaker of sensitive Google documents in the copyright litigation against YouTube. Upon further review of the joint stipulation filed in the case and conversations with sources, we retract that statement. Although Tur agreed to end his participation in the litigation against YouTube and pay $20,000 to parent Google, he is not the source of the leak. Apologies to Tur and readers for the error.  

Bob Tur, the Los Angeles video journalist who taped some of the Rodney King riots and became the first person to sue YouTube for copyright infringement, has withdrawn his participation in the class action against the video-sharing site and parent Google. 

Tur, a noted rabble-rouser, has now come to an interesting settlement with YouTube:

• Tur has withdrawn his participation in the class action and will pay YouTube $20,000. 
• YouTube won't pursue any further action against Tur for an unauthorized leak of sensitive Google documents for which Google claimed Tur was responsible. (He denied responsibility.)
• YouTube will also withdraw, with prejudice, a motion to pursue sanctions against law firm Proskauer Rose, which is representing the plaintiffs in the class action.

Here's the joint stipulation.