Jury awards $675K in Boston music downloading case

busterb · 08-01-2009, 07:51 PM

BOSTON (AP) - A federal jury on Friday ordered a Boston University graduate student who admitted illegally downloading and sharing music online to pay $675,000 to four record labels.

Joel Tenenbaum, of Providence, R.I., admitted in court that he downloaded and distributed 30 songs. The only issue for the jury to decide was how much in damages to award the record labels.

Under federal law, the recording companies were entitled to $750 to $30,000 per infringement. But the law allows as much as $150,000 per track if the jury finds the infringements were willful. The maximum jurors could have awarded in Tenenbaum's case was $4.5 million.

Jurors ordered Tenenbaum to pay $22,500 for each incident of copyright infringement, effectively finding that his actions were willful. The attorney for the 25-year-old student had asked the jury earlier Friday to "send a message" to the music industry by awarding only minimal damages.
From AP

TheMercenary · 08-03-2009, 06:44 AM

I couldn't believe this. It really is quite commical. How many 25 yr old college students have an extra $675k hanging around. I would get a job at the local coffee shop and work there for the rest of my life just to spite them.

Cloud · 08-03-2009, 08:39 AM

I can read that on the headlines myself, BusterB. So what's your point?

Clodfobble · 08-03-2009, 03:18 PM

Rulings like this are always silly. No one can pay them, they just declare bankruptcy. Big civil fines only ever get paid by corporations, and often not even then.

08-01-2009, 07:51 PM	#1
busterb NSABFD Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MS. usa Posts: 3,908	Jury awards $675K in Boston music downloading case BOSTON (AP) - A federal jury on Friday ordered a Boston University graduate student who admitted illegally downloading and sharing music online to pay $675,000 to four record labels. Joel Tenenbaum, of Providence, R.I., admitted in court that he downloaded and distributed 30 songs. The only issue for the jury to decide was how much in damages to award the record labels. Under federal law, the recording companies were entitled to $750 to $30,000 per infringement. But the law allows as much as $150,000 per track if the jury finds the infringements were willful. The maximum jurors could have awarded in Tenenbaum's case was $4.5 million. Jurors ordered Tenenbaum to pay $22,500 for each incident of copyright infringement, effectively finding that his actions were willful. The attorney for the 25-year-old student had asked the jury earlier Friday to "send a message" to the music industry by awarding only minimal damages. From AP __________________ I've haven't left very deep footprints in the sands of time. But, boy I've left a bunch.

08-03-2009, 06:44 AM	#2
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	I couldn't believe this. It really is quite commical. How many 25 yr old college students have an extra $675k hanging around. I would get a job at the local coffee shop and work there for the rest of my life just to spite them. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

08-03-2009, 08:39 AM	#3
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	I can read that on the headlines myself, BusterB. So what's your point? __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

08-03-2009, 03:18 PM	#4
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Rulings like this are always silly. No one can pay them, they just declare bankruptcy. Big civil fines only ever get paid by corporations, and often not even then. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

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