Minnesota song-sharing case heads for third trial


A trade group representing the major music labels on Jan. 27 said it will reject a reduced penalty for a central Minnesota woman found guilty of sharing 24 songs over the internet and instead will begin preparing for another trial to determine new damages, reports the Associated Press. The Recording Industry Association of America made the decision after attorneys for Jammie Thomas-Rasset rejected an offer from RIAA attorneys to settle for $25,000. It will be the third time the case, which dates back to 2006, will go to trial. Last year, a federal jury ruled Thomas-Rasset, a mother of four, willfully violated the copyrights on 24 songs. She was ordered to pay $1.92 million in damages, or $80,000 per song. Last week, Chief U.S. District Judge Michael Davis reduced the verdict to about $54,000 in damages, calling the jury’s penalty “monstrous and shocking.” The RIAA has until Feb. 8 to either accept or reject the reduced penalty. The group said it would do the latter, meaning a new trial will be scheduled to determine damages. The RIAA says that while a third trial is not in anyone’s best interest, the group is pursuing the case to show that Thomas-Rasset was responsible for copyright infringements and that serious damage was caused. “It is a shame that Ms. Thomas-Rasset continues to deny any responsibility for her actions, rather than accept a reasonable settlement offer and put this case behind her,” said RIAA spokeswoman Cara Duckworth…

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