The last CD I bought was a Monty Python double in 1997. It was appropriately named "The Final Ripoff". I kid you not.
Posted on 06/18/2009 6:29:59 PM PDT by dayglored
A federal jury Thursday found a 32-year-old Minnesota woman guilty of illegally downloading music from the Internet and fined her $80,000 each — a total of $1.9 million — for 24 songs.
Jammie Thomas-Rasset’s case was the first such copyright infringement case to go to trial in the United States, her attorney said.
Attorney Joe Sibley said that his client was shocked at fine, noting that the price tag on the songs she downloaded was 99 cents...
(Excerpt) Read more at cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com ...
At a amateur level, so am I (as a lifelong musician who has self-produced CDs starting 12 years ago).
The problem is that the business model had to change, and the RIAA refused to do it. They could have made the new technologies work in their favor... but no, they have to do things the old way regardless...
Buggywhip makers.
Surprised she wasn't fined $7.8 trillion per song.
And it would be a blockbuster movie.
She is a mother of four, was using Kazaa, and reportedly had 1700 songs out for swapping. For simplicity, they only went after her for 24 of the 1700 songs. Otherwise, it could have been $136,000,000. A few more zeros, and she could retire the national debt. She turned down the usual plea bargain of $3K-$5K. Eeesh.
Anyone on this thread that is in the M biz understands this ruling.The non music biz people will not.
Two words: jury nullification
Hollywood luvs the porn peddlers, rapist, bank robbers etc - but they will fry you if you download their music for free...
I guess liberals know how to get tough when their money's on the table.
Well, her "crime" was the sharing, more than just the downloading. It's harsh as hell, because the RIAA didn't have to prove that anybody else even got a copy via her shares. They only had to prove "intent".
> It will probably be thrown out, but will cost her big bucks for attorneys.
I suspect it already has, though probably there are some pockets helping her out.
And judges instructions. Most jurors have no idea they can ignore all that. They just assume they have to follow what the judge tells them.
The last CD I bought was a Monty Python double in 1997. It was appropriately named "The Final Ripoff". I kid you not.
It sends a message
Well, maybe just a few less Christmas presents this year.
Yes, but how many people have even heard of the concept of jury nullification. Most people would assume they have to follow the letter of the law. They do not realize they are the final arbitrators and can ignore a bad law if they wish.
>>Most jurors have no idea they can ignore all that. They just assume they have to follow what the judge tells them.<<
Yeah, I was on jury duty once and told the rest of the jury that. Some of them did not believe me. In my job I deal with root causes. People don’t understand that a juror has a right to make his OWN decision. That is the whole point. He can be a racist sob that finds a black man guilty solely for his color. He has that right and if he is in unison with 11 of his kind, that black man is gonna have a bad day, inocent or not.
Ssshhh-hh-hh. The goobermint lawyers will hear ya....
> She turned down the usual plea bargain of $3K-$5K.
Yep. Somebody tried to prove a point. Unfortunately it was turned against them.
She was guilty. They should have used somebody who wasn't...
New title: Jury awards plaintiff blood from turnip.
Wow, that's... ummmm... GRAPHIC.
As a Python fan, I don't know how I missed that...
I try to tell people that every single person being sought by the RIAA is being sought for making songs available for upload. My shared folder has a few songs in it so that I get more search hits. But they are all originals. :)
And most of the songs that are available are probably college kids using university servers, etc. I love it!
I’m in the music biz - as a musician. But musicians are to the music biz what ford escorts are to the car rental biz.
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