And They Say People Don't Get Caught

Jury: Jammie Thomas-Rasset Owes $1.5 Million
November 04, 2010 - Legal and Management

Associated Press

A federal jury has decided that Jammie Thomas-Rasset owes $1.5 million for sharing 24 songs over the Internet.

Jurors determined Wednesday (Nov. 3) that Jammie Thomas-Rasset from Minnesota owes $62,500 per song.

Last year, a federal jury found Thomas-Rasset willfully violated the copyrights on 24 songs. She was ordered to pay $1.92 million in damages, or $80,000 per song.

But 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 Recording Industry Association of America rejected the reduced penalty, setting up the new trial to determine damages.

The RIAA says in a statement it hopes Thomas-Rasset "finally accepts responsibility for her actions."

A message left for Thomas-Rasset's attorney was not immediately returned.