This is an all new low even for them ..

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/12/04/riaa-wins-default-judgment

THE GREEDO LAWYERS for the Big Music MAFIAA have outdone themselves, falling to depths that even their harshest critics could scarcely have imagined.

They've won a default judgment for alleged copyright infringement against Ciara Sauro, 19, who is disabled with pancreatitis, beset by crushing medical debts and severely depressed.

Sauro lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her mother, who makes $8.25 per hour. The girl requires weekly hospital treatment for her medical condition and needs an islet cell transplant. She denies the illegal file-sharing allegations but didn't defend herself in court.

"Look and see where [the downloads] came from, and look and see that it's not me. It's not fair to do to me," she said.

Because she didn't appear in federal court, a judge entered a default judgment against her for nearly $8,000, for allegedly having shared just 10 tunes with others over the Internet.

"I already have severe depression. I mean, it's so hard to sit there and think that I have to get in trouble for something that I didn't do. It's not fair," said Sauro.

The mother and daughter say that Ciara's father opened the Internet account cited in the lawsuit after he moved out.

"I just want them to know that I have to go through enough stress in my life with my sickness and my family, and I don't think that they should go after people just because they want money for something that's not even fair to us."

A local attorney, James Brink, has offered to represent Ciara at no charge and ask a judge to reopen the case.

Im all for reducing piracy but this is just inhuman.

$8,000 for 10 tunes. That seems fair. That is about the going rate on iTunes right now.

I now have a picture in my head of U2, Metallica, Justin Timberlake and others curbstomping a very sick little girl. And yes, that is a very wrong picture.

wow, someone needs to call this BS out in the media

That's just plain wrong...

?!

This is wrong. However, it would be a kick a(( South Park episode ;)

Whats crazy is that they're selling over 800million in legal sales from online singles, which is a very small portion of their profits- since record companies make cash on CD's, cassettes, vinyl, tours etc

Wow... that was dumb and inhumane...

Total insanity. I'm at a loss for words.