FreeAssange.net action network: copy-paste action formats & supporters wanted! : American Statute of Limitations 'angle' to get Assange released?

Thu Sep 17 22:14:09 PDT 2020

 To:   Barrister Jennifer Robinson,    https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/jennifer-robinson    (Representing Julian Assange)

The following material was published on the Cypherpunks Email list.   

On Thursday, September 17, 2020, 03:27:05 PM PDT, Hernâni Marques <hernani at vecirex.net> wrote:

>For 10 years now the USA has been chasing journalist and Wikileaks
founder Julian Assange. In doing so, they are not shy in violating the
rule of law and human rights.
[end of quote from previous message on Cypherpunks email list.]

Jim Bell's comment about American Limitations period angle to get Assange released.
I've spent about 15,000 hours in a US Federal prison law library, learning MANY kinds of Federal law.   (Most 'jailhouse lawyers' just learn criminal law and appeals law.)    I learned contract law, tort law, libel law, civil rights law (42 USC 1983, and Bivens Actions), patent law, anti-trust law,  My biggest project was a lawsuit I wrote 2002-2003.   James Dalton Bell v. District Courts of Tacoma and Seattle. James Dalton Bell, et al v. United States, et al    Which, when printed out, spanned 192 pages.  

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James Dalton Bell, et al v. United States, et al

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 Most people know about 'limitations periods', more commonly known as "statute of limitations".   Beyond that time, a Federal crime generally cannot be prosecuted in a Federal court, although there are exceptions.  https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL31253.pdf    Most US Federal felonies have a limitations period of 5 years, a very few have a limitations period of 8 years.  (A few, directly involving a criminal death have no limitation on prosecution time.)   Assange's alleged crimes seem to be claimed to have occurred around 2009 or 2010, and do not involve any alleged deaths.  So, unless the limitations period is considered 'tolled', it should be impossible to prosecute Assange in an American Federal Court.   And, that being so, it should be impossible to obtain extradition to the United States, either.  

However, under American law, the limitations period is generally 'tolled' (the 'clock' is stopped)  under a few circumstances.  One of those is when a defendant is considered a "fugitive".  As is stated in   https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL31253.pdf    on pages 10-11:
"Fugitives"" A provision exempting fugitives accompanied passage of the first federal statute of limitations.77The language has changed little since,78 but its meaning remains a topic of debate.79 Most circuits,taking their lead from Streep v. United States,80 hold that the government must establish that theaccused acted with an intent to avoid prosecution.81 Yet two have held that mere absence from thejurisdiction is sufficient.82 Even in the more demanding circuits, however, flight is thought tohave occurred when the accused conceals himself within the jurisdiction;83 remains outside thejurisdiction after becoming aware of the possibility of prosecution;84 flees before an investigationbegins;85 departs after an investigation has begun but before charges are filed;86 absconds to avoid  prosecution on another matter;87 or flees to avoid civil or administrative justice rather thancriminal justice.88 "                [end of quote]

Since Assange clearly did not commit any US Federal crime while he was physically present within the United States (indeed, he may never have been in the United States at all, or at least during any period relevant to this case), it is clear that he did not "flee" from the United States to avoid prosecution. Indeed, he did not "flee" at all.   To this, a Federal prosecutor might respond that nevertheless, Assange was 'outside the jurisdiction' of the United States court system, at least for the "most circuits" .  The exceptions listed in the paragraph above do not appear to apply, because the alleged crime occurred outside the U.S.
 Superficially, such a prosecutor would want to invoke the "mere absence" policy of a few circuits.  Of course, since the alleged crimes did not occur within ANY of those American circuit-court regions, even that is questionable.  See Note 82, which cites circuit cases from the 8th Circuit.  And the D.C. Circuit:   McGowen v. United States, 105 F.2d 791, 792 (D.C. Cir.1939)    McGowen v. United States, 105 F.2d 791 (D.C. Cir. 1939)         From McGowen, citing the Supreme Court:

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McGowen v. United States, 105 F.2d 791 (D.C. Cir. 1939)

McGowen v. United States, 105 F.2d 791 (D.C. Cir. 1939) case opinion from the US Court of Appeals for the Distri...
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"To be a fugitive from justice, in the sense of the act of congress regulating the subject under consideration, it is not necessary that the party charged should have left the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed, after an indictment found, or for the purpose of avoiding a prosecution anticipated or begun, but simply that having within a state committed that which by its laws constitutes a crime, when he is sought to be subjected to its criminal process to answer for his offence, he has left its jurisdiction, and is found within the territory of another." The Supreme Court first used that language with regard to the extradition law,[2] but afterwards expressly applied it to the statute here involved.[3] Accordingly appellant, when he left the District after committing forgery, was a "person fleeing from justice," regardless of his motive in leaving."          [end of quote from McGowen]

First, Assange was not "within a state committed [...] a crime", in this case the reference to "state" would include the United States of America.   Nor did Assange "[leave] its jurisdiction", since he was not within the United States of America, at all.  Assange did not "[leave] the District after committing [a Federal crime".
If it is assume that Assange was 'within the jurisdiction' of a U.S. Federal court while nevertheless in U.K., Assange didn't subsequently leave the jurisdiction of a U.S. Federal Court:   If the Federal Court asserts that it has jurisdiction in any location in the world regarding such a crime.  

Further quoting from   https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL31253.pdf     :
 "Streep declared that it “unnecessary, for the purposes of the present case, to undertake to give an exhaustivedefinition of these words [fleeing from justice]; for it is quite clear that any person who takes himself out of thejurisdiction, with the intention of avoiding being brought to justice for a particular offense, can have no benefit of thelimitation, at least when prosecuted for that offense in a court of the United States,” 160 U.S. at 133. In context, itmight be thought unclear whether the Court meant flight with intent was required or merely sufficient."    [end of quote from Note 82]
This is from the Streep case itself:
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/160/128/

"In order to constitute "fleeing from justice" within the meaning of section 1045 of the Revised Statutes, it is not necessary that there should be an intent to avoid the justice of the United States, but it is sufficient that there is an intent to avoid the justice of the state having jurisdiction over the same territory and the same act."       [end of quote]
Assange is not alleged to have fled the jurisdiction of any American state.  He is also not alleged to have fled the jurisdiction of the Federal court system.

But there is a further reason to reject the possibility of Assange's prosecution.  There is a question:  Was Assange actually IN the "jurisdiction of the American Federal Court system while he allegedly committed the acts claimed against him?   After all, if we assume that American Federal law is to be applied extraterritorially in this case, then it must be that Assange was "in the jurisdiction" of the Federal Court system despite the fact that he was physically present within the U.K. during that time.   And in that case, Assange must continue to be considered to be "in the jurisdiction" of the U.S. Federal Court system during the 5 years after the events alleged in the Indictment occurred, for the purposes of tolling the limitations period.  Thus, there is no tolling of the limitations clock, which must have run out in about 2015, and certainly long before today, in 2020.  
To assert otherwise, the American prosecutors must take the mutually-inconsistent positions that:
1.    Assange was 'within the jurisdiction of American Federal criminal law' at the time the alleged crimes were committed.    YET
2.   Assange was 'NOT within the jurisdiction of American Federal criminal law' at the times subsequent to the time the alleged crimes were committed.
I have previously pointed out the following material, which asserts that it is well-established by authority as high as the United States Supreme Court:

"In Morrison v. National Australia Bank, 2010, the Supreme Court held that in interpreting a statute, the "presumption against extraterritoriality" is absolute unless the text of the statute explicitly says otherwise."

"https://www.skadden.com/insights/publications/2016/06/us-supreme-court-continues-to-limit-extraterritori
Even while in the Ecuadorian embassy building, Assange would have been as much 'within the jurisdiction of the United States Federal court system' there, as he presumably was while he was within the United Kingdom.  

       Jim Bell

========================================================

The following is material I posted to the Cypherpunks list last year:

On Sunday, May 5, 2019, 10:22:02 AM PDT, jim bell <jdb10987 at yahoo.com> wrote:

This essay, found by doing a google search for ' "assange"  "extradition" "extraterritoriality" '

http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/MelbJIL/2012/5.html

            (From 2012)
[partial quote follows]
"In a speech at Princeton University, Justice Michael Kirby discussed judicial reluctance to enforce assertions of extraterritorial jurisdiction[1] and in so doing, observed that: ‘the natural question is asked: Why my court? Why not theirs?’[2]The question points to the crossroads at which international law and domestic law meet: extraterritoriality. Assertions of extraterritorial jurisdiction are becoming increasingly frequent in the 21st century. Many states claim authority to project law beyond their own territorial borders[3] and, as Alejandro Chehtman observes: ‘extraterritoriality is deeply entrenched in the modern practice of legal punishment’.[4] The extent to which states can assert extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction is a pivotal issue, which sits at the ‘very heart of public international law’.[5]"
End of partial quote
Note:  I haven't attempted to send a copy of the material I wrote, below, to Julian Assange or any attorney representing him.  If any of you are in closer contact than I, I request that this material be sent to them. 
                        Jim Bell

On Monday, April 29, 2019, 5:30:53 PM PDT, jim bell <jdb10987 at yahoo.com> wrote:

From:     https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1153486/download
15(B) to intentionally access a computer, without authorization and exceeding authorized access, to obtain information from a department and agency of the United States in furtherance of a criminal act in violation of the laws of the United States, that is, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 641, 793(c), and 793(e). (In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 1030(a)(l), 1030(a)(2), 1030(c)(2)(B)(ii).) 

[end of partial quote]
There is a principle of American law, upheld by the Supreme Court, that a Federal law is only supposed to be considered of "extraterritorial" application (applies outside the boundaries of United States territory) if the Congress specifically intended that application, and was signified by including such language within the law itself.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterritorial_jurisdiction
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"In Morrison v. National Australia Bank, 2010, the Supreme Court held that in interpreting a statute, the "presumption against extraterritoriality" is absolute unless the text of the statute explicitly says otherwise."

"US Supreme Court Continues to Limit Extraterritorial Application of US Laws | Insights | Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

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US Supreme Court Continues to Limit Extraterritorial Application of US L...

With 22 offices, more than 1,700 attorneys and 50-plus practice areas, Skadden advises businesses, financial ins...
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http://www.virginialawreview.org/volumes/content/rjr-nabisco-and-runaway-canon
>From that:
"The Supreme Court threw out the lawsuit after invoking the presumption against extraterritoriality. That canon of statutory interpretation instructs judges to assume “that legislation of Congress, unless a contrary intent appears, is meant to apply only within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.”[8] In applying the presumption in RJR Nabisco, however, a majority of four Justices[9] rejected multiple indications that Congress intended RICO’s private right of action to extend abroad[10] while raising the bar on what Congress must do to make its extraterritorial expectations clear.[11]"             [end of quote]

Understanding the presumption against extraterritoriality:     https://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1170&context=bjil

Very interesting:        https://www.thefacultylounge.org/2019/04/some-thoughts-on-the-extradition-of-julian-assange.html
>From that:"THE RULE OF DUAL CRIMINALITY: Even if extradition is sought only under the computer intrusion indictment, it will still need to meet the test of dual criminality, found in Article 2, which provides that "An offense shall be an extraditable offense if the conduct on which the offense is based is punishable under the laws in both States." Although computer hacking is no doubt also a crime in the U.K., there is a further wrinkle of territoriality, because Assange's alleged offense was committed outside the United States. Another section of Article 2 provides:If the offense has been committed outside the territory of the Requesting State, extradition shall be granted in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty if the laws in the Requested State provide for the punishment of such conduct committed outside its territory in similar circumstances. If the laws in the Requested State do not provide for the punishment of such conduct committed outside of its territory in similar circumstances, the executive authority of the Requested State, in its discretion, may grant extradition provided that all other requirements of this Treaty are met."
Unlike the U.S., however, Britain apparently takes a strict view of territorial jurisdiction. According to The New York Times, Britain has already denied a U.S. extradition request for computer intrusion, on the grounds that the offense was committed on British soil and would therefore have to be tried in the U.K.
[end of quote]

18 U.S.C. 641 does not appear to explicitly have an extraterritoriality reference.      https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/641

18 U.S.C. 793(c), nor the whole 793, does not appear to explicitly have an  extraterritoriality reference.   https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/793
×

18 U.S.C. 371    does not appear to explicitly have an extraterritoriality reference.    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/371

 18 U.S.C. 1030  does not appear to explicitly have an extraterritoriality reference.    18 U.S. Code § 1030 - Fraud and related activity in connection with computers

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                    Jim Bell
[end of long quote]

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