Thomas-Rasset’s Fine Reduced to $54,000
© bloomsberries
A federal judge has reduced Jammie Thomas-Rasset's fine for sharing 24 songs from $1.92 million to $54,000.
"Judge Davis of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota slashed 97% off the fine by using his power of remittitur," writes OSnews' Thom Holwerda.
"In reviewing the case, Judge Davis argued against penalizing Thomas the minimum of $750 per song because of inconsistencies in her testimony," writes Slyck's Thomas Mennecke. "Because he found Thomas' actions willful, he hiked the penalty to $2,250 per song."
"Thomas-Rasset, now 32, said she doesn't have the money to pay even that reduced judgment, and that her house in Brainerd, Minnesota is homesteaded and protected from a judgment," writes Wired's David Kravets. "The mother of four said she is a 'very low- to middle-income' earner who works for a local Native American tribe."
More here from Computerworld … and more here from Electronista.
$54,000 is still obscenely excessive. $54 would be less insane, and less inappropriate.