Jammie Thomas Guilty Of File Sharing Again – To The Tune Of $1.92 Million
A federal jury has ruled that Jammie Thomas violated the copyrights on 24 songs, and awarded recording companies $1.92 million, or $80,000 per song.
Thomas, now Thomas-Rasset, received an even bigger beatdown then the first time she was tried by a different federal jury in 2007, which only levied a $222,000 judgment. The new trial was ordered after the judge in the case decided he had erred in giving jury instructions.
Thomas-Rasset reportedly was stunned when she heard the jury’s finding of willful infringement, and the penalty of $1.92 million ($80,000 per song) was announced. Her attorney, Kiwi Camara, felt that jurors didn’t believe Thomas-Rasset’s denials of illegal file-sharing, and that they were displeased with her attitude.
Camara said he and his client hadn’t decided whether to appeal or pursue the Recording Industry Association of America’s settlement overtures. Cara Duckworth, a spokeswoman for the RIAA, said the industry remains willing to settle. She refused to name a figure, but acknowledged Thomas-Rasset had been given the chance to settle for $3,000 to $5,000 earlier in the case.
