'Insane' $1.9 million verdict could prove RIAA's downfall

Jun 19th, 2009 - ZDNet

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So Jammie Thomas-Rasset is a thief - a willful copyright infringer - who uploaded 24 songs to the Internet. At least, the jury in her second trial so found in delivering a $1.9 million verdict: $80,000 per song.

Under the law the jury could have imposed statutory damages up to $150,000 per work. So perhaps Thomas got off light with a $2m fine instead of the $3.6 million she coulda got. Not exactly.

The verdict should be set aside because it is not supported by the evidence. The jury was bound by the terms of Title 17, section 504: statutory damages of $750-$30,000 per infringement, or up to $150,000 per infringement if the defendant acted "willfully."

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