It seems as if the case has dragged on longer than Iron Butterfly's "Innagadavida." Today, there's another update in the Jammie Thomas-Rasset-Recording Industry Association of America saga. And it appears to be good news for Thomas-Rasset. A U.S. District Court Judge has reduced Thomas' original judgment of $1.5 million down to $54,000.
The RIAA sued Thomas-Rasset in 2006, claiming copyright infringement for uploading 24 songs, and the case has bounced around in the courts ever since. Thomas-Rasset refused to settle the copyright complaint brought against her. But when it went to trial, two juries found her liable for large awards, but both of those were tossed out by Davis. It was the third jury that came down hard—slamming Thomas-Rasset with a judgment of $62,500 per song (or $1.5 million total).
In his decision, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Davis wrote, "The court is intimately familiar with this case. It has presided over three trials on this matter and has decided countless motions. It has grappled with the outrageously high verdict returned in a case that was the first of its kind to go to trial. The court is loath to interfere with the jury's damages decision. However, the Constitution and justice compel the Court to act."
Read more about the decision.
