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Damages of $1.9 million could backfire on music industry
reuters ^ | Jun 20, 2009

Posted on 06/21/2009 6:09:13 AM PDT by JoeProBono

The recording industry secured a resounding victory last week when a Minneapolis jury awarded the four major labels $1.92 million in damages after unanimously finding that a 32-year-old mother had willfully infringed on their copyrights by downloading and sharing 24 songs on the Kazaa peer-to-peer network.

But a question arose after the verdict about whether the sheer size of the damages could lead to a backlash against an industry that is already portrayed in some quarters as overreaching. Sony BMG attorney Wade Leak, who testified at the trial, said he was "shocked" by the damages award. No one expects that the labels will collect the entire amount from Jammie Thomas-Rasset, a 32-year-old Brainerd, Minn., mother of four who testified during the retrial that her ex-boyfriend or sons, then 8 and 10, were most likely responsible for downloading and distributing the songs.

Thomas-Rasset lost her previous trial in 2007 and was ordered to pay $222,000, only to achieve a now-pyrrhic victory when the court tossed the verdict because of a faulty jury instruction. Even for law-abiding citizens who believe that labels have every right to protect their copyrights, a verdict of almost $2 million could be hard to swallow. Indeed, the Recording Industry Assn. of America said it was willing to reach a settlement with Thomas-Rasset, as it had been all along.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: music; noauthorcredit; riaa

Jammie Thomas Rasset


1 posted on 06/21/2009 6:09:14 AM PDT by JoeProBono
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To: JoeProBono
We need a music czar to cap the penalties music industry can collect as well as their salaries and amount of coke they can snort or shoot in a day
2 posted on 06/21/2009 6:13:49 AM PDT by shadeaud ("If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten." -- George Carlin)
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To: shadeaud
"We need a music czar "


3 posted on 06/21/2009 6:18:00 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: antiRepublicrat

Copyfraud update


4 posted on 06/21/2009 6:46:22 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: JoeProBono
the Recording Industry Assn. of America said it was willing to reach a settlement with Thomas-Rasset, as it had been all along.

$1 to settle with the record companies, $1.8 million for attorney fees?

5 posted on 06/21/2009 10:29:17 AM PDT by rawhide
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To: JoeProBono

The author of the article is Ben Sheffner.


6 posted on 06/21/2009 11:50:23 AM PDT by JoJo Gunn (I don't suck the Hollyweird teat.)
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To: JoJo Gunn

7 posted on 06/21/2009 12:11:04 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

LMAO!!!


8 posted on 06/21/2009 12:21:35 PM PDT by houeto (Defang the FEDGOV. Repeal the 17th!)
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To: JoJo Gunn

9 posted on 06/21/2009 12:33:02 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono; Goonch; Gitche Gumee; Son of Bigfoot

Post all the mindless pictures you want, and in irrelevant threads too, troll. It doesn’t change the fact that you posted 4 articles in a row without author credit.


10 posted on 06/21/2009 12:50:48 PM PDT by JoJo Gunn (I don't suck the Hollyweird teat.)
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To: JoJo Gunn

11 posted on 06/21/2009 12:54:31 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoJo Gunn

12 posted on 06/21/2009 1:13:55 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono; admin

You’re an intellectually dishonest sack of fecal matter too. Here’s the thread where people can get the accurate context.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2276140/posts?page=17#17


13 posted on 06/21/2009 1:19:14 PM PDT by JoJo Gunn (I don't suck the Hollyweird teat.)
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To: JoJo Gunn
Help Me Mom!


14 posted on 06/21/2009 1:25:44 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

How utterly absurd this case was even pursued.


15 posted on 06/21/2009 9:11:07 PM PDT by Impy (RED=COMMUNIST, NOT REPUBLICAN)
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