Offer on Piracy Charges: $3000 to Settle

The music industry is asking 50 Ohio University students to pay $3,000 each to avoid lawsuits accusing them of pirating songs off the Internet.

The Recording Industry Association of America asked the university to pass along letters to the students with Internet addresses accused of being involved with the illegal sharing of copyrighted music. The university notified the students on Monday.

'The downloading has occurred and we can't change that, but we can let them know what their options are,' OU spokeswoman Sally Linder said Wednesday.

Patrick McGee, a local attorney the university arranged to meet with students, said $3,000 is the standard offer though cases have settled for as much as $5,000. He has represented four Ohio University students in file-sharing lawsuits.

Jenni Engebretsen, spokeswoman for the trade group, based in Washington, D.C., would not disclose or confirm what the standard settlement offer is. She did say no cases have gone to trial yet across the country.

As part of its ongoing copyright crackdown, the association has already sued about 18,000 computer users nationwide since September 2003. The figure includes 1,062 computer users at 130 universities.

The association said last month that it intended to sue more students and others on campuses in the next three months than it has in the past three years and that it would send 400 letters a month to computer users suspected of copyright infringement.

Letters were sent to 13 universities last week, giving students 20 days to pay a settlement.

A letter to one Ohio University student told her that she distributed 787 audio files, putting her total minimum potential liability at more than $590,000. The minimum damages under the law is $750 for each copyright recording that had been shared, the letter said.

Many students cannot even afford the $3,000, McGee said.

'I think the record company is smart enough to know that a lot of students do not have the money,' he said. 'They can't actually take them up on the offer.'


"The downloading has occurred and we can't change that, but we can let them know what their options are"

Manslaughter among charges actor Lane Garrison faces

Actor Lane Garrison will accept responsibility for the death of a Beverly Hills high school student, his lawyer said as the television star was arraigned today on charges of vehicular manslaughter in connection with a fatal car crash.

Garrison, who formerly starred in television's 'Prison Break,' faces a maximum of six years and eight months in prison if convicted.

Garrison, who allegedly was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine when his car slammed into a tree Dec. 2, declined to enter a not guilty plea in Beverly Hills Superior Court when he stood before Judge Elden S. Fox.

Fox asked Garrison if he wanted to plead not guilty.

'No, your honor,' said Garrison, 26, who appeared in court dressed in a brown pinstriped suit, dark purple tie and lavender shirt.

Defense attorney Harland Braun broke in: 'Mr. Garrison feels a deep sense of responsibility.... The real issue is the level of culpability.'

Braun said Garrison 'doesn't feel comfortable' with a not guilty plea.

'He is going to be accepting responsibility for his conduct; the only question is the level of responsibility,' the lawyer repeated.

Garrison posted $100,000 bail and was released. The formal arraignment was put over to April 11.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Joseph Markus had recommended a $200,000 bond, citing Garrison's potential danger to the community because of the drunk-driving charges.

Fox ordered Garrison to refrain from driving, drinking alcohol or going to bars or other establishments where alcohol is the chief item of sale.

Vahagn Setian, 17, who was riding in Garrison's SUV, was killed in the crash on South Beverly Drive. Two other passengers, 15-year-old girls, were injured when Garrison's vehicle struck a tree shortly before midnight.

'The Setian family is gratified by the criminal charges brought by the Los Angeles district attorney's office,' according to a statement issued by lawyer Paul Kiesel. 'They have lost their only child due to Lane Garrison's recklessness.'

Beverly Hills police said Garrison had a blood-alcohol level more than 2 1/2 times the state's legal limit of 0.08%, in addition to cocaine in his system. He was driving more than 40 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to police.

The district attorney's office rejected the recommendation by Beverly Hills police that a more serious charge of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence be filed. The additional charge would have doubled the prison term Garrison faced in the case.

Braun said county Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley did the right thing in charging manslaughter without gross negligence.

'It's a tribute to him,' said Braun, a noted criminal defense attorney. Evidence of Garrison's intoxication made standard manslaughter, a lesser offense, the right choice, he said.

DA spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said: 'After a full review of the evidence, we felt the charges we filed were appropriate charges.'

Garrison has a part in the film 'Shooter,' which is scheduled for release later this month. He has also appeared in the 2006 film 'Crazy,' and the 2005 ABC series 'Night Stalker,'



"Mr. Garrison feels a deep sense of responsibility.... The real issue is the level of culpability."