Hurricane Rita survivor RIAA victim
p2pnet.net News:- The Big Four Organized Music cartel’s RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has claimed another victim.
This time it’s an elderly lady, a survivor of Hurricane Rita, and once again, Sharman Networks’ Kazaa p2p application features in the case.
But the woman, Rhonda Crain, is fighting back, demanding a trial by jury and saying the RIAA’s actions “amount to extortion”.
Pay us $4,500, the RIAA told her, and we’ll leave you alone. Don’t pay, and you’re looking at $150,000 per song.
The RIAA lists more than 500 items, “some of which are not sound recordings at all, and none of which has been identified in any way as being possibly owned or licensed by Plaintiffs,” says her lawyer, John Stoneham, in a court document.
Citing “a litany of other similar cases brought by the RIAA,” she’s also looking to the defence first raised in Arista v Greubel, says Recording Industry vs The People.
Kazaa paid a reported $115 million ‘settlement’ to move to the entertainment cartel side of the fence and David Greubel says the $115 million constitutes recovery in full for “injuries allegedly caused” by him and others.
“Plaintiffs did not seek to mitigate their damages, if any; instead, they filed their Complaint which was served upon Defendant with a cover letter offering to enter into settlement negotiations,” says Stoneham, from the Beaumont, Texas, office of Lone Star Legal Aid.
Definitely stay tuned.
Also See:
Recording Industry vs The People – Elderly Survivor of Hurricane Rita Sued by RIAA in East Texas; Represented by Lone Star Legal Aid, November 28, 2006
$115 million ‘settlement’ – Kazaa deal paid for RIAA victim?, November 18, 2006
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November 29th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
What I find especially encouraging about this case is that Ms. Crain is being defended by Legal Aid. Many of the RIAA victims are low income individuals, and there is a massive economic mismatch of course. For that reason, Legal Aid’s entry into this arena is encouraging indeed. I hope this is a trend that will continue, and expand across the country.
November 30th, 2006 at 4:57 am
IMHO, even if she lost her case, the RIAA has very little chance of recovering a dime from her. All She has to do is declare bankrupcy and live in a state such as Florida.
These cockroaches cannot get blood from a turnip.
I’m glad I have my Internet account under a false name