Intellectual Property Law
Music Downloader Owes Record Cos. $1.9M, Jury Says
Posted Jun 19, 2009, 07:33 am CST
By Molly McDonough
A federal jury in Minneapolis returned a verdict Thursday against a 32-year-old mother of four, saying she owes record companies an astounding $1.92 million for illegally sharing music on the Internet.
Jammie Thomas-Rasset would have to pay $80,000 for each of the 24 songs she shared on the Net if the verdict stands, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.
The verdict is sure to be seen as a major victory for record companies. This is the first of some 30,000 file-sharing suits brought by the Recording Industry Association of America to go to trial. The RIAA maintains that file-sharers have cost record companies $6 billion in lost revenue over the last few years.
This was the RIAA's second stab at Thomas-Rasset, who on Thursday told the Star-Tribune, "The only thing I can say is, 'Good luck getting it from me.'"
Last September, Thomas-Rasset was granted a new trial after jurors found her liable for $222,000 in damages for illegally sharing 24 copyrighted songs on Kazaa.
Also see:
Computer World: "Analysis: $1.92M fine in music piracy case could hurt RIAA"
Hat tip: Pat's Papers.
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