A US company which claims it had its film footage of John Lennon stolen, is seeking US$6.3 million in damages in federal court.

World Wide Video had filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Anthony Pagola, a broker who sold the late Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono, the 1970 footage for US$300,000 in 2002.

Ono was found to be the rightful copyright owner of the film footage which shows Lennon smoking marijuana.

Judge Rya Zobel did not immediately rule on the request, but called the US$6.3 million figure “probably speculative”.

Ono disputed the US$6.3 million, stating that neither she nor anyone else in the film has given permission for the footage to be used commercially. Ono did not say what she thinks the film is worth.