U.S. Supreme Court Upholds $675,000 Fine For 30 Illegally Downloaded Songs

06:20

May 21, 2012

Joel Tenenbaum, a graduate student from Providence, R.I., leaves federal court, after taking the stand in his defense in his copyright-infringement trial in July, 2009, in Boston. (AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye)

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal by a former BU student facing a $675,000 fine for downloading and sharing 30 songs.

In denying the appeal, the court let stand the staggering fee against Joel Tenenbaum that stems from a suit brought by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The recording industry had initially contacted Tenenbaum back in 2004 and threatened a suit. Back then the recording industry was in the habit of sending thousands of such letters, and typically the recipients decided to settle for something in the low four digits.

But Tenenbaum and took his case all the way to the Supreme Court.

Guest:

Charles Nesson, Joel Tanenbaum's attorney and the Weld Professor of Law at Harvard University

More:

WBUR: BU Student’s Illegal Download Trial Tests Limits Of ‘Fair Use’

This segment aired on May 21, 2012.