Jurors Considered $3.6M Award In Music Download Case

October 11, 2007 9:49 a.m. EST

Duluth, Minn. (AHN) - Jurors in the illegal music sharing case at one point considered assessing $3.6 million in damages against a 30-year-old woman found guilty.

Although finally agreeing to award recording companies $222,000 for the 24 songs the group said Jamie Thomas illegally shared online, the law allowed for a penalty up to $150,000 per song, or $3.6 million totally.

In an AP interview, juror Lisa Reinke said Thomas was quickly found guilty, but it took 4 1/2 hours to decide the damage amount. Reinke said while some jurors suggested assessing the maximum, the entire jury settled on $9,250 per song.

The damage amount is likely to figure into Thomas' appeal, her attorney telling reporters the amount was disproportionate to the actual harm.