Greg Broiles wrote:

At 10:16 PM 11/21/97 -0500, John Young wrote:

...

Jim Bell was scheduled to be sentenced today at 9:30 AM. [...] Perhaps one of our legal subscribers could comment on what's going on with these repeated delays in sentencing, especially whether it's common to do so after a plea agreement is reached.

It strikes me as peculiar/unusual

Everything about Bell's case has been peculiar/unusual. - posts sent to the cypherpunks list _before_ the bust quoting news reports which were dated the following day. - thinly veiled threatening messages directed to Bell/cypherpunks posted to the list mere hours before the bust. - follow-up posts and threatening private emails regarding Bell's case sent to the list and individual cypherpunks from the treasury email system. - two prominent lawyers having their calls to Bell's legal aide attorney after expressing an interest to help in his case. - the 'usual suspects' advising list members to 'be afraid,' to 'chill out,' shut up and lay low. [...]

I'm starting to favor the explanation which suggests that Jim will be testifying at the trial(s) or before grand juries in other matters - and that his sentencing is postponed to ensure his cooperation, and that the defense isn't squealing about the successive postponements because that's seen as more favorable than receiving a sentence of many, many months in the event of noncooperation.

The events follow a classic pattern as described above.

I'm reluctant to finger anyone as a "snitch" without knowing more - and this is all speculation - but something looks funny about what's happening thus far. (It's also possible that he's physically/mentally incapacitated such that he's not able to participate in his sentencing, which would explain why the court would be postponing on its own initiative, and why the defense isn't opposing the continuance.)

Incapacitation does not result in an information blackout surrounding the dispensation of the case and a stonewalling of all attempts at contact the defendant. You can bet your sweet ass that Bell's volatile mental stability was not lost on his captors, who would undoubtedly realize that it would not take a great deal of prodding with the proper medications to put him in the same frame of mind that allows police social workers to convince small children that the mayor and the chief of police have molested them in satanic rituals involving circus animals. My guess is that he is currently ratting out each and every one of us for imaginary crimes in return for LEA promises that Comet Hale-Bop has been recalled in order to pick him up. Be alarmed. Be very all-armed! Loch N. Lode