SONY SUING EMI OVER WERRE

The suit alleges the highly respected, well-liked Werre used the offer as leverage in negotiating his new EMI deal.

Sony charged that Werre, who had been EMI's President of Music Services, agreed in February to join Sony on a three-year deal after his contract expired in 2010, according to documents filed at the Supreme Court of New York.

Sony said it had intended to appoint Werre as its new President of Commercial Music and had already fired the incumbent head, John Ingrassia, in anticipation of the appointment.

"Werre never intended to fulfill his contractual obligations to Sony Music, but was merely using his contract with Sony Music as a stalking horse to solicit a more lucrative contract from EMI with enhanced job responsibilities," the suit said.

Sony claims EMI was aware of its plans to hire Werre, charging that after he agreed to join Sony, EMI contacted Sony Music Chief Executive Officer Rolf Schmidt-Holtz asking for his new contract to be scrapped.

It said around the same time Werre himself informed another executive at Sony that he had changed his mind and would stay with EMI under a new contract. Sony also names Werre in the lawsuit.