2008.11.13 - Wired - Lawyer: Guns N' Roses Uploader to Walk

Lawyer: Guns N' Roses Uploader to Walk

The lawyer for Kevin Cogill, the Los Angeles man charged with uploading nine unreleased Guns N' Roses tracks from the upcoming Chinese Democracy album, said Thursday his client's plea deal with prosecutors does not require any prison time.

"We're looking at straight probation as a result of taking this deal," attorney David Kaloyanides said in a telephone interview. Probation, which includes minimal restrictions, is usually a year, he said.

Federal authorities acknowledged the deal Monday, but provided no details.

With the assistance of the Recording Industry Association of America, the 27-year-old Cogill was arrested last summer and charged with a felony carrying a maximum 5-year term. The authorities, which said he confessed, subsequently reducedthe criminal copyright charge to a misdemeanor, exposing Cogill to a maximum year of confinement.

Cogill is accused of uploading the songs to his music site, antiquiet. Kaloyanides would not say whether, under the deal, Cogill would divulge where he got the tracks.

"We have agreed in a very limited fashion to provide information," he said. "We're still working with the government."

A plea date has been set for Dec. 8. Cogill remains free. The federal judge overseeing the case, however, is not bound by the agreement.

The album is expected to be released around Thanksgiving.

https://www.wired.com/2008/11/lawyer-guns-n-r/

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