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Google Engineer bails out student in jail

neil.fraser.name

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Re: Google Engineer bails out student in jail

#6
In case you're (like me) wondering what "attempted lynching" means in the context of the article, consider yourself enlightened by the California Penal Code:

  405a.  The taking by means of a riot of any person from the lawful
  custody of any peace officer is a lynching.
  
  405b.  Every person who participates in any lynching is punishable
  by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three or four years.
I can't imagine this is what the law was written to be used for, given the usual connotation of lynching.

Re: Google Engineer bails out student in jail

#7
It's probably worthwhile to have some familiarity with how the arrest/jail/lawyer process works beforehand. While for most people it is a low-frequency event, it's not good to learn about the process for the first time while in jail!

The key is: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6014022229458915912#... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6014022229458915912#

Re: Google Engineer bails out student in jail

#8

When I've heard mention of Neil Fraser in the past I've thought of his awesome MobWrite project. But now I'll think of what he did for this kid and his family. Makes one think about what one wants to be known for.

I know of him because of http://code.google.com/p/google-diff-match-patch/ which is best in its class by a longshot. And it's a very awesome class of a library: a powerful text diff tool with implementations in multiple languages. Haven't read TFA yet but I'm expecting I'll be even more impressed by him when I get done reading it.

Edit: read the article. What an amazing contribution to justice! I'm especially glad to hear of Google matching some legal funds. By the way, he's likely to get the bail money back.

Re: Google Engineer bails out student in jail

#9
post #3

Anyone knows what was the bail out amount?

$155,000, according to the linked story. Fraser paid $50,000, which he'll get back when the kid makes his court dates. The alternative was paying 10% and not getting it back, which I didn't know was standard policy. (Most of what I know about bail bonds comes from Jackie Brown.)

Re: Google Engineer bails out student in jail

#10
post #6

In case you're (like me) wondering what "attempted lynching" means in the context of the article, consider yourself enlightened by the California Penal Code: 405a. The taking by means of a riot of any person from the lawful custody of any peace officer is a lynching. 405b. Every person who participates in any lynching is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three or four years. I can't imagine this…

“For my friends anything, for my enemies, the Law”
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