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Tuesday, April 3, 2007

The legal wrangling over Scott Stapp and Kid Rock's on-camera sexual escapade aboard a tour bus in 1999 is finally running out of gas.

On Friday the former Creed frontman settled his invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against adult film company World Wide Red Light District, which he had accused of unlawfully selling downloads of a videotaped romp involving Stapp, Kid Rock and four groupies.

While Stapp's attorney, William Sayegh, refused to disclose just how much money his client will receive, only saying that the litigation was resolved "in Scott Stapp's favor."

Meanwhile, as part of the agreement, Red Light has agreed to halt any further distribution of the X-rated footage.

The porn flick purveyors admitted that they did not own the rights to the tape, Sayegh said. The deal means "a private matter remains private," he added.  

Kid Rock obtained a preliminary injunction in February 2006 barring Red Light from posting the video on the creatively named Websites it snatched up for that purpose—kidrocksextape.com and scottstappsextape.com.

Stapp's case charging Red Light with invasion of privacy and misappropriation of likeness was scheduled to go to trial next week if the opposing factions hadn't settled up. The "Arms Wide Open" rocker was seeking damages to compensate for the loss of reputation, embarrassment, pain and suffering and emotional distress he incurred when the footage made the Internet rounds.

In his lawsuit, filed in March 2006 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Stapp stated that the "video diary" from his and Kid Rock's 1999 tour was stolen from a safe in his house, an allegation that Red Light denied having anything to do with.  

"Obviously, someone wants to hurt me, and doesn't want me to be successful in my solo career," Stapp told AP Radio last year.  

His partner in cavorting, however, didn't exactly agree with that sentiment. "[Stapp] is the idiot because it's out," Kid Rock said in response to Stapp's out-to-get-me theory. "I'm holding him responsible."

In fact, the finger has been pointed in all different directions since the performers were caught with their proverbial pants down.  

Last April, a Miami judge dismissed an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit filed by the self-proclaimed female "star" of the 45-minute home movie because the plaintiff refused to state her real name in court documents.  

Jane Doe had alleged that Stapp and Red Light had conspired to turn a buck from the tape without her permission.

In any case, Stapp, 33, seems to have settled down somewhat since his days of vice and video. The Great Divide artist and wife Jaclyn welcomed their first child together in January, daughter Milán Hayat Stapp, and his second solo album is due out sometime this year.

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