Recording 'Ass.' of America Sues Dead Woman
Death is no obstacle to feeling the long arm of the Recording Industry Ass. of America. Lawyers representing several record companies have filed suit against an 83 year-old woman who died in December, claiming that she made more than 700 songs available on the internet.
Dan Gillmor thinks that it is probably a P.R. Stunt:
Maybe these "mistakes" aren't mistakes at all. Maybe they're designed to get publicity, to make sure that we all get the message that the music companies are willing to be totally unscrupulous -- and not at all careful about aiming their lawsuits at actual infringers -- in their zeal to stop any unauthorized use of their material. Could they be that sleazy? Hard to believe, but then suing dead people is pretty far-fetched in a normal universe.