(CN) - A Boston University student violated music industry copyrights by downloading and trading music online, a federal judge in Boston ruled Friday, in the nation's second music piracy case to go to trial.
Joel Tenenbaum, 25, admitted on Thursday to having swapped 30 songs by bands such as Nirvana, Green Day and The Smashing Pumpkins.
Five major record labels sued him in federal court as part of crackdown on digital piracy.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner reversed her earlier order that she would rule on copyright ownership only, and would leave the issue of infringement to the jury.
"Notwithstanding the protestations of Tenenbaum's counsel," Gertner wrote, "Tenenbaum's statement plainly admits liability on both downloading and distributing, does so in the very language of the statute, and does so with respect to each and every sound recording at issue here."
Gertner said the only issues left for the jury are whether Tenenbaum intentionally violated copyrights and whether to award the record companies damages.
The plaintiff record labels are Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Bros. Records, Atlantic Recording, Arista Records and UMG Recordings.
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