The Norwegian teenager cleared of cyberpiracy charges in a landmark ruling is to be tried again in an appeals court, his lawyer said Friday. Jon Johansen, age 19 and dubbed "DVD Jon," was acquitted by an Oslo court in January of charges of theft after he developed a computer program to copy DVD movies which has been outlawed in the United States.
Johansen had admitted copying only legally purchased DVDs using his program, and the Oslo district court ruled that he was entitled to do this. Prosecutors on behalf of Hollywood studios lodged an appeal in the Borgarting appeals court in Oslo, objecting to the application of the law and the presentation of evidence.
The first ruling was a blow to the movie studios, which have launched a global effort to crack down on piracy and were hoping to establish a legal precedent in Europe to fight future cases. The new trial is expected to start after the summer.
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