Shawn Hogan vs the MPAA: II
p2pnet.net News:- “I’m not a hero,” said Shawn Hogan when he decided he was going to stand up to Hollywood’s MPAA after it had accused him of file sharing. “I’m a pretty normal guy.”
A normal guy, maybe, but one with plenty of cash on hand, which allows him to go where 99.999999% of people being victimized by entertainment cartel ‘trade’ outfits are unable to follow.
The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) claims Hogan shared “Meet the Fockers” online. But Hogan says he didn’t.
“Got an interesting call from a law firm (Loeb & Loeb) representing the MPAA today,” Hogan blogged almost exactly a year ago. “They want me to settle out of court and pay $2,500 for some movie I never downloaded (and ironically enough I actually own the DVD),” he declared.
“Of course, I declined their settlement offer and told them I would rather let it go to court.”
But now his lawyers want the charge thrown out anyway, saying the copyright registration was invalid, says Recording Industry vs The People.
Universal City Studios Productions, LLLP, sued Hogan in March but, “Attached to the Plaintiff’s Complaint is a copy of the Copyright Registration, which makes no reference whatsoever to the Plaintiff,” says a court document.
“Rather, the Copyright Registration identifies a thirdparty (Universal City Studios, LLLP3) as the claimant and the author.”
Hogan runs Digital Point Solutions and, “They’re completely abusing the system,” he said when the case surfaced. “I would spend well into the millions on this.”
Stay tuned.
Also See:
says he didn’t - Shawn Hogan vs the MPAA, July 26, 2006
blogged - Loeb and Loeb/MPAA Extortion, November 11, 2005
Recording Industry vs The People - Shawn Hogan Moves to Dismiss MPAA Case on Ground of Defective Copyright Registration, October 31, 2006
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October 31st, 2006 at 9:30 pm
they conveniently drop the case when they meet someone with the means to fight it surfaces. I’m suprised it’s gone this long
October 31st, 2006 at 9:48 pm
The MAFIAA would have simply lost its face -after he declined to pay them “extortion money” (they even reduced their demands down to 500$ in an early conference with the judge) in the first place and declared that he is willing to fight the courtfight- if they would have said “sorry Mr Millionaire, we didn’t know you could stand against us, lets forget about it, ok?”
Now Mr Hogans lawyers (and not the MPAA!) found this nice flaw in their argument that ironicly could be THE chance for MAFIAA to get out of it woithout loosing their face totally.
Of course it’s a bit ironic that the MAFIAA made this tiny technical error while registering the copyright but faced with this move they now can back off without problems if they are at least a bit smart!
November 2nd, 2006 at 6:35 am
It may let them bow out of this case (if they so choose), but it may open up some interesting avenues for us (I’m Shawn BTW). For example, was it “Universal City Studios Productions” who offered the $2,500 settlement to the hundreds of people who did settle? If so, that’s like a few hundred people paying me $2,500 because they allegedly downloaded something that I have no legal rights to (for sake of argument, let’s say people settled with me personally for downloading Star Wars). If that does turn out to be the case, it could open a whole new can of worms, in that I’m willing to help everyone get their money back.