(04-30-2017, 06:50 PM)Gumby Wrote: Barrett Brown Re-Arrested For Giving Media Interviews Without Permission
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/201704...sion.shtml
Quote:Brown is an award winning journalist, who certainly went deep with Anonymous and other online groups. Eventually that resulted in him being arrested and harassed by prosecutors for sharing a link.
When the infamous Stratfor hacks were released, he shared a link to the files to get people to sift through them.
Because some of the files included swiped credit card numbers, he was charged with "trafficking" in stolen credit cards. Oddly, right before trial -- realizing how insane it was to charge him over this -- the feds dropped the charges around linking, but pushed forward on other charges because he hid a laptop in a cabinet and (stupidly...) got angry at the FBI when they came to investigate.
The odd part is that following a plea deal, the judge sentenced him to an astounding 63 months in jail -- and cited the sharing of the link (again, those charges were dropped, but it sometimes appeared the judge didn't realize that) to explain why.
But the odder part throughout all of this was just how vindictive and petty everyone in the system were towards Brown -- and specifically towards his interactions with the press. The feds sought to stop the media from reporting on Brown's case and got a judge to block Brown or his lawyers from talking to the media. And once he was in prison, the feds cut off his email.
All this weird petty shit, just to stop him from talking to the media.
Strange twisted tale.
I think the lesson here is don't be an ass with the FBI, and getting involved with anon is not going to do anyone any favors.
Thankfully I've only shot out milk from mine, and that was back in grade school.