RUMOR MILL
MP3.com’s lawyer, Michael Rhodes said that such a large dollar amount, combined with the company’s other pending liability cases, would be the death warrant for the company.
Tuesday, September 5, 2000
UNIVERSAL WANTS $450 MILLION IN MP3.COM DAMAGES
Small, Unmarked Bills Preferred
Universal Music Group has picked $450 million as the amount it wants U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff to award it for MP3.com's copyright violations.
In closing arguments in Manhattan on Tuesday, UMG's attorney, Hadrian "Harry" Katz asked Judge Rakoff to use his ruling as a way to punish the dot-com and deter potential future violators by wielding a large stick.
MP3.com lawyer Michael Rhodes said that such a large dollar amount, combined with the company's other pending liability cases, would be the death warrant for the company. He proposed that the judge impose the minimum of $750 per violation for 4,700 violations, or $3,525,000. UMG contends that the company owes for $45,000 for 10,000 violations,
Rakoff will rule on Wednesday whether MP3.com willfully violated copyrights with its My.Mp3.com service.
MP3.com has settled with all of the other Big Five companies.
