Jeff Gordon, Usenet, and the cypherpunks mailing list
A thought just occurred to me, and perhaps I'm totally off base. But I've been watching both the prosecution and defense attorneys stumble over technical terms (London had no idea what a mailing list, Leen was talking about "encryptions"). Clearly Gordon has more of a clue[*] but that's not saying much. I suspect Usenet discussions are far more inflammatory than what happens on the cypherpunks list, but the prosecution is not veering in that direction at all. My suspicion is that it's just *easier* to monitor cypherpunks, and even tech-impaired IRS agents can figure out majordomo. Usenet takes more effort -- it's why I don't read it anymore -- and perhaps things would have been far different if the list went the alt.* route after the Great List Storm of '97. -Declan [*] Gordon is the aggrieved party (something like three of the five "stalking counts" are him claiming he feels threatened). He is also the lead witness for the prosecution. He is also the lead investigator during Bell I, Bell II, and Bell III. He is also the lead witness-management worker for the prosecution, telling lackeys when to bring the next witness into the courtroom. He is also the technical expert, bringing up digital photos and turning the courtroom screens on or off. He is the case-management guy, correcting London when the attorney doesn't know which house is which on the photo. But even though Gordon is a key witness, he is not sequestered. Even though he is the aggrieved party, he is the investigator. Even though he has personal animus toward the defendant, he seems in charge of the prosecution's case.
Declan McCullagh wrote:eclan
[*] Gordon is the aggrieved party (something like three of the five "stalking counts" are him claiming he feels threatened). He is also the lead witness for the prosecution. He is also the lead investigator during Bell I, Bell II, and Bell III. He is also the lead witness-management worker for the prosecution, telling lackeys when to bring the next witness into the courtroom. He is also the technical expert, bringing up digital photos and turning the courtroom screens on or off. He is the case-management guy, correcting London when the attorney doesn't know which house is which on the photo.
But even though Gordon is a key witness, he is not sequestered. Even though he is the aggrieved party, he is the investigator. Even though he has personal animus toward the defendant, he seems in charge of the prosecution's case.
Looks to me like JB has pretty good grounds for appeal right here, regardless of the rest of the case. This is looking more and more like the classic Soviet/PR/whatever style of kangaroo court. What does it take to get justice in the USA these days? -- Harmon Seaver =================================================================== Check out: http://www.oshkoshbygosh.org Can we bash your city next? Still under construction, but stay tuned.
On Thu, 5 Apr 2001, Harmon Seaver wrote:
What does it take to get justice in the USA these days?
Just a few hundred thousand dollars, contributed to the currently elected Czar. -- Yours, J.A. Terranson sysadmin@mfn.org If Governments really want us to behave like civilized human beings, they should give serious consideration towards setting a better example: Ruling by force, rather than consensus; the unrestrained application of unjust laws (which the victim-populations were never allowed input on in the first place); the State policy of justice only for the rich and elected; the intentional abuse and occassionally destruction of entire populations merely to distract an already apathetic and numb electorate... This type of demogoguery must surely wipe out the fascist United States as surely as it wiped out the fascist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The views expressed here are mine, and NOT those of my employers, associates, or others. Besides, if it *were* the opinion of all of those people, I doubt there would be a problem to bitch about in the first place... --------------------------------------------------------------------
At 08:25 AM 4/5/01 -0500, Harmon Seaver wrote:
Declan McCullagh wrote:eclan
But even though Gordon is a key witness, he is not sequestered. Even though he is the aggrieved party, he is the investigator. Even though he has personal animus toward the defendant, he seems in charge of the prosecution's case.
Looks to me like JB has pretty good grounds for appeal right here, regardless of the rest of the case. This is looking more and more like the classic Soviet/PR/whatever style of kangaroo court. What does it take to get justice in the USA these days?
$huck$, I dunno, it'$ a my$stery, $o $ay$ me,,, Reese
Declan said:
My suspicion is that it's just *easier* to monitor cypherpunks, and even tech-impaired IRS agents can figure out majordomo. Usenet takes more effort -- it's why I don't read it anymore -- and perhaps things would have been far different if the list went the alt.* route after the Great List Storm of '97.
Cypherpunks is a *heavy* open source intelligence proposition. "Broad daylight" is actually valid CI strategy since certain bodies seem mainly to be interested in all things secret... stuck in pre-information age intelligence strategies (channeling Steele). Being "ultra-secret" is a damn bad idea if you're trying avoid unwarranted and hypersensitive attention. A *very* smart call in the beginning, I think. There is something to be said about standing in an open field. Still, seems like you could "do some things" -- at least to avoid undue & unfair mischaracterization. I really don't want to be associated with the "help-me-make-bombz/hack/hurt" troll people. (I realize opinions differ, okay.) I also think the archives are very rich. [FN1] Meek sheeple opinion. Baaa. ~Aimee [1.] You could do remote Meyer-Briggs in there.
Quoting Reese (reeza@flex.com):
At 08:25 AM 4/5/01 -0500, Harmon Seaver wrote:
regardless of the rest of the case. This is looking more and more like the classic Soviet/PR/whatever style of kangaroo court. What does it take to get justice in the USA these days?
$huck$, I dunno, it'$ a my$stery, $o $ay$ me,,,
Paging Mr. Choate... Mr. Choate, white constitution phone for you... Regards, Steve -- Cephalopodia is the key insight.
participants (6)
-
Aimee Farr -
Declan McCullagh -
Harmon Seaver -
J.A. Terranson -
Reese -
Steve Thompson