The woman is set for a third trial

Jul 2, 2009 12:54 GMT  ·  By

Another chapter is about to begin in Jammie Thomas-Rasset's fight with the RIAA. A couple of weeks ago the 32 year-old woman was found guilty of willful copyright infringement and was ordered to pay a record $1.92 million in statutory damages to the recording industry. One of the lawyers representing Thomas-Rasset in the case, Joe Sibley, has apparently confirmed that she will file for an appeal in the case, according to CNET News.

The woman had been accused by the Recording Industry Association of America of sharing a number of songs over the peer-to-peer file sharing network Kazaa. She refused to settle with the organization and was taken to court in 2007 with the RIAA claiming she had illegally shared more than 1700 songs. The number was later dropped to 24 and the first trial ended in October 2007 with the jury finding her guilty of copyright infringement and awarding the RIAA $220,000 in damages. However, the judge presiding the case later invalidated the verdict, claiming a mistrial.

A second trial began and its outcome would be even worse for the woman, with the jury finding her guilty a second time and awarding a record $80,000 per song in damages. RIAA representatives were willing to offer a settlement even after the verdict as, clearly, the mother of two, had no means to pay. At the time, though, she claimed that she had no intentions of settling or paying the huge amount of money she was ordered to.

Sibley also confirmed that RIAA representatives contacted his law firm offering to settle but they put forward no clear sum, though after the first trial the organization offered a $25,000 settlement. However, Thomas-Rasset is apparently undeterred and will fight until the end.