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from the we-just-want-to-make-sure-he-gets-a-fair-trial dept.
Lauri Love[*], in the UK, is facing extradition requests from three separate US court districts and a potential 99 year prison sentence for his alleged involvement in the online protests that followed the death of Aaron Swartz. Depsite no evidence offered by the US, the British courts have preliminarily agreed to extradition and his appeal will be on the 28th and 29th of November. Again, no evidence has been presented against him, but if he were tried in the UK he would be facing a maximum of 32 months in prison, not 99 years as the US is aiming for.
[*] According to Wikipedia's entry for Lauri Love:
Lauri Love is a Finnish-British activist charged extraterritorially with stealing data from United States Government computers including the US Army, Missile Defense Agency, and NASA via computer intrusion.
Previously: Lauri Love to be Extradited to the U.S.
(Score: 2) by canopic jug on Tuesday November 28 2017, @07:07PM (2 children)
If Spergs are legally declared mentally defective, most of us in IT are, to use a precise scientific term, fucked. And that is exactly the argument being made, he shouldn't face punishment because he is mentally deficient. If a mental condition leaves one not responsible for their actions those people don't typically enjoy the Rights of a free man. Giving spergs unmonitored Internet access would be irresponsible, 4chan would be decimated, reddit a ghost town and silicon valley decamped to greener pastures outside the collapsing West.
The UK decision to deport him makes no sense but the ongoing requests for mercy aren't going to get any further than the requests for common sense or national sovereignty did. If the very long odds are beaten and he is allowed to continue to stay in the UK, and then if it is only because of his asperger's it will generate quite a stigma for others with the same affliction.
Money is not free speech. Elections should not be auctions.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Tuesday November 28 2017, @11:10PM (1 child)
What?
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by canopic jug on Wednesday November 29 2017, @11:07AM
He's a dual citizen of the UK and Finland, but neither country is standing up for him on those grounds or any other. So his defense team has been lately playing up the Asperger's syndrome to mean because of that he is too defective to be extradited. I can't see how that can be done without making life harder for those "on the spectrum". Anyway, if the US had a case against him it would have presented it and had at least a preliminary trial in the UK. However, once they have him physically they can force a plea "bargain" [theatlantic.com] and thus do away with him, regardless.
Money is not free speech. Elections should not be auctions.