Supreme Court Lets Downloading Fine Stand

Pay The Man

The U.S. SUPREME COURT refused to take up an illegally downloading case against 16-year-old WHITNEY HARPER, who now faces a fine of up to $750 for each downloaded song. According to the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, HARPER's counsel argued that she unaware that the file-sharing program on her computer was dealing in stolen property.

WHITNEY admitted to downloading the music, but under the "innocent infringement" provision, her fine should be $200 per song. A federal judge ruled in her favor, but that was overturned by a panel of the FIFTH U.S. CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS. 

The decision by the SUPREME COURT not to hear the case means that HARPER is out of legal remedies and must pay the fine.

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