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"Chinese Democracy" Leaker Pleads Not Guilty to Piracy

By 
October 21, 2008 10:51 AM ET

The blogger investigated by the FBI and ultimately arrested in August for leaking nine songs from Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance yesterday. Kevin "Skwerl" Cogill is charged with violating federal copyright law. If convicted, Cogill faces three years in prison, and five years if its determined Cogill posted the songs for commercial gain. Reps for GNR insist their main intention is to find the "original source" of the leaks. "If legal proceedings come my way, I'll face them 100 percent," Cogill told Rock Daily back in June when the leaks first surfaced. "I'm not afraid of that. I did what I did, and I'll face the music if I have to." Since his arrest, Cogill has set up a PayPal account to raise funds for his legal fees. No trial date has been set yet.

Related Stories:
• Chinese Democracy Leaker Gets FBI Visit
•Chinese Democracy Leaker Arrested on Suspicion of Violating Federal Copyright Law
• Did Guns N' Roses Leaker Know He Broke the Law? Kevin Cogill Asks for Financial Aid

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