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Download Ruling May Raise Burden For Record Labels

By Thomas B. Scheffey
April 29, 2008
Those who download music to their computers now have two unlikely heroes: Janet Bond Arterton, a federal judge who sits in New Haven, CT; and Christopher David Brennan, a young Waterford, CT, resident who has reportedly downloaded songs by Billy Joel, Hootie and the Blowfish and other artists.

Brennan is one of about 30,000 people sued by the music industry in recent years for allegedly taking music from the Internet without paying for it.

A Jurist Stands Up

Court records show that Brennan's mother was served a notice last year, but neither she nor Christopher showed up in court or offered any defense for downloading 2,071 songs. Meanwhile, lawyers from the Stamford, CT, offices of Robinson & Cole filed polished briefs on behalf of music companies Atlantic, Elektra, Interscope, Sony BMG Music Enter- tainment and BMG Music, explaining why their clients should receive as much as $750 for each song that Brennan allegedly downloaded illegally. They accused him of copying, distributing and 'making the recordings available' for distribution to others and asked for a default judgment.

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