Today's Headlines

Walkinghairball · Post by **Walkinghairball** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:20 pm

Now that is bullshit.

Child abuse????

Obstruction of justice????

I can see the explosives thing, but the other two???!?!?!??

*Waits for more details*

ElfDude · Post by **ElfDude** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:29 pm

I don?t know that much about this stuff? but it seems like there are always huge charges at first and then a lot of bargaining.

I can speculate on the child abuse. Maybe it has to do with knowingly committing a crime in front of his own children or something. But from all we?ve heard he was very cooperative with the police. That?s why the obstruction of justice thing caught me by surprise. Obviously the prosecutor knows something I don?t. Probably a whole lot of somethings.

Lots of mixed feelings here in my heart. But mostly just that stupid wish that I have wished at so many other times in my life? that none of this had happened.

Walkinghairball · Post by **Walkinghairball** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:52 pm

Not a stupid wish at all.

It's the one most people make.

I can speculate on the child abuse. Maybe it has to do with knowingly committing a crime in front of his own children or something.

My point against this.............If you speed in your car with your children in the car.......Is that child abuse?

Sayin'.

ElfDude · Post by **ElfDude** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:01 am

Walkinghairball wrote:
I can speculate on the child abuse. Maybe it has to do with knowingly committing a crime in front of his own children or something.
My point against this.............If you speed in your car with your children in the car.......Is that child abuse?

Sayin'.

If it results in injury, maybe you CAN be charged with child abuse for that. My ignorance is definitely showing...

Walkinghairball · Post by **Walkinghairball** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:25 am

Whatchootalkinbout Elfie?????

Yer ignorance????? Like I am a freakshow lawyer either.

It just sounds like guff. Charge them with bigger crimes they can plea down to the realistic. Like If I beat someone up I get charged with ........attempted murder.................see, there I go again.

*remembers he said he will wait for more details*

ElfDude · Post by **ElfDude** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:43 am

Walkinghairball wrote:Whatchootalkinbout Elfie?????

Yer ignorance????? Like I am a freakshow lawyer either.

It just sounds like guff. Charge them with bigger crimes they can plea down to the realistic. Like If I beat someone up I get charged with ........attempted murder.................see, there I go again.

*remembers he said he will wait for more details*

No, you're probably quite correct. If I were his lawyer I would advise him to plead not guilty to all of these charges. Then I would go to work with prosecutors on finding a reduced charge to which my client could plead guilty. I don't know the law that well, but I'm sure there was a crime here. But I'm also sure that there was no intent to do evil. There was no intent for his device to explode. So... in my opinion (for what's it's worth), the charge ought to be brought down to negligent something-or-other... something to which my friend could willingly plead guilty.

I hope that's how it plays out.
He wants to make restitution. He can't do that if he's locked up in the pokey.

ElfDude · Post by **ElfDude** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:46 am

Also... just something to share with my friends here... I'm surprised how deeply this is messing with my emotions. I've kinda been in touch with my old friend over the past few years, but we haven't been tight like we used to.

This is really getting to me. It tears me up to think of what the little boys parents are going through and what my friend is going through.

Walkinghairball · Post by **Walkinghairball** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:50 am

But I'm also sure that there was no intent to do evil. There was no intent for his device to explode. So... in my opinion (for what's it's worth), the charge ought to be brought down to negligent something-or-other... something to which my friend could willingly plead guilty.

I hope that's how it plays out.
He wants to make restitution. He can't do that if he's locked up in the pokey.

Agreed.

Also... just something to share with my friends here... I'm surprised how deeply this is messing with my emotions. I've kinda been in touch with my old friend over the past few years, but we haven't been tight like we used to.

This is really getting to me. It tears me up to think of what the little boys parents are going through and what my friend is going through.

Agreed.

This is a tough one......................period.

Big Blue Owl · Post by **Big Blue Owl** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:55 am

Elf, I'm sure we all agree that we are all here for you if you want to talk, etc. This has affected some of us as well and we don't even know the folks involved.

We love ya, man. For rills.

ElfDude · Post by **ElfDude** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:11 am

*hugs his friends*

Walkinghairball · Post by **Walkinghairball** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:47 am

Yeah you betcha.

ElfDude · Post by **ElfDude** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:07 am

Though I didn't know what to say, I just called him. Once I got him on the phone all I could think of to say was that I loved him and that I'm praying for him.

He said that means a lot.

We talked about the case. His lawyer believes that all three charges are flimsy at best. He has a whole bunch of witnesses who are ready to testify on his behalf. He said that even the detectives involved think the charges are absurdly inflated and have let the prosecutors know that. There are hopes that this can all be reduced to reckless endangerment or something along those lines.

I had to ask the old clich?, "Is there anything I can do?" He piped right up and said that yes, I could buy music gear from him. He offered me a stupidly low price on a Carvin bass. I told him that wasn't enough and counter-offered his asking price plus $100. He accepted.

I may go to the bank and then go pick it up after work.

Big Blue Owl · Post by **Big Blue Owl** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:17 am

That's awesome, Elf. That's a win-win right there. If you wanna, let him know that there are people that you "know" that wish him luck, good vibes and best wishes.

CygnusX1 · Post by **CygnusX1** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:28 am

UK hacker loses appeal against US extradition

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/200 ... tradition/

ElfDude · Post by **ElfDude** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:30 am

A piece of the conversation...

ME: "How are you holding up?"

HIM: "It's been rough..."

ME: "There's the understatement of the year!"

HIM: "How about... if there is a hell, this is it?"

ME: "That sounds more like it"

He said the "what have I done?" question is haunting him terribly.