A U.S. district court has reduced damages for Jammie Thomas-Rasset, the Minnesota woman whom a jury found liable of copyright violations last year.
“The need for deterrence cannot justify a $2 million verdict for stealing and illegally distributing 24 songs for the sole purpose of obtaining free music,” wrote Michael Davis, chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
In June of 2008, a federal jury in Minnesota found Thomas-Rasset liable for willful copyright infringement and ordered her to pay $1.9 million. Judge Davis has reduced the amount to $54,000, or $2,250 per song.
The RIAA did not immediately comment on this action.