March 18, 2008, 10:47PM
Man ordered to pay $23,250 to five record companies
Case centers on claims of illegally downloading music
By DAVID ELLISON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
A federal judge has ordered a Houston man accused of illegally downloading 31 songs to pay $23,250 in damages to five record companies.
The man, identified as Abner Anderson in a 2006 federal lawsuit filed in Houston, also was ordered by U.S. District Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore to pay $420 in attorneys' fees. He was permanently enjoined from downloading music recordings.
Anderson and his lawyer, Craig Washington, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The Recording Industry Association of America, which files music-pirating lawsuits on behalf of member record companies, declined to comment on the lawsuit. The companies involved in the case were Atlantic Recording Corp., Capitol Records Inc., UMG Recordings Inc., Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Arista Records.
According to Gilmore's summary judgment order, which was signed March 12, Anderson downloaded music and made available 588 digital files of copyrighted songs to share with others on Kazaa.com, a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. The plaintiffs sought $750 in statutory damages for 31 songs.
Court documents show Anderson denied any wrongdoing, saying he took all the necessary measures to avoid copyright infringement and his alleged infringement was neither negligent, willful or intentional.
Anderson also said the record companies' request for $750 in damages for each song was 750 times the actual amount because the recordings are each available for 99 cents through other online services.
The recording industry association has filed about 28,000 lawsuits against individuals since 2003, a spokeswoman for the group said. About 9,400 of those were resolved in out-of-court settlements.
Jammie Thomas, a single mother who makes $36,000 a year, was ordered by a Minnesota jury last year to pay $222,000 to six record companies that accused her of offering 1,702 songs on Kazaa.
Man ordered to pay $23,250 to five record companies
Case centers on claims of illegally downloading music
By DAVID ELLISON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
A federal judge has ordered a Houston man accused of illegally downloading 31 songs to pay $23,250 in damages to five record companies.
The man, identified as Abner Anderson in a 2006 federal lawsuit filed in Houston, also was ordered by U.S. District Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore to pay $420 in attorneys' fees. He was permanently enjoined from downloading music recordings.
Anderson and his lawyer, Craig Washington, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The Recording Industry Association of America, which files music-pirating lawsuits on behalf of member record companies, declined to comment on the lawsuit. The companies involved in the case were Atlantic Recording Corp., Capitol Records Inc., UMG Recordings Inc., Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Arista Records.
According to Gilmore's summary judgment order, which was signed March 12, Anderson downloaded music and made available 588 digital files of copyrighted songs to share with others on Kazaa.com, a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. The plaintiffs sought $750 in statutory damages for 31 songs.
Court documents show Anderson denied any wrongdoing, saying he took all the necessary measures to avoid copyright infringement and his alleged infringement was neither negligent, willful or intentional.
Anderson also said the record companies' request for $750 in damages for each song was 750 times the actual amount because the recordings are each available for 99 cents through other online services.
The recording industry association has filed about 28,000 lawsuits against individuals since 2003, a spokeswoman for the group said. About 9,400 of those were resolved in out-of-court settlements.
Jammie Thomas, a single mother who makes $36,000 a year, was ordered by a Minnesota jury last year to pay $222,000 to six record companies that accused her of offering 1,702 songs on Kazaa.
