Jury awards $675K in Boston music downloading case

[Ban Hammer 13,399]

BOSTON – A Boston University student has been ordered to pay $675,000 to four record labels for illegally downloading and sharing music.

Joel Tenenbaum, of Providence, R.I., admitted he downloaded and distributed 30 songs. The only issue for the jury to decide was how much in damages to award the record labels.

Under federal law, the recording companies were entitled to $750 to $30,000 per infringement. But the law allows as much as $150,000 per track if the jury finds the infringements were willful. The maximum jurors could have awarded in Tenenbaum's case was $4.5 million.

The case is only the nation's second music downloading case against an individual to go to trial.

Last month, a federal jury in Minneapolis ruled a Minnesota woman must pay nearly $2 million for copyright infringement.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

BOSTON (AP) — A Boston University student has been ordered to pay $675,000 to four record labels for illegally downloading and sharing music.

Joel Tenenbaum, of Providence, R.I., admitted he downloaded and distributed 30 songs. The only issue for the jury to decide was how much in damages to award the record labels.

Under federal law, the recording companies were entitled to $750 to $30,000 per infringement. But the law allows as much as $150,000 per track if the jury finds the infringements were willful. The maximum jurors could have awarded in Tenenbaum's case was $4.5 million.

The case is only the nation's second music downloading case against an individual to go to trial.

Last month, a federal jury in Minneapolis ruled a Minnesota woman must pay nearly $2 million for copyright infringement.

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[mawilson 2,133]

$675K for 30 songs? LOL

Good luck collecting, bitches!

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Remind me not to download music when I get to the US.

[Otto 83]

Just what are juries thinking...?

Why not throw him in prison for 20 years too... geez..

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Hm.

Music companies may as well just stop producing CDs and just go sue everyone in the United States, they'd make a hell of alot more money.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Poor kid. Looks like the music industry will also be responsible for more college drop outs!

Edited August 1, 2009 by Niels Bohr

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

Maybe he can file for Chapter 13 and ask the Obama adminstration for some bail out money...;-)

Edited August 1, 2009 by Joe & Nadya

[SuperDuper! 230]

I can't believe you smart guys are so surprised at the high dollar fine in this case.

It's all about making someone an example, a poster boy or girl, that instills fear into all the music and video pirates out there.

Kinda like a terrorism, where the actual incident does more psychological damage and impact than the actual incident damage in and of itself.

Cheers.

Edited August 1, 2009 by itzallgood

[Niels Bohr 72]

I wish I can help this kid. Dam. He's fvcked if he actually dropped out and work minimum wage.

[mawilson 2,133]

Kinda like a terrorism, where the actual incident does more psychological damage and impact than the actual incident damage in and of itself.

Yep - the title should read "** terrorist jury awards $675K..."

[natty bumppo 297]

Kinda like a terrorism, where the actual incident does more psychological damage and impact than the actual incident damage in and of itself.

Yep - the title should read "** terrorist jury awards $675K..."

in Boston ?!?!

[mawilson 2,133]

Kinda like a terrorism, where the actual incident does more psychological damage and impact than the actual incident damage in and of itself.

Yep - the title should read "** terrorist jury awards $675K..."

in Boston ?!?!

** terrorists are everywhere, Natty. Around every corner, every church,

every community, maybe even living in your street. They terrorize, it's what they do.