Rogues Gallery-Cary Sherman

Cary Sherman

Cary Sherman is the RIAA's general counsel. He shows up at major RIAA litigation (usually for file sharing cases) for photo ops and to make Saddam Hussein like claims that they have won their case, when, in fact they haven't. Funny thing is that they have not won a single filesharing case yet. That's right folks. We're a couple of years into the litigation and they have yet to win a single case against file sharing companies. One tactic they keep trying is to claim that they own the copyrights, when they don't they are assigned to the labels.This is a huge difference. This is a very important issue. If the court accepts their claims, then the artists become employees of the label, and they can never get their masters back. This is why in the MP3.Com case the artists whose work was infringed (according to the judge) file an amicus brief on behalf of MP3.Com. Same thing in the Napster case. The Recording Artists Coalition filed an amicus brief on behalf of Napster. Why would they? To protect their rights as artists, to prevent the labels from ripping them off as they have for years.

In the MP3.Com case they had a clear win, but decided to settle when MP3.Com said they would challenge the ownship of the copyrights. Now in the Napster case, two days after Judge Patel said she would allow Napster to investigate the copyright issues, the RIAA and the labels (except for EMI) asked the judge for a 30 day suspension of their lawsuit. This is a case that the labels have spent 2 years persuing, have spent millions of dollars to litigate, and they ask for a suspension? Once again the tactics have failed, and the RIAA has shown it's true colors. This may play right into the Dept. of Justice Antitrust investigation. What are you trying to hide Mr Sherman?