Leave My Mug Shot Alone!

DECEMBER 1--A West Virginia man whose iconic mug shot has gained him worldwide infamy is considering legal action against companies that have placed his image on products without his permission.

Patrick Tribett's booking photo--which first appeared in these pages in July 2005 following his arrest for paint huffing--can be seen at left. The photo of the 45-year-old Tribett, whose face was partially covered with gold spray paint, has since appeared in countless publications worldwide.

While uncomfortable with this exposure, Tribett is focusing on firms that have placed his photo on t-shirts, coffee mugs, and other items offered for sale. His attorney, H. John Rogers, is reportedly preparing federal lawsuits against several companies that have sold merchandise featuring Tribett's photo, including Amazon.com, Cafe Press, and Hot Toys, a Chinese manufacturer.

T-shirts with Tribett's photo (and the phrase "I wanna know where da gold at") are currently being sold on Zazzle.com for about $20 (though the site offers a volume discount if you order more than 10 shirts). Tribett, who has been clean for about two months, did not respond to a message left for him at Lazarus House, a Wheeling recovery facility where he resides. (2 pages)