GILBERT, Ariz.—Like a proud Arizonan, she stood her ground for as long as she could, but in the end the pressure was just too much and she folded, deciding to settle with the lawyer who had accused her of illegally downloading his client's porn video. But grandmother Debbie Courtney continues to insist that she did not download the porn, according to AZFamily.com.
“I was shocked,” she said a year ago when she first received the letter from the attorney, Miami-based Keith Lipscomb, who was reportedly acting on behalf of client Raw Films.
The letter accused her of downloading a porn video and said she could make it go away for $150. Suspecting a scam, she emailed 3 On Your Side, a division of KTVK-TV that investigates consumer complaints, which contacted Lipscomb.
“It is absolutely not a scam,” he told them.
"He explained that someone from Courtney's IP address downloaded the porn so she is legally responsible," reported AZFamily.com. "He said online copyright infringement is a major problem and not just with porn. Joel Tenenbaum of Rhode Island was sued by the Recording Industry Association of America for illegally downloading and sharing 30 songs on the Internet. He was fined $675,000."
One fifty is a far cry from 675 grand, but Courtney, who claimed she had not secured her wireless internet and was adamant that someone who lived near her was responsible for the alleged infringement, refused to pay.
"After our report aired in July, Courtney said she didn't hear from the company or their attorney for months," said the station. "Recently, however, she says the phone calls started up again. This time, she says the demand was increased to $3,000."
After living a year with the threat of a lawsuit hanging over her head, Courtney had had enough. In spite of her continued insistence that she was innocent, she caved.
“I ended up negotiating an agreement with them,” she said, adding that while the amount was a secret according to the terms of the settlement, it was a lot less than $3000. “It's just like a weight lifted off your shoulders when it's gone,” she added.
