Judge: Jersey Shore DVD Not Blocked From Sale

A man who had been beaten unconscious by a cast member of Jersey Shore lost his court bid to have the DVD sale of that episode blocked. 

Stephen Izzo Jr., 27, was beaten on-air by a cast member of the MTV show "Jersey Shore."  The show, similar to MTV's The Real World, followed a group of young roommates in a Seaside Heights house. The show followed their interaction in the community, including one night at a nightclub where Ronnie Ortiz punched Izzo in the back of his head, rendering him unconscious.  In his lawsuit, Izzo claims that he was assaulted without any provocation.

Ortiz was arrested after the assault.

Izzo had sought to ban any further dissemination of the two episodes on the show: one where he was knocked unconscious by Ortiz and the other where Ronnie Ortiz unapologetically discusses the beating.  

Izzo claimed that both episodes were edited out of context, allegedly portraying Izzo in a negative manner. According to Izzo, his tattoos gave away his identity to viewers, despite the fact that producers had made every effort to obscure his face. 

Unfortunately for Izzo, injunctive relief such as the type he sought requires a showing of irreparable harm. And in Izzo's case, the judge felt that Izzo failed to show the requisite irreparable harm, either financial or personal. 

Superior Court Judge Stephen L. Foster gave the parties a March 19 court date, at which time the court will hear from MTV as to why there should be no injunction issued in the case. 

Related Resources

• Jersey Shore "Victim" Sues to Block DVD Sales  (NBC New York) 
• Injunction (FindLaw Law Dictionary)
• Jersey Shore (MTV)
• New Jersey Simple Assault (provided by John F. Marshall)