Oprah Loses Legal Round

By Stephen M. Silverman

08/18/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

Oprah Winfrey, unfair? The media queen lost a round that accused her of unfair use of some 11 copyrighted photos -- without permission -- in her best-selling 1996 book, "Make the Connection: Ten Steps to a Better Body and Better Life." Judge Ruben Castillo of the U.S. District Court in Chicago ruled on behalf of photogs Stephen Green and Paul Natkin, who were hired by Oprah's production company to take thousands of publicity photos of the star. The Associated Press reports that Winfrey claims she paid the duo more than $250,000 to use the pictures not only in the book, but anywhere she needed. Natkin and Green, however, said the payment allowed Winfrey to use the photos for publicity materials related to her TV show -- and not in the book. A jury will determine which side will win in a trial to begin Aug. 14.