This Oct. 4, 2007 file photo shows Jammie Thomas-Rasset of Brainerd, Minn., outside federal court in Duluth, Minn. Thomas-Rasset, who was ordered two years ago to pay $222,000 in the U.S.'s only music download case to go to trial will get another chance with a jury when her retrial begins next week Monday, June 15, 2009 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Julia Cheng, File)
It seemed ridiculous enough the first time around. In October 2007, the record industry sued Brainerd, MN, single mom of four, Jammie Thomas, for copyright infringement over 24 songs and the record company suits were awarded $9,250 per song.
Ridiculous, right? Especially since Thomas was a single mom of four at the time, and not exactly making enough money for the recording industry to ever reasonably expect they would see their money back. Recently, however, an appeal landed Thomas in even hotter (and more idiotic) water.
On retrial, the jury again found in favor of the big suits in the record industry and this time the damages award was … get ready for it … $80,000 per song for a total of $1.92 million in damages. What was the jury on, horse supplements?
From a mom of four who recently got re-married, and who still works a meager job eking out a very minor living. They’ll NEVER collect anywhere near that amount, not from Thomas. What is the point of this persecution?
The wiser thing would be to forgive the entire financial penalty in exchange for Thomas agreeing to remove the file-sharing software from her computer, and be done with it. While another appeal is planned, this martyrization of a once-single mom is really making the record industry look like heartless bastards out to destroy one woman’s life, even though they sneeze into financial documents worth more than their settlement.
Truly a case of Hollywood idiocy.
