Re: Jim Bell goes to Jail!

At 09:17 AM 5/19/97 -0700, Alan Olsen wrote:
>At 12:08 AM 5/19/97 -0700, Lucky Green wrote:
>
>>There are two reasons I can think of immediately why the feds would keep
>>the warrant sealed. The first is that they don't want to reveal just how
>>little evidence they have. The second reason is that the warrant might give
>>some clue as to future actions/other suspects. Remember that the IRS agent
>>found the AP essay by means of an Internet search engine. That almost
>>certainly means he is following the discussions about Jim Bell on the Net.
>>Such as the discussion on Cypherpunks.
>
>Actually the agent claimed to have found it among some papers in Jim's car
>when the seized it for back taxes.

I stand corrected. The essay was found in the car. However, after the essay
was  found the agent searched the Internet for copies of the essay and
posts by Jim Bell discussing it. The agent's original affidavit states the
number of AP related post by Jim the fed could find via a search engine.



-- Lucky Green <mailto:shamrock@netcom.com> PGP encrypted mail preferred

   "I do believe that where there is a choice only between cowardice and
    violence, I would advise violence." Mahatma Gandhi

On Mon, 19 May 1997, Lucky Green wrote:

> I stand corrected. The essay was found in the car. However, after the essay
> was  found the agent searched the Internet for copies of the essay and
> posts by Jim Bell discussing it. The agent's original affidavit states the
> number of AP related post by Jim the fed could find via a search engine.

So how useful are things like e-mail messages and newsgroup postings in
court? Can e-mail really be used as court evidence and has it actually
been used in any cases? It might probably differ in different coutries and
states, but there must be some generl opinion about this. Is it may be up
to the police / court to decide if a message is really written by someone
who's name is under there. You can easily forge e-mail, mail headers and
mail logs. 

Jüri

On Tue, 20 May 1997, Jyri Kaljundi wrote:

> So how useful are things like e-mail messages and newsgroup postings in
> court? Can e-mail really be used as court evidence and has it actually
> been used in any cases? It might probably differ in different coutries and
> states, but there must be some generl opinion about this. Is it may be up
> to the police / court to decide if a message is really written by someone
> who's name is under there. You can easily forge e-mail, mail headers and
> mail logs. 


Well then we should forge mail from the likes of Janet Reno and post it to
the list.  Where's Vulis when you need him...

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