p2pnet - rss feed: Lamar Smith crows over victory
p2p news / p2pnet:- Keen Hollywood enthusiast Lamar Smith says he’s delighted that, thanks to him, 19-year-old Curtis Salisbury is looking at up to 17 years in jail and a possible $250,000 fine.
Seventeen years, eh? Salisbury must be a member of Al-quiada. Or maybe he murdered someone, or robbed the US federal mint. Or did he suggest joint US presidents Dick Cheney and George W. Bush may have interests other than those of the populace at heart?
None of the above.
According to the US Justice Department, Salisbury is guilty of the heinous crime of secretly camcording a movie.
Smith is the proud front man for Hollywood’s Family and Entertainment Copyright Act under which someone who copies a Hollywood move can be sent to the slammer to serve hard time.
Salisbury allegedly made copies of The Perfect Man and Bewitched, “and then distributed them through illicit computer networks that specialize in piracy”.
Not only that, he, “downloaded several movies and software programs from the computer network”.
Smith has generously, “commended the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California for the first conviction under the Family and Entertainment Copyright Act”.
The US Justice Department routinely uses tax-payer funded law agencies such as the FBI to chase after file sharers for, and on behalf, of the entertainment and software cartels.
“Piracy and intellectual property theft cost American businesses billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs each year,” says Smith in a statement which probably started out somewhere close to Burbank.
He’s the chairman of House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.
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See:-
front man - U.S. Rep. Smith Hails First Conviction Under New Anti-Piracy Law, September 27, 2005
secretly camcording a movie - Alleged uploader faces jail, August 4, 2005
commended - First MPAA FECA victim, September 28, 2005
October 3rd, 2005 at 9:44 pm
Hopefully, Mr. Smith soon be “unemployed”.
Dreddsnik
Boycott-RIAA.com
October 3rd, 2005 at 9:46 pm
Well, it’s nice to know that Lamar Smith thinks it’s a great thing when a 19-year-old guy will spend the majority of his adulthood behind bars and the rest of his life paying $250,000 for two movies worth no more than $50 after sales tax.
I bet Lamar Smith is rolling over with laughter at the fact that this young man won’t be able to get through college, get married, have kids, raise a family, and be with his mother or father when they pass away.
I’m honestly disgusted and sickened by how cold-hearted that hideous mistake of a man is. I hope his wife or his child gets hit by a car, maybe then he’ll see how a copyright infringement isn’t worth a life.
October 3rd, 2005 at 10:00 pm
Since when is it the government’s responsibility to go after copyright infringers?
Don’t they have better things to do? But I guess when you through money into the equation, priorities shift. So disgusting that this country’s leadership has its head up its @$$.
October 3rd, 2005 at 10:22 pm
On top of that, how much taxpayer money will it cost to prosecute, incarcerate, and, oh yeah, “rehabilitate” him?
“I hope his wife or his child gets hit by a car.”
I know it is tempting, but we must not lower ourselves to the level of those we find loathsome, otherwise we risk becoming loathsome as well.
October 3rd, 2005 at 10:31 pm
dont get too carried away here - remember that this is only what could happen to this guy not what did happen to him
October 3rd, 2005 at 10:57 pm
Point well taken. I’d be surprized if the poor bugger does not serve some jail time though. They have ta make an example of him, but who knows, there’s an off chance the case will be heard by a judge with some judgement! Make the punishment fit the crime (or lack there of?).That would be a sweet slap in the face for Lamar.
October 3rd, 2005 at 11:01 pm
BTW, they have already spent a big wad of taxpayer money prosecuting him, not to mention funding the whole “sting”.
October 4th, 2005 at 1:09 am
“BTW, they have already spent a big wad of taxpayer money prosecuting him, not to mention funding the whole “sting”.”
To top off what you’ve said, I’d like to add about the whole ongoing FBI involvement in civil matters. They claim that this costs the entertainment industry millions of dollars (which is an outright lie) but you can bet that they spend billions of our dollars to fund this crack-pot government program to catch these innocent children. What will it take by the people to tell the government where to stick their noses?
October 4th, 2005 at 4:35 am
I’m utterly shocked. 17 years in prison for recording 2 movies on a camcorder, what the hell is wrong with america?
Damn, when you have pedophiles, rapists, murders and bank robbers running around, their priorities are to imprison someone for recording a film WTF!
This is like saying, if you record a movie off the telly in your home, you will be put in prison for 17 years. It sounds absolutley ridiculous. Hell, in the uk, murders only get put in prison for like 4/5 years, then get out in 2 with good behaviour. Complete madness.
Then again, when money is concerned, politicians tend to go for the jugular now don’t they?
October 4th, 2005 at 4:46 am
The sad thing is that the us prisons are already overcrowded. It’s possible that perpetrators of serious crimes will have to be released early to make room for ppl convicted of “camcorder crime”.
Either that or US taxpayers are gonna get slugged for the cost of building even more prisons to house these ppl. Not to mention the costs of incarcerating them.
October 4th, 2005 at 5:59 am
where was the F.B.I. when my private information, including credit card numbers were “acciendently released” 3 different times by 3 different companies - last year alone? (they weren’t even going to notify me).
I feel like looking this guy up and see if he was involved in the Delay scandal(s). Greedy lust is more likely driving these prosecutions vs any ‘belief’ of right or wrong doing. How was that business trip (vacation) to Thailand - good golfing? How did you launder that campaign contrabution this time?
This is a total waste of taxpayer funds and reaks of more coruption.
How is a 19year old supposed to mount a defense against the entire industry? They are taking advantage of the little guy who can make the least noise.
Why not sue the camcorder company too?
October 4th, 2005 at 9:10 am
its right that he should be prosecuted, but i think 17 years, and a possible $250,000 fine is alittle extreme and over-the-top.
October 4th, 2005 at 1:06 pm
Ironically,
The Camcorder Manufacturer would likely be Sony.
You know ..
Sony Pictures
Sony/BMI
Wait .. somethings wrong .. uh …
October 4th, 2005 at 2:09 pm
“What will it take by the people to tell the government where to stick their noses?”
REVOLUTION!!! It is a long time coming. We need another Tea Party
October 4th, 2005 at 2:18 pm
Even if he is sentenced to serve 17 years, I doubt that he will have to serve 17 years. I say this not because of any chance of early parole, but rather because I highly doubt that the P.S.A. will still be functioning as a sovereign nation in 17 years. The politicians from both sides of the party have sold the American people and industry to “Communist” China, Mexico, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and other despotic governments that refuse to pay their laborers. These same Republicrats will most likely still have a lavish lifestyle while the majority of Americans starve in slave labor camps.
If we want to make attitude ajustments and regain our freedom, we must on so no later than 2008. We must elect candidates from political parties other than the cartel-special interest controlled Democrat-Republican party. Look at the Libertarian and Constitution parties’ websites for more information.
http://www.lp.org
http;//www.constitutionparty.com
October 4th, 2005 at 2:25 pm
How about 2 days in jail and a $100 fine. That sounds more appropriate. However, we no longer live in a country where the government is bound by the law i.e. the U.S. Constitution. We have gone from being a free Republic to being a Democracy much like the German Democratic Republic (East Germany.) No wonder the terrorists do not want this form of government (democracy) in their countries.
Republic = rule of law
Democracy = Rule of man (and his corporations)
October 4th, 2005 at 5:41 pm
The lawmakers, the FBI, the Judge should all be acused of crimes against humanity. After the Bush reign is over, of course.
All the while….
Peermusic, aka Peer International, a big American-international music publisher stole songs composed by my father and others. We proved that in court. Peermusic made themselves owners and made money off the songs. The federal judge was aware of this conduct and did nothing about it. Gave us $5,000 for the minor infringement of one song titled Genesis.
Another publisher, ACEMLA-LAMCO stole over 500 songs composed by my father. We proved that in court. They made themselves owners and made money off the songs. The federal judge was aware of this conduct and did nothing about it. Gave us $16,000 for the minor infringement of one song. The infringed song is the same one mentioned before, Genesis.
This is real theft on a massive scales, and the judge did not see anything. No crime seen, no crime reported by the judge. The FBI shares the same building with the court. Visit here for the details: http://www.gvenegas.com.
October 4th, 2005 at 5:55 pm
Clearly cruel and unusual punishment.
Then again, the American Constitution was never worth much, as its writers were mostly slave traders.
Strange, lawyers disagreee and argue about what is copyright infringement and the meaning of related jurisprudence while kid, that probably never saw or read the law and its jurisprudence are sent to jail for allegedly infringing copyrights.
I wonder, did the judge or his parents or his children ever copy a recording (as I and most of my frineds and relatives did many times)? If he/she denies it, he/she is probably a liar. Same for the others responsible for this barbarity.
Rafael Venegas
http://www.gvenegas.com
October 4th, 2005 at 6:06 pm
Unfortunately, the laws that limit you and me do not apply to those in political office, judges, or even the cartels. They can get away with disobeying the Constitutional limits on their powers with impunity. This will continue until the people rise up and take charge.
October 4th, 2005 at 6:31 pm
“Then again, the American Constitution was never worth much”
I disagree with you there. The Constitution was amended to prohibit slavery. However, your statement about the Constitution not being worth much is very true in this day and time. Lawmakers and judges make the violation of the Constitution a part of daily routine. If these judges and lawmakers were alive in the late 1700, they would likely have been tarred and feathered, shot, or hung. These traitors have sold the United States to the cartels and despots all over the world. (This is not only a problem in America, it is a problem all over the world.)
I have little use for the Democrat-Republican lawmakers, presidents, or their judge (I refuse to use the term judicial because that word means implies justice) appointees. Yes I do love America but I have what the corrupt stewards of America are doing to her
There is only one member of Congress that I consider honest, and that one Congressman is Ron Paul. As far as I’m concerned, the rest of them need to be voted out of office and people from outside the Democrat-Republican party should be elected to replace them.
October 4th, 2005 at 7:02 pm
YOU ARE 100 PERCENT RIGHT.
the constitution doses need improvements, such as
- no re-election for elected officials
- allow the recall of all elected officials
- limited time for judges
- review of complaints against judges by non judges
- simplification of laws so that the people can undestand the laws without an interpreter lawyer and an extensive (and always incompete) jurisprudence research
-eliminate the current cocept of jurisprudence and update laws as the court decisions are made
- Prohibition of lobbies
- reprentation of non lawyers in the courts as judges
- limit the wealth of individual (no one should have billions of dollars) through taxes
- eliminate copyright and patent law as they exist (a rip off)
etc
Rafael Venegas
http://www.gvenegas.com
Rafael Venegas
http://www.gvenegas.com
October 5th, 2005 at 12:20 am
They were protecting their corporate and political paymasters while spying on people like you and me. Face it, the government does not serve the people. In order for the FBI to be interested in your case, you have to have at least $5000 of damages. It does not matter that a theft of $4999 will bankrupt many of a average Joe. The FBI will complain that they do not have the “resources” to investigate.
I say it is time to collect all personal information that can be gotten for any higher up politician, corporate manager, police officer, and judge. This information should be kept in a database and released everytime someone abuses our personal information. When one of these credit card or credit information companies gets hacked, or for any reason releases personal information of ANY citizen, then the personal information of the board of directors should be released to the general public. I am talking about ANY personal information such as account numbers drivers licence numbers, medical hisories… EVERYTHING. Let them see how they like their lives being traded as a commodoty. I bet that they would not appreciate it.
October 5th, 2005 at 3:12 pm
“The Constitution was amended to prohibit slavery.”
Not so. The Constitution prohibited slavery at the beginning with the statement “All men are created equally”.
But we know what happened. The courts decided that slaves were not humans. The court was rotten because it was de facto run by now glorified slave trader (Washington, Jefferson, etc).
You give the Cosntitution too much credence. Anyway any Constitution is worthless if the legal system system is rotten, as it has always been in America.
America must start again from scratch if it is going to avoid a bloody revolution by the people.
November 7th, 2005 at 9:12 pm
Beautiful, Sr. Venegas.
Thank you for stating truths in line with the hearts of the people.