In January the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) filed it's latest set of lawsuits against 717 P2P users. However, one of these alleged copyright infringers was a little different from the rest. The RIAA claimed that 83-year old Gertrude Walton shared over 700 pop, rap and rock songs on a P2P network, using smittenedkitten as her nickname. What the RIAA didn't know, is that this woman died in December 2004. Her daughter, Robin Chianumba lived with her for 17 years and said that her mother wouldn't even allow a computer in the house.
The RIAA now admit that it is very unlikely that Ms. Walton was actually smittenedkitten and have blamed the lawsuit on the time it takes gather information on illicit file swappers. "Our evidence gathering and our subsequent legal actions all were initiated weeks and even months ago," said RIAA spokesman Jonathan Lamy. "We will now, of course, obviously dismiss this case." Well if they decided not to dismiss the case, I wonder they would plan on winning it.
This case is an example how flawed the RIAA's campaign is. It is claimed that the RIAA most of the time don't exactly have solid evidence against people they sue but the people still prefer to settle than to face the Recording Industry lawyers. "I believe that if music companies are going to set examples they need to do it to appropriate people and not dead people," Chianumba said. "I am pretty sure she is not going to leave Greenwood Memorial Park to attend the hearing."
Source:
Betanews
This case is an example how flawed the RIAA's campaign is. It is claimed that the RIAA most of the time don't exactly have solid evidence against people they sue but the people still prefer to settle than to face the Recording Industry lawyers. "I believe that if music companies are going to set examples they need to do it to appropriate people and not dead people," Chianumba said. "I am pretty sure she is not going to leave Greenwood Memorial Park to attend the hearing."
Source:
Betanews
