[Infowarrior] - Judge lowers Jammie Thomas' piracy penalty

[Richard Forno]

Judge lowers Jammie Thomas' piracy penalty
by Greg Sandoval

A U.S. district court has reduced damages for Jammie Thomas-Rasset,  
the Minnesota woman who was found liable for copyright violations by a  
jury last year.

"The need for deterrence cannot justify a $2 million verdict for  
stealing and illegally distributing 24 songs for the sole purpose of  
obtaining free music," wrote Michael Davis, chief judge for the U.S.  
District Court for the District of Minnesota.

An RIAA spokeswoman declined to comment.

Last June, a federal jury in Minnesota found Thomas-Rasset liable for  
willful copyright infringement and ordered her to pay $1.9 million.  
Davis has ordered Thomas-Rasset to pay $54,000, or $2,250 per song.

The Recording Industry Association of America accused Thomas-Rasset in  
2007 of illegal file sharing, and after refusing to admit guilt or  
settle with the RIAA, she became the first person to take her case to  
court.

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http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-10439636-261.html