Inmates Accused In Copyright Scheme To Win Freedom

Saturday, August 11th 2007, 2:31 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Four inmates who served time at the federal prison in El Reno are facing a host of charges connected to an ill-fated scheme in which they attempted to copyright their names.

Barry Dean Bischoff was arraigned Friday on charges of conspiracy, mailing threats and filing false claims. The arraignment came even as he refused to acknowledge he is the man named in the indictment unsealed last month in federal court in Oklahoma City.

When Magistrate Judge Bana Roberts asked Bischoff to identify himself, he responded, ``That is my private property, ma'am.''

Bischoff denied he was the man named in the indictment, but said he held a title to that name.

``Nothing you said makes any sense,'' Roberts told him.

Bischoff and three other inmates were at the prison between May 2003 and December 2005 when they conspired to force prison officials to release them by making exorbitant financial demands for violations of their common-law copyright on their names, according to the indictment.

Bischoff, 60; Russell Dean Landers, 55; Clayton Heath Albers, 60; and Carl Ervin Batts, 51, claimed they had property rights on their names and warned prison officials not to use them without authorization, according to court papers.

Louisiana resident William Michael Roberson, 50, is accused of helping the inmates mail documents in the conspiracy, the indictment states. They also sought someone experienced in repossessing property to help, authorities said.

That person turned out to be an undercover federal agent, who told the inmates he had changed the locks on the warden's home, taken possession of his vehicle and frozen his accounts, the indictment states.

The inmates set up a meeting with the warden and offered to negotiate the return of his property if they were freed, the indictment states.

Prosecutors and prison officials have declined to comment on the case, but an Oklahoma City copyright lawyer said the scheme was ill-conceived: ``You can't copyright a name,'' Phil Free said.

Related Story:

7/17/2007 Inmates Accused Of Using Copyright Scheme To Seek Release