Hollywood sues granddad for $600,000

THE MOVIE industry has sued a 67 year old man for $600,000 because his grandson downloaded four movies to a P2P site, iMesh.

The Motion Picture Association of America filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Fred Lawrence, of Milwaukee.

Originally the MPAA sent a letter to the grandfather demanding he pay $4,000. Lawrence, who admits he is a little naïve about IT matters, said he couldnt afford $4,000. The MPAA upped the ante.

The grandson, who is 12, had downloaded "The Incredibles," "I, Robot," "The Grudge," and "The Forgotten" in December, out of curiousity without knowing it was illegal.

The files were deleted immediately. The family already owned the titles on DVD. MPAA spinner Kori Bernards is doing nothing about reducing the flak from this case.

She said that the movie industry wants people to understand the consequences of Internet piracy and clearly things that the best way to do that is to bankrupt old men from Milwaukee for the sins of their grandchildren.

They might have a bit of a problem making this one stick. Already the MPAA has lost similar cases.

More in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, here. µ