Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Sun, 16 Jun 91 14:46:06 -0700 From: Jeff Sicherman Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Well Len, Was it Worth a Prison Term? Message-ID: Organization: Cal State Long Beach Sender: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 466, Message 7 of 10 Lines: 46 In article telecom@eecs.nwu.edu >(TELECOM Moderator) writes: [ most of the story deleted ] I did find the tone of this 'report' rather preachy and superior but everyone's entitled to his opinion. I would feel more comfortable if PAT would label such things as 'Editorials' rather than imply they are factual reports, but I guess we all can tell. I am not at all familiar with the detailed history of this case or Len Rose, but one thing about it, as reported here, bothered me: If Mr. Rose is being selectively prosecuted for an action which others have committed without this response, either by the RBOC's or the US Government, it would appear that his connection, tenuous as it may have been, to Phone Phreakers was likely a principle motivation to 'go after him', perhaps as an example to those evil people. This smacks of 'guilt by association' or at least prosecution by association. I'm old enough to know that this borders on McCarthyism. There's enough escaping responsibility for who you know in this country without it being the basis for criminal prosecution too. I guess the Justice Department has caught all the Savings and Loan looters and needs something to keep busy. finally, another comment by PAT caught my eye: > And a knowledgeable sysadmin who is quietly cooperating with the > government tells me a federal grand jury is to returning > another cycle of indictments. Need I say more? I'm not sure about your state, but I believe in ours (California) it is a crime (felony?) to reveal or discuss information about the deliberations of a grand jury. I would expect there are similar laws for federal ones also. You 'knowledgeable sysadmin' could be violating some federal statutes himself by talking about them. You might even be in a grey area yourself, PAT, by passing them along, though I doubt it, Maybe you're protected as a 'reporter' though I'm not sure newsgroups and their editors constitute journalism or the press. I guess we should just hope the government is monitoring usenet or the internet too carefully ... Jeff Sicherman