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RIAA Backtracks After Embarrassing P2P Defendant

Harmony writes "When the RIAA sued Sgt. Nicholas Paternoster, it included a screenshot of a shared folder with over 4,600 files — some of which were pornographic images unrelated to the case. Last week, the RIAA got permission from a judge to, as a 'professional courtesy,' swap out the original exhibit for one with only the 350+ songs the defendant is accused of sharing on Kazaa. The RIAA's carelessness may come back to haunt it, however: 'After the suit was filed — and the exhibit made public — Sgt. Paternoster decided to fight back, filing a counterclaim accusing the RIAA of violating his privacy and seeking to "shame Counter-Plaintiff... into giving in to their unreasonable demands regarding their copyrighted materials."'"

28 of 255 comments (clear)

  1. Sgt. WHAT? by mwvdlee · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sgt. Pornstar?

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    1. Re:Sgt. WHAT? by MS-06FZ · · Score: 3, Funny

      ironic, in the loose sense of the term ... Oh, yeah - like rain on your wedding day!
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    2. Re:Sgt. WHAT? by aetherworld · · Score: 2, Funny

      True. If you can't spell properly, that is. You can also spell "salad" like "cash" if you want.

    3. Re:Sgt. WHAT? by alcmaeon · · Score: 2, Funny

      The RIAA had to know they were in trouble when they sued a Sergeant named after Santa Claus and the Lord's Prayer.

    4. Re:Sgt. WHAT? by Cheesy+Fool · · Score: 4, Funny

      That you stream all of your porn?

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    5. Re:Sgt. WHAT? by bytesex · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yeah, but I'd rather be tossing cash with a pornstar than tossing salad with a sergeant.

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  2. Porn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Porn? On the web - showing up on my PC? Whoooa !!! Whatz next?

  3. Re:Better article by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 5, Funny

    "We try to be fair and reasonable in resolving these cases," said RIAA spokeswoman Cara Duckworth. "Our aim is not to be in court, but to seek appropriate retribution for the damage done to the industry." Duckworth then resumed dusting and polishing each gold coin in the RIAA's money bin.
  4. New plan by Tabernaque86 · · Score: 5, Funny

    1)Download lots of porn
    2)Download handful of songs
    3)Wait for RIAA
    4)File a counter-suit
    5)PROFIT!!!

  5. Re:Possession a crime? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    So, its like his mates obtained copies of cars without permission... ah scrap the car analogy.

  6. Re:Better article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "We try to be fair and reasonable in resolving these cases," said RIAA spokeswoman Cara Duckworth. "Our aim is not to be in court, but to seek inappropriate retribution for the damage we have done to the industry, from innocent parties."


    Fixed + she muttered a few words under her breath the reporter apparantly didn't notice.
  7. "Sgt. Paternoster" by rueger · · Score: 3, Funny

    No seriously, this is troll, right? Not even the RIAA would be dumb enough to sue someone named "Sgt. Paternoster."

  8. Re:Possession a crime? by muellerr1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's like this guy lent his car to his buddies and they used it to pick up a bunch of skin mags and cds which they left in the back seat. Then he threw away the magazines and cds, but traffic cameras show that his car was used to get the ill-gotten merchandise, so now he's on the hook.

    No, wait, it's more like he lent his garage to his buddies and they filled the rafters with hookers and rock stars.

    Man, this is harder than I thought.

  9. Are the people at RIAA really that stupid? by HangingChad · · Score: 4, Funny

    It boggles the mind. You've heard of the four horsemen of the apocalypse? Here we have the Three Stooges of copyright enforcement. Oh, a wise guy, eh? Wo-wo-wo-wo.

    Except the Three Stooges were funny and, overall, I think they could do a better job of copyright enforcement.

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    1. Re:Are the people at RIAA really that stupid? by Cap'nPedro · · Score: 2, Funny

      Famine, Death, Pestilence and War? Sounds like the RIAA to me...

  10. Professional Courtesy by Rik+Sweeney · · Score: 5, Funny

    What the fuck?

    "You're honour, here is the gun the defendant used to kill Jane Doe"

    "That looks like a hammer"

    "Oh, shit. I can swap it for a gun?"

    "Sure thing, let's call it a "Professional Courtesy"

    1. Re:Professional Courtesy by BlackCobra43 · · Score: 3, Funny

      What the fuck?

      Here's a much better analogy. Additionally, I have corrected several mistakes you made.

      Lawyer- Your honour, here is the gun the defendant used to kill Jane Doe along with his magazine subscription to Hustler"

      Jury -*Hushed whispers of deviancy*

      Judge"What does that have to do with anything"

      "*deadpan*"Oh,no". Here's only the gun? We're....sorry..about that...mistake."

      "Sure thing, let's call it a "Professional Courtesy"

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  11. err by Vexorian · · Score: 5, Funny

    "We try to be fair and reasonable in resolving these cases," said RIAA
    I also try not to infringe copyrights.
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    Copyright infringement is "piracy" in the same way DRM is "consumer rape"
  12. Re:Possession a crime? by mfh · · Score: 2, Funny

    RIAA attempts to run with parent's use of terminology at their next hearing, where a 99yr old man is charged with downloading the Dukes of Hazard theme song, among other delightful TV show theme songs.

    "You, sir, are hereby charged with SNEAK THIEVERY and LUDE CONDUCT, and also of being a DOWNLOADING DRUGGIE."

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  13. Obvious by studlyhungwell · · Score: 1, Funny

    This thread is useless without pics.

  14. Re:RIAA's ideas of property and ownership by db32 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Bravo Bravo. In the most amusing form of irony your post is now considered copyright violation as fair use effectively no longer exists. So your copyright infringement post to explain the mentality of copyright infringement claims by the RIAA is incredible. You get +1 Irony and +1 Slashdot Analogy and yet another +1 Shoulda been Fair Use. I am however sad to inform you that you also get a -1 Harry Potter Reference. But all in all good show.

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  15. Re:Possession a crime? by Billosaur · · Score: 2, Funny

    Besides, pornography is the purview of the PIAA...

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  16. Re:Possession a crime? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    A modern PC with a large HD is a very big place in which you can loose data.
    This is true, after all, information wants to be free.
  17. Re:Wait...wait... by Alizarin+Erythrosin · · Score: 5, Funny

    The fact he was in Germany should mean SOMETHING to the case.
    All it means is that the pr0n listed as being on the computer was probably some pretty whacked out stuff.
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  18. Re:Possession a crime? by discogravy · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, then you've got a RIAA lawyer who has survived all the rest. An uber-lawyer, if you will. Do you really want that? Imagine the whispers in the courtroom: "Why does the RIAA only have one person in the courtroom?" "Because she's killed all the rest. By hand."

  19. Re:It would be nice! But.... by fishbowl · · Score: 2, Funny


    >They've gone after grandmothers for downloading Metallica.

    Well... Metallica is an 80s band... And in their demographic it wasn't uncommon for their original fans to be teenage moms... Their daughters were often teenage moms as well. Metallica fans are less than a decade away from being *great grandmothers*.

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  20. Re:Possession a crime? by Adambomb · · Score: 3, Funny

    I for one do NOT welcome our new pit-bull resistant overlords.

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  21. Re:Possession a crime? by Thing+1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    And even then, there'll be the "I don't want to think about it, I just want it to work" crowd that wouldn't want to hassle with converting their purchased library into XXX format.

    Hell, if I could convert my music into porn, I'd never leave the house! Or something... "Something something, Bruce Ward?"

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