CBR: "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" Uploader Sentenced to One Year in Prison

[CBR News]

The man charged with uploading an unfinished copy of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" a month before the movie's release has been sentenced to to one year in federal prison.


Full article here.

[maczero]

Is it me or does this sound extremely harsh?

[SilverZeal]

Nope...not just u maczero. Talk about 'Spanish inquisition'.

[jediracer]

seems quite harsh. and I hate to say it but maybe race is a factor here.

I sincerely doubt that a crappy unfinished version of the movie resulted in people not buying a movie ticket.

"Awesome! I saw the 20% finished version of end battle scene! Now I don't have to pay $7 at the theater!"

[Phil Clark]

seems quite harsh. and I hate to say it but maybe race is a factor here.

Why the hell does everyone want to make everything about race? It has nothing to do with race, it has to do with sending the message that pirating copyrighted material is illegal and punishable with fines and jail time. Just like the "You drink, you drive, you lose" campaign, if you break the law you will be caught and you will be punished.

No race card involved.

[Pareidol]

That'll show 'em! I'm sure the downloading public are trembling in fear now.

[spiderrmonkey]

Pirating movies and music is stealing even if many aren't willing to admit it. You are stealing possible income from the people who create these pieces, not all of who are multimillionaires.

Is this a very harsh punishment? Oh yes. Obviously they're trying to send a message though. Whether or not it works will be another thing.

[Phil Clark]

That'll show 'em! I'm sure the downloading public are trembling in fear now.

If you upload or download copyrighted material illegally and you don't at least consider the possibility that they might come after you for doing so, then you are either in denial or a fool.

[maczero]

Pirating movies and music is stealing even if many aren't willing to admit it. You are stealing possible income from the people who create these pieces, not all of who are multimillionaires.

Is this a very harsh punishment? Oh yes. Obviously they're trying to send a message though. Whether or not it works will be another thing.

Then fine him for all he's worth. Putting him in prison for a non-violent crime doesn't put a dime back in the pocket of the creators and now taxpayers bear the cost of his punishment.

[spiderrmonkey]

Then fine him for all he's worth. Putting him in prison for a non-violent crime doesn't put a dime back in the pocket of the creators and now taxpayers bear the cost of his punishment.

Fair point.

[Sighphi]

People that get in trouble for treating animals badly get off easier than this dude.
But i guess pleading guilty is easier to get off than pleading not guilty and Fox messing with him so much that his family for five generations after would still have to pay them money. Cause you know they would have totally screwed this dude life non-stop.

[OrpheusTelos]

Ouch, that's definitely harsh. Fining him would have been better IMHO, but at the same time I can't shake the feeling that they're "making an example of him."

[Leocomix]

It's not harsh, it's fair.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Just remember, stealing from Rupert: Bad.
But Rupert hacking people's phones and invading their privacy. That's fine.

[1derer]

It's not harsh, it's fair.

Not when one looks at other crimes and the punishments given to them. Lindsay Lohan has been charged with felony grand theft,
possession of cocaine (supporting a violent and murderous criminal industry),
and driving under the influence (which could have cost the lives of innocent people).

And she's consistently gotten light sentences that are commuted to even lighter sentences near immediately.

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Fairness and equality in sentencing must be evaluated in context, and given the context of other sentences for repeated and more serious crimes, the context shows that this sentence is unfair.