Out of the Theater, Into the Courtroom

Washington Post ^ | August 2, 2007 | Daniela Deane

[seacapn]

Jhannet Sejas and her boyfriend were celebrating her 19th birthday by taking in a matinee showing of the hit movie "Transformers" at the theater at Ballston Common mall.

Sejas was enjoying the movie so much that she decided to film a short clip of the sci-fi adventure's climax to get her little brother hyped to go see it.

Minutes later, two Arlington County police officers were pointing their flashlights at the young couple in the darkened theater and ordering them out. They confiscated the digital camera as evidence and charged Sejas, a Marymount University sophomore and Annandale resident, with a crime: illegally recording a motion picture.

"I was terrified," said Sejas, her voice breaking. "I was crying. I've never been in trouble before." She said the assistant manager of the theater saw her holding up the Canon Power Shot and reported it to the general manager, who called police.

Sejas said she had no intention of selling the 20-second film clip. She just wanted to show it to her 13-year-old brother, who had said he wanted to see the movie. She was shocked when the officers showed up.

Sejas faces up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500 when she goes to trial this month in the July 17 incident.

[seacapn]

From the article:

Kendrick Macdowell, general counsel for the Washington-based National Association of Theatre Owners, said that illegal pirating of films costs the industry billions of dollars... Because of that, he said, there has to be a "zero-tolerance policy at the theater level."

Thanks to the thicket of 'anti-piracy' laws that Congress has been busy passing since the late 90's, I bet we can put this girl away for a decade at least. One more dangerous criminal off the streets, right...?

[Old Sarge]

Over in Iraq, we could get “Hadji-copies” of movies playing in theaters Stateside for a buck or two.

They were obviously recorded like this, you could see people getting up to go to the potty in front of the screen.

[Oztrich Boy]

They were obviously recorded like this, you could see people getting up to go to the potty in front of the screen.

That's bad. They should use the restrooms

[AlaskaErik]

Over in Iraq, we could get “Hadji-copies” of movies playing in theaters Stateside for a buck or two.

They were obviously recorded like this, you could see people getting up to go to the potty in front of the screen.

Same in Afghanistan. First time I've ever seen a pirated copy made in a theater!