New Ways to Prosecute the Movie Pirates

“Secret Movie Moguls” (Jan. 7), on the illicit trade in bootleg movies, did a good job documenting how pirating groups operate and post their wares on the Internet. However, it did little to deter people who participate in this trade by using camcorders in theaters, alluding only briefly to limited raids by the federal government against distributors of illicit flicks. You should have warned that, thanks to a new California law that took effect at the beginning of this year, people at the base of the illegal recording pyramid will now also be subject to prosecution.

Previously, when individuals were caught taping a movie, all the cinema could do was kick them out. Now, under a bill by state Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City), any person who uses a recording device to tape a picture being shown at a theater can be punished by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Alex Ricciardulli

Attorney, Los Angeles