Joel admits uploading, downloading
p2pnet news view | RIAA:- The last time a civil jury had the power to decide what should happen to someone accused by Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony Music’s RIAA of copyright infringement, the victim, Jammie Rasset-Thomas, wound up being charged $80,000 for each of 24 digital music files she was alleged to have shared online, for a total of $1.92 million dollars.
Her case is under appeal and meanwhile, today is probably the last day in court for Boston student Joel Tenenbaum, also charged with copyright infringement and,”The Court will make required findings concerning copyright ownership, but leave all remaining issues — infringement (reproduction and distribution), damages and willfulness — for the jury, out of an abundance of caution. The Court does so in part because the statutory damages inquiry obliges the jury to consider some of the same issues as the infringement inquiry, i.e. the nature of the infringement. (Gertner, Nancy).”
The quote comes from Recording Industry vs The People.
In other words, it’ll be up to the jury — again — and, “On the stand today, are you now admitting liability for downloading and distributing all 30 songs?“ – asked Tim Reynolds, working for Big Music, and quoted in the Boston Globe.
Yes,“ said Joel Tenenbaum, 25, near the end of about three hours on the stand in US District Court in Boston.”
The story goes on »»»
He also matter-of-factly admitted lying about downloading in sworn statements to the record labels and falsely blaming others who he said might have had access to his computer in Providence, including his two sisters, friends, and house guests.
Tenenbaum said he didn`t destroy hundreds of songs on his computer even after he received a threatening letter from the recording industry in fall 2005. He had promised to get rid of the files in a letter to the record labels but was too attached to them.
There I was in front of my computer, and I couldn`t do it,“ said Tenenbaum. It was this huge collection I`d been making for years, and it was everything I listened to.“
If Tenenbaum is found to have infringed big music copyrights, he could end up owing more than Jammie.
“Under federal law, the jury could award the labels from $750 to $30,000 for each copyright infringement and as much as $150,000 for each willful infringement,” says the Globe, adding:
“That means that Tenenbaum could owe as much as $4.5 million.”
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
$1.92 million dollars – Jammie Thomas v RIAA: Round III?, July 7, 2009
Recording Industry vs The People – The Court leaves all issues, other than copyright ownership, to the jury, in SONY v. Tenenbaum, July 3o, 2009
Boston Globe – BU student admits illegal downloads, July 31, 2009
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July 31st, 2009 at 9:47 am
“Tenenbaum said he didnât destroy hundreds of songs on his computer even after he received a threatening letter from the recording industry in fall 2005. He had promised to get rid of the files in a letter to the record labels but was too attached to them.
âThere I was in front of my computer, and I couldnât do it,ââ said Tenenbaum. âIt was this huge collection Iâd been making for years, and it was everything I listened to.”
Not me.
I would have been so pissed, I would have deleted them all.
Hmmmm let’s see that playlist shall we?
How much of that music is from RIAA based artists?
You know I use RIAA Radar to find music that isn’t RIAA based, because I’ve come to the point to where I won’t even listen to a RIAA based artist.
But for me, the question is, how accurate is RIAA Radar?
As for Joel, good luck.
Still in shock over here.
July 31st, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I don’t understand, why first denying the accusations and then admitting that he lied? What is the purpose of this strategy? Makes no sense to me. Before the trial, he should have planned a consistent version of the events, whichever that version was…
July 31st, 2009 at 6:22 pm
It’s probably too hard for me to check everything to make sure I don’t buy music from one of these companies but it won’t cost me anything if I never buy a tv or a toaster from Sony ever again. Sayanora Sony! Banzai Toshiba!
July 31st, 2009 at 8:27 pm
“Tenenbaum said he didnât destroy hundreds of songs on his computer even after he received a threatening letter from the recording industry in fall 2005. He had promised to get rid of the files in a letter to the record labels but was too attached to them.”
As I read this statement, I can’t help thinking what an idiot Joel was. A single DVD-R will hold over 800 average sized MP3 files. If DVD burners were too expensive back then (I got mine in early 2007), a CD will hold over 100 MP3 files. He says there were “hundreds”, which implies that he had less than 1,000. Even at 100 files per CD, you’re only looking at having to burn about 10 discs. If each disk takes 10 minutes to burn and verify, that’s less than 2 hours to back up your entire music collection. Then you have a friend hold onto them for you.
Voila! Collection safe and sound, but no longer on your system. How hard is that?
July 31st, 2009 at 9:18 pm
If he actually ripped a cd and then uploaded it then fine he should get fined. The amount is too high thou. I wish they would go after the people that actually sell and make a profit off of ripping music.
August 1st, 2009 at 12:35 am
I totally agree with the last but one response. Too many of his responses in the last day of the trial were completely silly. This trial is a major thing, for him and also for all those that have been working for him. You simply cannot afford to give such silly answers in a trial like this! I’m stunned.
August 2nd, 2009 at 1:22 am
Seems like I was right about how things would turn out (not like it was hard to guess). It’s just my opinion but Joel doesn’t come across as being particularly bright. If all the record company wanted was for him to stop sharing, he should have done exactly that. While it sounds like they demanded he also delete all of the songs, he was under no obligation to do so at the time. Not without knowing their source anyways. For all the RIAA knew, they could have been ripped from his own CD’s and accidentally shared. He could have moved them to DVD’s as suggested above and nobody would have been the wiser. Maybe he wanted to go to trial? If so, then my original assessment of his character is confirmed.