Parents lose lawsuit over destruction of son's porn stash

The boxes of films and magazines were worth an estimated $29,000. Photo / 123rf

A man who sued his parents for getting rid of his pornography collection has won a lawsuit in western Michigan and can seek compensation.

U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney ruled in favor of David Werking, who said his parents had no right to throw out his collection. He lived at their Grand Haven home for 10 months after a divorce before moving to Muncie, Indiana.

Werking said boxes of films and magazines worth an estimated $29,000 were missing.

"There is no question that the destroyed property was David's property," Maloney said Monday. "Defendants repeatedly admitted that they destroyed the property."

Werking's parents said they had a right to act as his landlords.

"Defendants do not cite to any statute or caselaw to support their assertion that landlords can destroy property that they dislike," the judge said.

Maloney told both sides to file briefs on the financial value of the collection.

"The court does not intend to hold an evidentiary hearing," he said.

- AP