RIAA's Attack On NewYorkCountryLawyer Fails

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "p2pnet.net reports that the RIAA has egg on its face. When the Electronic Frontier Foundation requested permission to file an amicus curiae brief on behalf of Boston University students challenging the RIAA's ex parte discovery order, the RIAA lawyers attacked the blog 'Recording Industry vs. The People' for its criticism of the RIAA as seeking to 'abuse the American judicial system, distort copyright law, and frighten ordinary working people and their children' and then falsely claimed that the blog's author is an EFF attorney — this despite the fact that they know that the blog's author (known on Slashdot as NewYorkCountryLawyer) is a partner in a New York law firm and not an EFF attorney. Judge Gertner apparently wasn't impressed, and granted the EFF's motion, rejecting the RIAA's objections, since she felt amici curiae might 'shed light' on the 'copyright law' and 'computer technology' issues before her."

Comments

Geez Louise,

[arizwebfoot]

You have to wonder what they'll do next.

Maybe claim that if you share ear buds with your friend, that you're "stealing" the music? That you should be prosecuted for theft?

RIAA = SCO?

[CheechBG]

is it just me, or are there more and more similarities between the RIAA's public handling of these cases and the SCO ordeal? It seems like ever week or so another judge issues a smackdown to the RIAA's motions or momentum. I hope for the sake of the public that this doesn't drag on as long as the SCO trial did/is, but I can't help but draw the conclusion that the RIAA's path is ultimately doomed. If not doomed by the courts, then doomed by inciting subversion in their user base. It's just a shame that this has to affect so many more people than just SCO vs. Novell/IBM (and Linux users collectively)

Re:RIAA = SCO?

[jedidiah]

I think you overestimate the notoriety of the RIAA.

While there are certainly industry types and perhaps some
related business owners that might be familiar with them,
the RIAA might as well be SCO.

As far as whether or not those who know know well enough
to despise them... well, there's that last bit about the
RIAA trying to reduce songwriter royalties. So don't be
so sure that the non-geeks aren't aware of how evil the
RIAA is.

Re:I love NewYorkCountyLawyer

[NewYorkCountryLawyer]

Mr. Beckerman is writing about something that is near and dear to many slashdotters' hearts (mine included) You're right. The way I first heard about Slashdot was that one day I found a post on my blog about RIAA litigation getting clobbered by visitors from a place called "slashdot.org" where an amazing Talmudic debate was under way, in which various participants were citing to various segments of various litigation documents and transcripts. I said to myself

"what the heck is this? it looks like an internet discussion board but it's obviously something much different than that? and who are these people, they seem like lawyers, who else would be interested? but they seem smarter than lawyers? just as argumentative, but more logical?" So I asked my youngest son, who is an astrophysicist and techie, and he set me straight. And my life hasn't been the same since.

nycl: an offer

[circletimessquare]

i live and work in midtown, have an hd camera and an editting set up, and a burning passion in support of a common sense approach to intellectual property

i am not looking for a soap box, i am offering you a soap box. if you ever had dreams of pulling a michael moore or a morgan spurlock on the riaa, let's do it

call it "taking on the riaa", or i am sure you can think of a better title. we can sample some of the more egregious bastard things these guys pull, and document, in real time, as they are taken down in case after case, digesting it into something more palatable for the mainstream public by explaining to them why it should matter (in a cinematic way, not a talky way: interview say that woman from wappingers falls who was attacked). emotionally, it would simply be little guy versus vile conglomerate. all factual, no stagey theatrics. but not boring and dry legalese. done right, it would be cinema gold

i'm 100% serious. if you are game, i am willing to commit serious time to this. lead us on nycl. i am sure there are other slashdotters who would sign on to this too

Re:More Like NewYorkCountryChampion

[NewYorkCountryLawyer]

once I read his posts, I was quite impressed and informed but also saddened by the way he was treated when he was first interviewed on Slashdot. Thank you, eldavojohn, for bringing a smile to my face, reminding me of that raucous interview and its aftermath in the comments section. But you needn't have been saddened by my treatment. I loved every minute of it. What you may not know about me is that I come from a family where there is nothing we loved more than a good argument. Combat is in my blood. I totally loved the experience of being interviewed and then roasted on Slashdot. I thrive in an environment where there is freedom to speak freely, because I believe that in a fair and open forum the truth will prevail.

Re:I love NewYorkCountyLawyer

[NewYorkCountryLawyer]

No, that is not what he said.

Remember,
(a) he's a geek too, and
(b) I'm basically a nerd, although I've misplaced the pocket protectors which served me so well during my days at Bronx High School of Science.

c'mon RIAA, go frontal, not guerrilla

[bzipitidoo]

accuse Plaintiffs of acting as "a cartel of multinational corporations [that] collude to abuse our judicial system, distort copyright law, and frighten ordinary working people and their children."

Well, RIAA lawyers, the answer is simple. Show the world you believe what you say. Sue NYCL for libel! Take on Harvard too, while you're at it. The aggrieved tone of that statement tries to make the accusation sound ridiculous. So why don't you RIAA guys put your money where your mouth is, and sue? You have full confidence you will win, don't you, because he's wrong? Or could it be he's right, and you're nothing but a bunch of sulky bullies spouting trash talk from a safe distance? Guess you haven't got guts enough to take him on, and that says it all right there. This attempt to quash a brief is the equivalent of wishing you could have someone arrested and jailed, but in absence of any reason to do so settling for walking your dog over to fertilize his yard. Weak.

Re:We love the NewYorkCountyLawyer!!!!

[TaoPhoenix]

Dear Ray - let me adapt your post:

One day you found a post on your blog about RIAA litigation, getting clobbered by visitors from a place called "slashdot.org" where an typically amazing Talmudic debate spiced with trolls was under way, in which various participants were citing to various segments of various litigation documents and transcripts, mixed with impassioned semi-correct theories.

Every time such a story appears, we say to ourselves:

"Who the heck are we? We're clearly an internet discussion board, but the signal-to-noise ratio is far higher than the run-of-the-mill boards, and that makes us much more dangerous. We wish we could be lawyers for an hour so we could save the 8 years of our lives but still get the correct answer. Except - we're trained in technology instead of law, so we dive head first into Technology-Law cases about judges and other lawyers trained in law instead of technology, while desperately posting disclaimers to beware of the treacherous law content of our posts.

So when a couple of Gosh-Wow Real Lawyers appear, who can triumphantly declare "I *AM* A Lawer, No N in that IAAL abbreviation here!", we begged y'all to set us straight. And so you did, and our life hasn't been the same since.