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Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
Sun archives
- Righthaven’s suit against Sharron Angle draws increased attention (9-8-2010)
- Defendant accuses Righthaven of misusing legal system (9-5-2010)
- Sharron Angle hit with R-J copyright infringement lawsuit (9-3-2010)
- Righthaven wins key ruling as new criticism leveled over suits (9-3-2010)
- Righthaven sues D.C.-based group over R-J editorial posting (9-2-2010)
- PR firm Kirvin Doak sued by Righthaven over Celine Dion story it promoted (9-1-2010)
- Why we are writing about the R-J copyright lawsuits (9-1-2010)
- Settlement reached after judge refuses to dismiss copyright suit (8-31-2010)
- Judge questions Righthaven over R-J copyright suit costs (8-26-2010)
- Consumer group offers help to defendants over R-J copyright suits (8-25-2010)
- Righthaven CEO’s law firm in merger (8-24-2010)
- R-J accused of entrapment over copyright enforcement (8-23-2010)
- Blogger asks to pay $200 to close R-J copyright suit (8-20-2010)
- 2 lawsuits over R-J copyrights lift total to 100 (8-19-2010)
- Website operators use new defenses to fight R-J copyright suits (8-18-2010)
- Righthaven reaches settlements in 2 cases over R-J copyrights (8-12-2010)
- Righthaven sues Democratic Underground website over R-J posting (8-11-2010)
- 5 more websites sued over R-J story copyrights (8-10-2010)
Advocates for the legalization of marijuana and a Florida dating website operator are among the latest to be sued for copyright infringement after Las Vegas Review-Journal stories allegedly were posted on their websites.
Righthaven LLC, which sues alleged infringers of Review-Journal copyrights, filed suit Wednesday in federal court in Las Vegas against:
• The United States Marijuana Party and Richard J. Rawlings in Peoria, Ill., whom Righthaven says have a website called www.usmjparty.com.
• Kathryn B. Lord in Tallahassee, Fla., who allegedly has a website called www.find-a-sweetheart.com.
The marijuana party and Rawlings, its president, are accused of posting on the party website a July 21 story about a Las Vegas police detective shooting and killing Trevon Cole, who police said had been involved in drug sales.
Court records indicate the Review-Journal story was posted by Rawlings in its entirety on July 24, with the R-J receiving full credit.
On its website, the party explained its purpose: “We feel it is time for the 15 million Americans who smoke marijuana on a regular basis to stop hiding their love for this plant and unite as one large body of voters to demand an end to the unconstitutional prohibition of marijuana and the drug war.”
The marijuana party becomes at least the third group involved in reforming drug laws to be sued by Righthaven.
An earlier case was settled against the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws in Washington, D.C., and codefendant the Media Awareness Project. NORML settled its portion of the suit for $2,185; MAP’s settlement amount was not disclosed.
Lord, meanwhile, is accused of posting on her dating website a June 16 Review-Journal column called “Radical commitment means closing all escape hatches.”
Court records indicate that on the “Kathryn’s Blog” portion of the website, the Review-Journal column was reposted June 17 in its entirety, with the Review-Journal columnist credited but not the Review-Journal.
The blog included an unrelated story by the Washington Post and other material, the court records show.
Righthaven in each of the new suits demands $150,000 in damages and forfeiture of the defendant’s website domain names.
The $150,000 damage claim has now been asserted in at least the last four Righthaven lawsuits, up from the $75,000 usually demanded in the previous suits. Righthaven hasn’t said why its damage claim has increased.
A request for comment on the lawsuit against her was placed with Lord.
Rawlings said that if he did post the story in question, he would have credited the source newspaper and linked back to it.
He said when news sources demand material be removed or be replaced with a link, he complies, but in this case, he said, no one from the Review-Journal or Righthaven contacted him and the first he heard of the lawsuit was from the Las Vegas Sun.
The two suits bring to at least 119 the number of copyright infringement lawsuits Righthaven has filed since March.
I kind of hope it costs the pot smokers a bunch of money to fight it. The group says there's 15 million of them. Maybe the other 285 million of us who don't use weed should continue to voice our majority and vote no on any laws promoted by the stoners.
I want to thank Steve Green for contacting me and sending me court documents on a case I knew nothing about until late last night. I also want to let others who have been targeted by Righthaven who they can contact for assists Electronic Frontier Foundation contact Eva Galperin at eva@eff.org.
@Bakersfield It's not a bunch of pot smokers they have targeted, just me, and that is 15 million that smoke marijuana everyday. Not counting social and weekend smokers so there is not 285 million of you that don't smoke marijuana.
I love haters! Let me hug that hate right out of you Bakersfield
Richard J. Rawlings
United States Marijuana Party
Richard, Excuse me for obeying the law while you choose not to. I am not a "hater".
Too many people who violate tha law, and get called on it, immediately point fingers and call the law abiding citizens "haters".
I will continue to vote NO on any legalization legislation.
Unlike you, I do not spend every waking hour "working" to promote illegal and unhealthy activity. We're all just tired of potheads who refuse to understand the obvious. There was an 81 year old lady in my town murdered by a 15 year old high on weed, looking for something to steal (by breaking into her house). His "excuse" is that he didn't know what he was doing because he was high. Is this what your "party" promotes, Richard?
@Bakersfield --You wrote, "We're all just tired of potheads who refuse to understand the obvious."
I'm going to have to side with Richard on this one. In fact, I would ask that he join me and pray with gratitude to Our Creator, that the father of Heaven and Earth, and all the angels and principalities will bless you with the Light of Truth, and the wisdom, understanding and compassion to feel unconditional Love for others.
I also pray that He will inspire you to really take a hard look at the facts concerning the U.S. Government's illegal and unconstitutional prohibition of marijuana.
And finally, I will pray for that 81 year old woman that you chose to include in your attempt to stereotype and disparage an innocent victim of a frivolous lawsuit being orchestrated by a large, mainstream news outlet. And for what? Because one of his users posted an article shining the light and attention on potential police corruption. Nobody deserves to die or have their freedom taken away over a plant.
May the peace and Love of Our Lord Jesus 'the anointed' be with you always. Amen!
Really people, think about it...God did not give us all the herb bearing plants "except" for the marijuana plant. Cannabis or "hemp" is the physical manifestation of the biblical Tree of Life spoken about in Genesis. And YES, it does cure cancer and hundreds of other conditions and illnesses, and it will bring the Earth out of it's global crisis in due time. So Be It!
Namaste