Did the guy who leaked the Guns N Roses album Chinese Democracy get off easy with his sentence?
A blogger who leaked several tracks from Guns N’ Roses’ 2008 album Chinese Democracy has been sentenced to a year’s probation. Kevin Cogill, from Los Angeles, has been ordered to serve two months of home confinement and must allow his computers to be searched by the US government. Cogill had posted nine tracks from Chinese Democracy on his Antiquiet website last June, some five months before the album’s release. Though he agreed to remove the tracks after being contacted by lawyers representing Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose, Cogill was soon arrested and charged with copyright infringement. He pleaded guilty to the offence last December and though prosecutors had sought a prison sentence and substantial fine, US district magistrate judge Paul L Abrams said Cogill had not intended to profit from the copyright infringement and had learnt from his mistake. “I never intended to hurt the artist,” Cogill said during his sentencing. “I intended to promote the artist because I’m a fan.” He has
A man who leaked several tracks from Guns N Roses new album ‘Chinese Democracy’ has pleaded guilty and apologised for his actions. It was the comeback to end all comebacks. After fifteen years of waiting, Guns N Roses fans finally had their patience rewarded with the band announcing an album of new material – their first since ‘Use Your Illusion’ back in 1991. Since then, Guns N Roses had released one poorly received covers album before splintering. Guitarist Slash was amongst the first to depart, as rumours of singer Axl Rose becoming power hungry circulated. The band went on hiatus, with fans speculating that millions were being spent on new material. Musicians came and went, with Guns N Roses scrapping almost an album’s worth of songs recorded with metal icon Buckethead. Finally, after a decade in the wilderness Guns N Roses confirmed details of their new album. The world rejoiced and Dr Pepper offered a free can to every living American citizen – barring Slash and Buckethead. Howev
His appetite for Chinese Democracy is going to cost this blogger his freedom, but the worst that will happen is he’ll get to stay in and play Guns N’ Roses on Guitar Hero for a couple of months. Kevin Cogill, the Los Angeles man who was busted last August for posting online nine unreleased tunes from the Gunners’ heavily anticipated yet eternally delayed new album, was sentenced Tuesday to 60 days of home confinement. As part of a plea agreement cut with federal prosecutors, the 28-year-old Cogill also received a year of probation and will get to star in his very own anti-piracy public service announcement. Cogill ended up pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count of violating federal copyright law, a crime punishable by up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. However, that’s a far cry from the five-year term he could’ve gotten had he not played ball with the feds, who agreed to downgrade the charge from a felony. Sources:
