[lonewolfny42]

The results are in for the nation's first file-sharing case.....guilty...

[Scott F.]

24 shared files X $9250 each = OUCH!

Thats scarier than your Halloween avatar 

[lonewolfny42]

A jury in Minnesota ordered Jammie Thomas, 30, to pay an alliance of six major record companies $9,250 for each of 24 songs for which they sought damages. They could have awarded damages as low as $750 per song.

Thomas, a Native American and mother of two, made legal history by becoming the first of 26,000 people sued by the Recording Industry Association of America over alleged use of filesharing software to take the case to court.

Many of the people sued in such cases settle out of court for, on average, about $4,000, according to the industry’s trade association. Ms. Thomas chose to face trial instead, saying that she did not share files on the Kazaa network as the labels contended. She and her lawyer declined to comment after leaving the courthouse.

[Rob Babcock]

Very scary stuff.   How many of us use a wireless router?  I'm too lazy to use much security (encryption is a PItA to me), so really someone could easily use my service to download music.  Okay, not easily- I don't actually have service right now since I'm crashing with my sis. 

Another high profile case by the RIAA was recently decided against them, in favor of the accused, and she will probably get legal fees and punitive damages from them.

[lonewolfny42]

Very scary stuff.   How many of us use a wireless router?  I'm too lazy to use much security (encryption is a PItA to me), so really someone could easily use my service to download music.  Okay, not easily- I don't actually have service right now since I'm crashing with my sis. 

Another high profile case by the RIAA was recently decided against them, in favor of the accused, and she will probably get legal fees and punitive damages from them.

Some evidence that was used for the trial contained in this story......Story Here...

[John Ashman]

I wonder how they show damages in this kind of trial?!?   Many of those songs are played on the radio, so can easily be taped there.  The people that copied the music were unlikely to have purchased it.  And the distribution of the music may have actually caused people to buy the album by the few that actually do like to spend money.   

[JoshK]

I think this is going to cause the RIAA to up their settlement amounts. 

[nathanm]

"An RIAA spokesperson told Ars on Monday that the group plans to move forward with its claims, and that it tries "to be fair and reasonable" in resolving all of its file-sharing cases "quickly and out of court."

Fair and reasonable?  Don't make me laugh!  The RIAA doesn't know the meaning of the words.  Fair and reasonable would be pay for the music you stole.  (How about double the price?)  The RIAA was not robbed of 200 thousands bucks because of this woman fer crying out loud.  This is not justice, this is a system where a bunch of assholes who have nothing to do with the crime can enrich themselves.  And shame on the jury for having no moral compass and no spine whatsoever.  They are coming for you next.

And I bet most of these scumbag lawyers and RIAA vermin have teenage kids who are sharing music this very second.  Wouldn't surprise me.

[Wayner]

Well, I live in Minnesota and there is a little more to the story. The gal that was tried was (supposedly) offered a settlement out of court. A fine that would amount to a few thousand dollars. She thought she was Miss American Indian and could fight the system. She let her ego get in the way and now she will pay, pay, pay. The fact is she made a real stupid decision and will suffer the outcome.

W

[gitarretyp]

A juror speaks.

[timind]

Of course they still have to collect.