Posted on 11/05/2010 4:23:36 PM PDT by paudio
A federal jury found Wednesday that Jammie Thomas-Rasset, of Brainerd, must pay $62,500 per song — for a total of $1.5 million — for illegally violating copyrights on 24 songs. This was the third jury to consider damages in her case, and each has found that she must pay — though different amounts. And after each time, the single mother of four has said she can't pay. "I can't afford to pay any amount. It's not a matter of won't, it's a matter of 'I can't,'" Thomas-Rasset said Thursday. "Any amount that I pay to them is money that I could use to feed my children. Any amount that I pay to them is money I could use to clothe my kids, and pay my mortgage so my kids have a place to sleep."
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Now that’s funny!
The RIAA sucks. Also, the Mom shouldn’t have been sharing songs. Regardless, the RIAA should be concerned about flushing their goodwill down the john by suing single moms for sharing songs.
Before anyone asks/accuses, I purchase lots of digital music and video content from iTunes. Why? I could download it for for free, but I appreciate the convenience of being able to buy from any of my iOS devices when I want. I feel that the $0.99 is worth it for the convenience and legality.
Someone could take my recent IP and use it, it would still be available to me, but they wouldn't have to pay me for my efforts. Is that right?
I think not. I'm going to hold the IP and protect it and only release it on my terms.
You don't like the terms, don't sign on. I did too much work on it to give it away, unless I release it under a GNU licence. And I don't want to do that right now.
/johnny
My daughter is a songwriter. That is part of how she earns a living. Theft of anything is wrong. She should be charged what it normally costs per song and possibly a small fine, not some exorbitant figure that makes lawyers and RIAA richer.
That's totally insane! I couldn't see charging her more than what it would have cost to buy them on iTunes. Glad they never caught me... Back when I might have downloaded media, I would have had to pay around $93 million at those rates.... LOL
Makes me wanna' go out and violate some music copyrights, or maybe just not spending any money on music DVDs.
Then those pukes wonder what happened to their business ~ could be the advertising and their misuse of the courts for otherwise trivial violations that certainly do not call for this level of brutality.
I'd look for jurors being paid off by the plaintiff. It's simply not possible to find a jury that could be unanimous in a situation like this ~ someone would see what an abuse of public institutions these show trials are, and would simply not vote for conviction.
Frankly, we should be more concerned with the obvious ease with which slick shyster lawyers are able to subvert the judicial system to abuse a poor woman with several young children.
There should be somebody horsewhipped here ~ the judge? Perhaps the lawyers? An RIAA puke? Maybe some recording company executives? No doubt this is a target rich environment.
>”It doesn’t matter. If my dog takes a crap and I say that crap is worth $5 million dollars and you steal it...you owe me $5 million. “
Actually, no. Not at all the case. Probably just a bad analogy, though.
I’m going to go ahead and side with the people who are saying that $62,500 for downloading an mp3 is ridiculous. The law may be the law, but I think it is fair to point out the absurdity of the situation. Especially since we have many stupid laws on the books.
On the one hand, I NEVER downloaded any copyrighted material, by stealing it for free.
On the other hand, “the Internet is different crowd” joined forces with ignorant and illiterate Libertarians and Liberals in the pretense that just because technology makes it possible, it must be allowed and accepted in what ever fashion it is functioning, who joined forces with pseudo Conservatives to de-facto legalize theft by doing nothing about it, under the misguided notion that NOTHING about the Internet can be regulated.
The political class has not banned the ‘downloading’ activity nor have they passed laws to actively go after all the sites that - if its really “illegal” - are operating illegally, the same way that a “community garage” stocked with stolen goods is an illegal operation.
Unless the political class is going to actively work to prevent and stop the Internet businesses that provide the activity this woman was allowed to do, with laws to that affect, this woman should have to pay nothing.
I went to MCI and never went back. Along the way I told everybody that AT&T was in cahoots with the criminal class so don't trust them.
BTW, AT&T is still in cahoots with the criminal class so don't trust them.
Aint that the truth and its a shame.
And many of them have a weird relationship thats not like raising a son. Its more like a husband-wife.
I know one I went to school with. She is 53 and he is 20 or so and they carry on at facebook like a couple teenagers
On the other hand, I don't think RIAA can demonstrate that any of these people interfered with profits, or payments, or anything of consequence.
For the most part these people weren't going to pay anything ~ they wouldn't buy copies. They wouldn't listen to the music.
There's a serious recession still on and a jury and judge somewhere imagine that all is well.
Too much botox use in that crowd for comfort.
Well, that will be such a comfort to my friend Judy, whose doctor husband passed on suddenly at age 50 leaving her with an 8 year old daughter.
SHE refers to herself as a "single mom" because there is no longer a father for the child. Then again, you know better, right?
Did any of your siblings develop intelligence once they got past the diaper stage?
You brought a smile to my face. Good lines are very hard to write. Good job!
Can you say excessive fines except from not the gov’t but from an organization that should falls under the RICO Statute !
BTW, FU RIAA & MPAA !
> But $62K/song? That seems like over-reach.
If they won’t cooperate and continue to allow the card to be used, then they are co-conspirators to the crime.
FURIAA
That’s probably more than the artist got in royalties.
Music is so bad now, the industry should pay people to take it.
So what other draconian punishments do you support? A year in jail for not paying a parking meter? Death penalty for speeding? Chopping off a hand for stealing a loaf of bread?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.