Manuel Noriega’s attempt to sue Activision has been dismissed by a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge who ruled that the former Panamanian dictator’s unauthorized cameo in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is protected by America’s free speech laws.
In the game, Noriega helps players track down a Nicaraguan activist, before switching allegiances and forcing the player to hunt and capture the virtual Noriega in what is a loose metaphor for the real Noriega’s involvement with the CIA in the 1980s. The former dictator’s lawsuit claimed this appearance portrays him as a “kidnapper, murderer and enemy of the state,” and that his cameo enhanced sales of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, for which Noriega believed he deserves compensation.
“This ruling is an important victory and we thank the court for protecting free speech,” said former New York City mayor and Activision co-counsel Rudy Giuliani. “This was an absurd lawsuit from the very beginning and we’re gratified that in the end, a notorious criminal didn’t win. This is not just a win for the makers of Call of Duty, but is a victory for works of art across the entertainment and publishing industries throughout the world.”
