RIAA Bags a Grandmother on Dialysis

Filed in archive Legal on August 11, 2006

The Louisville Courier profiles Kentuckians in trouble in "Illegal downloads create unlikely defendants." Iola Scruse (pictured here) is a 66-year-old grandmother on Social Security an dialysis. Kathy Hartness is another grandmother. She says she stopped a year ago when she heard is was illegal. But it was too late. The recording industry had already monitored her and was tracking her down.

Here is Ms. Scruse's story:

Iola Scruse of Louisville, a 66-year-old grandmother on Social Security, said her three teenage grandchildren downloaded music using an Internet account in her name.

Her case ended up as a default judgment because she did not respond to the lawsuit. So Scruse, who also is racking up medical bills for dialysis, must pay $6,000 for the 872 songs her grandchildren downloaded, in addition to court fees.

Her granddaughter, Direicia Scruse, 17, said she heard about downloading from television and friends.

"I didn't know it was illegal. The instructions were on the Internet," Direicia said. "If it was illegal, why was it on there?"

Iola Scruse said she has no idea how she will pay the fine or what her next action will be. She now sets rules on how her grandchildren use the computer.

"The older one watches the younger ones now," she said. "They play music, but there's no recording going on."