DoJ backs $1.92M against Thomas

17 Aug 09 23:48 by Randomus in category Piracy To news archive

The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) issued a statement at the end of last week standing behind a whopping $1.92 M fine against Jammie Thomas.

Thomas went through several lawsuits and court cases with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), eventually losing, leading to the large fine.  In the original trial, the RIAA was awarded a total of $220,000 — Thomas’ attorneys argued for a new trial, which she lost and was eventually hit with the fine.

Thomas’ attorneys are now seeking a third jury trial, claiming the current fine is unconstitutionally high.

piracyThe outcome is not a surprise, as Pres. Barack Obama has several former RIAA executives as advisors in his new government.  There was concern their presence would allow fines like this to stand without much scrutiny, though that’s a topic Thomas’ attorneys will skip over while preparing for a third trial.

I expect Thomas to get her third trial, but I have a strong suspicion she’ll lose and still have to pay an unusually high amount.  The RIAA has avoided trials with all but two people accused of copyright infringement, and are looking to make an example out of the two who decided to stand up against them.

8 Comments

ivid
Posts: 651
Posted on: 18 Aug 09 15:47
That's feakin BS. You get a 200K penalty and appeal it in court via legal means, and so then you get penalized more for appleaing ? That is the crime. The Judge is obviously in the RIAA's pocket. Freaking corrupt a$$hole.

F*** the RIAA and F*** this judge.

PS. I would steal the RIAA's handbag
ivid
Posts: 651
Posted on: 18 Aug 09 15:53
I can't see how I Edit my previous posts anymore, I meant DoJ not judge. WTF is wrong with a jury to let this happen. I don't mean the initial penalty, I refer to the completely absurd increasd penalty for sharing music. Actually 220K is also absurd for sharing 24 songs. Everyone knows 1 download does not equate 1 lost sale. Ever.
Chuckwagon
Posts: 163
Posted on: 18 Aug 09 19:21
This is awesome. It's cruel and unusual punishment to deprive rapists and murderers of cable TV, but it's just peachy to fine a person $1.92 million for sharing music. Great justice system we have here. Bunch of morons, all the way round.
brokenbuga
Posts: 1015
Posted on: 18 Aug 09 20:13
Does this surprise anybody?
MysticEyes
Posts: 1441
Posted on: 18 Aug 09 21:45
Thomas is a moron. Got caught red handed Kazaaing and listens to some lawyer that she should take it to court. With the second trial she was perceived as a flat out liar, hence the hefty fine. She could have settled initially for $3000 and been done.

This says it best.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away, know when to run.
DrageMester
Posts: 19408
Posted on: 18 Aug 09 21:56
So the $3000 was the reasonable amount for this offense.

The $1.92 million is for lying?

What's next? The death penalty?

There has to be a connection between the seriousness of the offense and the size of the penalty, or there is no justice served!

And this isn't justice!
dentman42
Posts: 655
Posted on: 18 Aug 09 22:05
That's why it's referred to as "The legal system" these days instead of "the justice system" as it used to be called.
Seán
Posts: 8624
Posted on: 19 Aug 09 00:07
I know the 3-strike and you're disconnected system in the EU may be unfair, but this ruling just shows that the RIAA couldn't think of anything better than ruining peoples' lives and wasting court time just to discourage file sharing. Pop "wasting court time" as a Google phrase and most of the results are stories on studios wasting court time over online piracy.

I wonder what the scenario would have been like had Thomas been initially sent a formal letter of warning instead . . .

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Piracy

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