Re: "Confessing to a felony"

[Black Unicorn <unicorn@schloss.li>]

On Thu, 26 Sep 1996, Timothy C. May wrote:

> At 1:37 PM -0400 9/26/96, Black Unicorn wrote:
> 
> >>
> >> b. evidence that the "confession" can be backed up by other evidence
> >>
> >
> >In the case of the export at hand, a passport record exists, and surely
> >the notebook exists.  Were I a prosecutor with a bug in my rectum, I would
> >think I had something of a case.
> 
> What evidence of any sort do they have that any particular notebook
> computer was involved in the trip offshore? Seems to me this is a rather
> major defect in the evidence chain.

His admission that he used the notebook.  Recovering the notebook and
finding the software.  Interviewing the Customs agent working at the time.

Considering the headaches required for airline travel today, it's not like
there aren't serious records abound.

For crying outloud, he admitted to the world that he took the software
out.  I put that in front of a jury and it looks just like the typical
stupid bragging criminal.  Any defense about "I was just kidding" or "The
message was forged" might be interesting, but it will sound like
technical-mumbo-jumbo to a jury.  Yes, it would convince >ME< that was a
reasonable doubt, but a jury is very unlikely to buy it.  Juries almost
never buy things they don't understand.  Technical talk makes them sleepy.
"Can't we go back to the hotel now?  Dey gots good eatings."

> 
> --Tim May
> 
> 
> 
> We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed.
> ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
> Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
> tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
> W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
> Higher Power: 2^1,257,787-1 | black markets, collapse of governments.
> "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

--
I hate lightning - finger for public key - Vote Monarchist
unicorn@schloss.li