Bohanjian
June 1st, 2003, 07:17 PM
From TIMES RECORD--Arkansas
Satellite TV Suit Won't Fly, Attorney Contends
Well, the interview I did with the reporter came out today in Sunday's paper. It was front page and received top billing. This is a definate help to those involved with DirecTV Letters, as it let's everyone know that DirecTV has (NO EVIDENCE). Here you go:
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By John T. Anderson
TIMES RECORD - JANDERSON@SWTIMES.COM
ARKANSANS ACCUSED OF PURCHASHING SIGNAL-PIRATING SOFTWARE
Four federal lawsuits filed by DirecTV against alleged satellite television pirates will never go to trial because the company knows it has no case, according to a California attorney.
“DirecTV has never taken a case to trial,” said Jeffrey Wilens. “The last thing they want to do is go to trial and lose.”
“None have gone to trial,” said Robert Mercer, a spokesman for DirecTV, based in California. “We are planning to go to trial.”
Four civil lawsuits filed last week in U.S. District Court in Fort Smith name six Arkansas people accused of purchasing “unloopers” or pirating software that allows theft of DirecTV satellite television programming. The lawsuits are part of an ambitious campaign aimed at scaring away signal pirates, said Wilens, who has a lawsuit pending against DirecTV in California that claims the company is guilty of extortion. He said DirecTV usually sends a “demand letter” then, sometimes, follows that with a lawsuit.
“My understanding is they have sent out a 100,000 letters or intend to and they intend to sue a few thousand of those.” Wilens said. “In my opinion, this entire campaign is extortion…because DirecTV has no (evidence) that these people did something wrong.”
Those sued were: Todd Hansard of Mena, Rick R. Sharrah of Van Buren, Clint Montgomery of Mena, Summer Stockton of Fort Smith, John Slankard of Barling and Joey Campney of Van Buren.
David Broom of Barling said he has kept up with DirecTV’s antics for some time and has contacted “hundreds” of people who have been sued by the company. Not one has gone to trial, Broom said.
“They just carpet bomb these names and addresses,” Broom said. “It won’t go to court. DirecTV always withdraws this suit. They have no proof the device was used.”
Addresses and names of those sued often come from raids on wholesale outlets that deal in the selling of unloopers or pirate software, Broom said. That supports the claim of one of the people sued, who told the Times Record he received a letter from DirecTV after purchasing a $60.00 piece of equipment through a contact on the Internet. However, the man said he never used the device.
“I got some sort of a form letter…and it said we’ve got this information that you ordered this. … I never did anything wrong,” the man said.
Mercer of DirecTV said his company is supported by federal law.
“Mere possession of these devices is a violation of federal law,” Mercer said. “These (lawsuits) have been filed and they take some time to work out. ….Keep in mind that we just begun filing these cases last fall. … Many are settling. Many are ignored, so they default. I know we have had some default judgments.”
A federal lawsuit filed by DirecTV in Illinois even claims that merely assisting others with instructions constitutes a criminal act. The lawsuit accuses Randy Borow and an unknown John Doe of providing information on a Web site that explains the process of stealing DirecTV’s signal.
“Defendants have acted in concert to assist others, namely those satellite pirates seeking instruction on use of unlawful software and hardware on the Pirate Forums frequented by defendants, in receiving DirecTV’s transmissions, without authorization by DirecTV,” the lawsuit states.
“None have gone to trial,” said Robert Mercer, a spokesman for DirecTV, based in California. “We are planning to go to trial.”
Well, Robert Mercer, I would like to ask when you plan on getting around to doing that? I would sure like to see this in Court. I think you are all talk. Just take 1 to court, that is all we ask. But, of course, you know you will lose and can no longer extort money from innocent people. So, I guess we will never get that day in Court, will we?
Satellite TV Suit Won't Fly, Attorney Contends
Well, the interview I did with the reporter came out today in Sunday's paper. It was front page and received top billing. This is a definate help to those involved with DirecTV Letters, as it let's everyone know that DirecTV has (NO EVIDENCE). Here you go:
------------
By John T. Anderson
TIMES RECORD - JANDERSON@SWTIMES.COM
ARKANSANS ACCUSED OF PURCHASHING SIGNAL-PIRATING SOFTWARE
Four federal lawsuits filed by DirecTV against alleged satellite television pirates will never go to trial because the company knows it has no case, according to a California attorney.
“DirecTV has never taken a case to trial,” said Jeffrey Wilens. “The last thing they want to do is go to trial and lose.”
“None have gone to trial,” said Robert Mercer, a spokesman for DirecTV, based in California. “We are planning to go to trial.”
Four civil lawsuits filed last week in U.S. District Court in Fort Smith name six Arkansas people accused of purchasing “unloopers” or pirating software that allows theft of DirecTV satellite television programming. The lawsuits are part of an ambitious campaign aimed at scaring away signal pirates, said Wilens, who has a lawsuit pending against DirecTV in California that claims the company is guilty of extortion. He said DirecTV usually sends a “demand letter” then, sometimes, follows that with a lawsuit.
“My understanding is they have sent out a 100,000 letters or intend to and they intend to sue a few thousand of those.” Wilens said. “In my opinion, this entire campaign is extortion…because DirecTV has no (evidence) that these people did something wrong.”
Those sued were: Todd Hansard of Mena, Rick R. Sharrah of Van Buren, Clint Montgomery of Mena, Summer Stockton of Fort Smith, John Slankard of Barling and Joey Campney of Van Buren.
David Broom of Barling said he has kept up with DirecTV’s antics for some time and has contacted “hundreds” of people who have been sued by the company. Not one has gone to trial, Broom said.
“They just carpet bomb these names and addresses,” Broom said. “It won’t go to court. DirecTV always withdraws this suit. They have no proof the device was used.”
Addresses and names of those sued often come from raids on wholesale outlets that deal in the selling of unloopers or pirate software, Broom said. That supports the claim of one of the people sued, who told the Times Record he received a letter from DirecTV after purchasing a $60.00 piece of equipment through a contact on the Internet. However, the man said he never used the device.
“I got some sort of a form letter…and it said we’ve got this information that you ordered this. … I never did anything wrong,” the man said.
Mercer of DirecTV said his company is supported by federal law.
“Mere possession of these devices is a violation of federal law,” Mercer said. “These (lawsuits) have been filed and they take some time to work out. ….Keep in mind that we just begun filing these cases last fall. … Many are settling. Many are ignored, so they default. I know we have had some default judgments.”
A federal lawsuit filed by DirecTV in Illinois even claims that merely assisting others with instructions constitutes a criminal act. The lawsuit accuses Randy Borow and an unknown John Doe of providing information on a Web site that explains the process of stealing DirecTV’s signal.
“Defendants have acted in concert to assist others, namely those satellite pirates seeking instruction on use of unlawful software and hardware on the Pirate Forums frequented by defendants, in receiving DirecTV’s transmissions, without authorization by DirecTV,” the lawsuit states.
“None have gone to trial,” said Robert Mercer, a spokesman for DirecTV, based in California. “We are planning to go to trial.”
Well, Robert Mercer, I would like to ask when you plan on getting around to doing that? I would sure like to see this in Court. I think you are all talk. Just take 1 to court, that is all we ask. But, of course, you know you will lose and can no longer extort money from innocent people. So, I guess we will never get that day in Court, will we?