A jury has ordered a Minnesota woman to pay $US1.5 million to a number of music companies for downloading 24 copyrighted songs.
The jury, which handed down the verdict in court last week, ordered Jammie Thomas-Rasset to pay an average of about $62,500 per song. The Recording Industry Association of America had filed an original complaint against Thomas-Rasset in 2006, accusing her of illegally downloading 1,700 songs.
The Judge, Michael Davis, said he would not consider arguments to reduce the fines to a minimum of $US18,000.
The RIAA said in a statement that as far as the organisation is concerned, the matter is settled. “Now with three jury decisions behind us, along with a clear affirmation of Ms Thomas-Rasset’s wilful liability, it is our hope that she finally accepts responsibility for her actions,” the statement read.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
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