3 Count: Mega-Sized Evidence

Jonathan BaileyJune 15, 2012

2 minutes read

Have any suggestions for the 3 Count? Let me know via Twitter @plagiarismtoday.

1: Urgent review over Dotcom’s access to FBI files

First off today, ONE News in New Zealand is reporting that there has been a great deal of activity on the Kim Dotcom/Megapload case there. A judge has ordered a review of a previous ruling that was to have given Dotcom, founder and owner of Megaupload prior to its closure, access to evidence against him that was acquired in the U.S. The U.S. government is reluctant to hand over the evidence since Dotcom and the other defendants have not surrendered to the jurisdiction of the U.S. and argue that the New Zealand court overstepped its authority in making the ruling. However, the U.S. also warned that it would take at least two months to compile all of the evidence, which includes over 150 TB of data, meaning that it could not be ready in time for an August 6 extradition hearing, one that Dotcom and his lawyers are keen to keep. On a related front, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has rejected a plea from Dotcom to have the charges dropped and to have access to more of his frozen assets saying that those seized funds are not his to spend. Dotcom, along with other employees of Megaupload, were arrested after the site was shuttered in a join New Zealand/U.S. raid over alleged criminal copyright infringement.

2: Judge to Hear Arguments Over ABC Reality Show

Next up today, the AP is reporting that ABC and CBS will be in court later today arguing over the future of ABC’s new reality show “Glass House”, which is scheduled to premiere on Monday. According to CBS, the show borrows too heavily from their hit reality show “Big Brother”, going as far as to have many former “Big Brother” employees on staff, and is an infringement. ABC is asking the judge to block the scheduled premiere, something unheard of in the U.S. The judge, Gary Feess, has made it clear that he has presided over reality show cases before and would need a great deal of proof to block “Glass House” from airing.

3: Knoxville Man Pleads Guilty in Copyright Infringement Case

Finally today, the Associated Press is reporting that a Knoxville, TN man Ernest Chie Ekwuribe has plead guilty to criminal copyright infringement for a piracy business he operated selling bootleg movies. The investigation was prompted by a request from the Motion Picture Association of America, which in turn was prompted by a confidential complain. Ekwuribe will be sentenced on Oct. 4.

Suggestions

That’s it for the three count today. We will be back tomorrow with three more copyright links. If you have a link that you want to suggest a link for the column or have any proposals to make it better. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. I hope to hear from you.