Re: Encryption & self-incrimination

[John Schultz <jschultz@bigcat.missouri.edu>]

On Fri, 24 Dec 1993, Jim choate wrote:

> As far as I know the contempt of court charges can keep you in jail till you
> rot.
> 
> Unless the judge recinds his order or your lawyer can get a higher court to
> over-turn the order you are stuck (as far as I understand it).

I recall a case several years ago where a woman (somewhere on the East
Coast?) was thrown in jail for contempt.  She refused several times to
tell the court where her child was in an attempt to keep her ex-husband
from gaining custody (I believe he was accused of sexually abusing the
child).  The woman had been in jail for several months when a higher court
ruled that she must be released.  I don't have any references to this case,
perhaps someone else does.

John Schultz
jschultz@bigcat.missouri.edu