Bon Jovi face $400bn court appeal

Jon Bon Jovi campaigned for Democrat John Kerry in 2004

A baseball fan is appealing against the dismissal of his $400bn (£240bn) copyright claim against Bon Jovi, Time Warner and Major League Baseball (MLB).

In 2008, Samuel Bartley Steele claimed Bon Jovi released the song I Love This Town which he says was a copy of his ode to Boston's Red Sox baseball team.

Mr Steele says (Man I Really) Love This Team was released in October 2004.

A judge dismissed the case last year after Mr Steele's own musicologist said the songs were not very similar.

Democrat campaign

Mr Steele also claims he gave copies to Red Sox players and executives and sent copies to MLB with the view to them using it to market the sport. He says his band - Bart Steele Band - also played it on local TV.

Bon Jovi released their song during the 2007 play-offs - it was then used by MLB to promote play-off baseball on Time Warner's TBS cable channel.

Mr Steele claims frontman Jon Bon Jovi either heard the song when he was campaigning for John Kerry in Boston 2004 or that an executive passed it on to him.

The district judge ruled that no reasonable jury could conclude there was any substantial similarity between the songs.

Mr Steele has now appealed.