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Legal Expert Calls Out Child Porn Claims Over Nirvana Nevermind Album Cover

Legal Expert Calls Out Child Porn Claims Over Nirvana Nevermind Album Cover

The album, which was released in 1991, features an image of then-newborn Spencer Elden naked in a pool with a dollar bill in front of him

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

A legal expert has hit out at the child pornography lawsuit that has been filed against Nirvana for the cover image from their album Nevermind.

Spencer Elden, 30, is suing the band, as well as late singer Kurt Cobain's estate, for featuring a picture of him as a naked new-born baby on the front cover of their 1991 album.

Kurt Cobain.
PA

This has been slated by a legal expert who has represented survivors of child sexual abuse and thinks it's 'outrageous on so many levels'.

Lawyer Jamie White spoke about the case with the New York Post, saying: "I've never seen a more offensive, frivolous lawsuit in the history of my career.

"Not only do I not think this lawsuit will hold water, I think the attorneys will be scrutinised for even filing this thing."

White believes the case is 'really offensive to the true victims [of child pornography]' and claimed 'the people that traffic in this garbage do it for sexual gratification'.

He added: "The idea that the Nirvana album is for the purpose of gratification sexually is just such a ridiculous outrage."

Nirvana band members Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Kurt Cobain.
PA

Claiming that the suit is a 'money grab', White continued: "I would look for a court to dismiss because it's frivolous and it really is offensive to what we have all been doing in trying to protect children from the harm they are alleging here."

The image of Mr Elden shows him in a pool with a dollar bill in front of him, which has been widely viewed as a statement on capitalism.

The lawsuit states: "The permanent harm he has proximately suffered includes but is not limited to extreme and permanent emotional distress with physical manifestations, interference with his normal development and educational progress, lifelong loss of income earning capacity, loss of past and future wages, past and future expenses for medical and psychological treatment, loss of enjoyment of life, and other losses to be described and proven at trial of this matter."

It goes on to say that Elden has suffered 'lifelong damages', with the defendants having 'knowingly benefitted from their participation' in his 'commercial sexual exploitation'.

He is officially suing for distribution of private sexually explicit materials and negligence.

California-born Elden wound up on the cover of the album after photographer Kirk Weddle convinced the baby's father.

The album has sold in excess of 30 million copies worldwide in the 30 years since its release, and is certified six times platinum in the UK alone. Elden receives no royalties from album sales.

Featured Image Credit: Nirvana/DGC

Topics: Entertainment, Music