[IP] Music Industry Targets Even Computer-Less

[Dave Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Delivered-To: dfarber+@ux13.sp.cs.cmu.edu
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2003 19:24:16 -0500
From: Richard Forno <rforno@infowarrior.org>
Subject: Music Industry Targets Even Computer-Less
To: Dave Farber <dave@farber.net>


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32745-2003Dec3.html

< snip >

The latest copyright suits this week bring to 382 filed since the
Washington-based Recording Industry Association of America announced its
legal campaign nearly six months ago.

The group's president, Cary Sherman, said the group has no plans to cut
back, even as media coverage over the continuing lawsuits wanes.

< snip >

Among the RIAA's recent targets is retiree Ernest Brenot, 79, of
Ridgefield, Wash., who wrote in a handwritten note to a federal judge
that he does not own a computer nor can he operate one.

Brenot was accused of illegally offering for download 774 songs by
artists including Vanilla Ice, U2, Creed, Linkin Park and Guns N' Roses.

Brenot's wife, Dorothy, said she and her husband were stunned by the
claims, offended at the suggestion they listened to such music. Brenot
was targeted in the previous round of 80 suits the recording
organization filed late in October.

Brenot and her husband said their son-in-law briefly added Internet
service to their own cable television account while living with the
couple because Comcast Cable Communications Inc. said it would add a
surcharge to send separate bills to the same mailing address.

"There's a mistake in this case," Dorothy Brenot said. "We're innocent
in all of this, but I don't know how we're going to prove it."

The 41 most recent suits were filed against Internet users in
Massachusetts, Colorado, Arizona, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin,
Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Illinois and Washington.

The recording industry also said Wednesday that it has reached financial
settlements against at least 220 computer users. Defense lawyers
familiar with some of the cases have said penalties ranged from $2,500
to $7,500 each.

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