Gregg Allman in court to stop biopic

Somebody isn't listening to Gregg Allman, William Hurt or hundreds of Hollywood behind-the-scenes workers. All have called for the shutting down of the Allman biopic Midnight Rider in the wake of the death of camera assistant Sarah Jones during shooting on February 20.

Hurt had already quit the movie in which he was to play Allman, when the guitarist took it upon himself to send a letter to director Randall Miller telling him that he would like to see the production stopped but nobody, Miller, the production company or the insurance company, has made any move that would suggest that production is once again going to start.

So, Allman filed suit on April 28 against Unclaimed Freight claiming that they did not start production on the film by a February 28 deadline, ending the agreement for rights to Allman's book, My Cross to Bear, on which the movie is based. The key to whether this is successful, if it gets to court, is that the judge must acknowledge that Jones' death on February 20 was during pre-production and that actual production of the film had not started by the end of that month.

In addition, the complaint says that Miller and the production company shorted a check for the rights to the book that he sent on February 27 by $9,000, further indicating a breaking of the agreement.

The lawsuit states "Therefore, Allman requests that the Court enter an Order declaring that the Defendants' Option has expired and directing the Defendants to cease all efforts to make a motion picture based upon the life of Gregg Allman and/or his autobiography."

A hearing is scheduled for May 12.