Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison • Hacker News Board

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#291

Post by MadrugadaEterna » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:15 PM UTC

worklogin wrote: post #254

drcode wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have to understand that the "murder for hire" evidence was introduced as part of the trial (at which point Ross' lawyer could have disputed it, but didn't) so it could be used as part of the sentencing decision... and that kind of takes the luster off of the "non-violent crime" argument.

From the articles I've read, this was not part of the sentencing.

True, but enough people here have had it implanted in the back of their minds to make it true, so no difference really.

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#292

Post by baddox » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:15 PM UTC

redthrowaway wrote: post #218

Alupis wrote: post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The people supposedly "murdered" never existed... the names did not belong to real people, nor did the photo id's match anyone of record, etc. It's a rumor that they were Fed baiting him... and likely why the Fed never tried to charge him on the murder-for-hire counts.

You can still be charged with soliticing a minor if you happen to be a star on To Catch a Predator. Just because the minor in question never existed doesn't mean it's not a crime.

I think that is also silly. If finding yourself on To Catch a Predator is soliciting a minor, then by that logic the showrunners are purposefully endangering a minor.

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#293

Post by pcpolice » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:15 PM UTC

hebdo wrote: post #229

earlyresort wrote: post #214

Hard drugs are one of those things that have different consequences for different types of people. An intelligent, wealthy, employable person can dabble with them, have a good time, and usually get away with it. Should they get addicted and screw up their lives, they can usually get help and bounce back without permanent consequences. People who're a little less well-off intellectually and economically aren't so resi…

This kind of rationalizations may ruin your entire life one day. You cannot and do not know where will any experimentation with drugs bring you to. Remember that the first step of the twelve steps is "admitting that one cannot control one's alcoholism, addiction or compulsion". Finding reasons why you are more privileged than others makes this step even harder.

One thing that should be kept in mind is that not all drugs are the same thing. The "drugs are bad" or "drugs are good" discourse breaks down fast, simply because they are gross generalisations.

For example: nicotine is much more addictive (has to do with the speed with which tolerance for a substance is increased) than, say, THC. Which is yet again different from LSD. There are a whole host of factors, and a spectrum of "how dangerous $DRUG is".

(disclosure: it's my pet peeve when people make lump statements about "all drugs")

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#294

Post by currentoor » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:16 PM UTC

ars wrote: post #199

currentoor wrote: post #170

I strongly believe that my son would be here today if Ross Ulbricht had not created Silk Road Wrong, you're son would be here if you were a better parent.

You don't know that. For some kids better parents mean better behavior. But some kids will act badly no matter what their parents do. It sucks to say this, but some people just have bad genes, and there is nothing someone outside can do to help.

Well then it's just natural selection. Unless his son managed to reproduce already... Then it's just a horrible cycle of pain and blame.

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#295

Post by MadrugadaEterna » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:16 PM UTC

mordocai wrote: post #141

[deleted] wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

Too bad it is literally impossible to find out "all the information" on anything, huh? So what level of research is acceptable?

You still have to prove it beyond reasonable doubt, no matter how difficult you think it is.

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#296

Post by Squarel » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:17 PM UTC

fixermark wrote: post #144

api wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If he really did attempt to order a hit on someone, that changes the game a little. Now we're no longer talking about just drugs. But I agree that it's absolutely insane if the charges are just drug-related -- rapists get far less time than many drug dealers.

He wasn't just a drug dealer. The crimes he was charged with are in the massive criminal conspiracy category.

Drug dealers tend to handle the drugs they are convicted of selling.

Whilst I agree he deliberately set up a website designed for use for criminal transactions, I find it ridiculous that everyone (including the courts) would rather focus on people buying drugs online (if that was their big thing, then many of the major early newsgroup operators would be in prison for life, for having not even concealed names for newsgroups deliberately designed for buying and selling drugs), than on the selling of stolen credit cards and other identity theft sales.

Sure, drugs are bad m'kay, and we have to stomp on people who use, buy and sell them or something, but, how many lives are destroyed by identity theft? Or do the courts think that is too complicated for people to understand, whilst the "He let drugs be sold on his website" is something even Fox News can communicate.

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#297

Post by ebspelman » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:17 PM UTC

hebdo wrote: post #229

earlyresort wrote: post #214

Hard drugs are one of those things that have different consequences for different types of people. An intelligent, wealthy, employable person can dabble with them, have a good time, and usually get away with it. Should they get addicted and screw up their lives, they can usually get help and bounce back without permanent consequences. People who're a little less well-off intellectually and economically aren't so resi…

This kind of rationalizations may ruin your entire life one day. You cannot and do not know where will any experimentation with drugs bring you to. Remember that the first step of the twelve steps is "admitting that one cannot control one's alcoholism, addiction or compulsion". Finding reasons why you are more privileged than others makes this step even harder.

I really appreciate this comment, even though I personally don't agree with it.

You can't take drugs 100% safely, but their safety level does vary, and it definitely varies with wealth.

Amphetamines, for example. Rich Americans get prescriptions for Adderall. Poor Americans make meth. Or take opiates. Vicodin vs. heroin.

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#298

Post by psykovsky » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:17 PM UTC

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #223

zanny wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the key point. He is going to spend the rest of his life in prison, pretty much, for running a website. Not for hurting anyone, not for even threatening to kill anyone - those charges weren't a part of his conviction - but simply by enabling the exchange of drugs he apparently should be locked away forever. Go Team 'Murica....

He didn't just "enable the exchange of drugs". He knowingly hid that he did so, and made bucketloads of money off it.

What are those bucketloads worth when the only time you get to spend them are when you buy assassinations from dirty undercover DEA agents?

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#299

Post by shit_parade2 » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:19 PM UTC

hebdo wrote: post #268

shit_parade2 wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least physically it one the safest known chemicals when comparing the amount needed to notice an effect and the LD50 rating.

Well yes, you are right. But just the fact that something is difficult to overdose does not imply long-term safety of use. And as far as I know there are know connections between certain psychiatric issues and LSD usage. This is why I do not believe that "LSD is basically harmless".

Any credible studies to link?

The LD50 was extensively document, your claim is essentially vodoo.

Re: Ross Ulbricht Sentenced to Life in Prison

#300

Post by jamoes » Fri, May 29, 2015, 10:19 PM UTC

Spooky23 wrote: post #201

smhenderson wrote: post #13

That seems way too harsh to me. I have strong opinions on the US War on Drugs and it's failure to meaningful deal with drug use/abuse in the USA. And I feel even worse about how it's spilling out into the rest of the world as we go "global" with everything. I can't say I know every detail of the case but I don't recall anyone getting killed or even hurt by Mr. Ulbricht so in my mind the punishment does not fit the cr…

He ordered the killings of 6 people. Even by the bloodiest of bleeding heart standards, contract killing isn't some victimless crime.

He was charged with murder-for-hire in a separate jurisdiction, and he hasn't faced trial for those charges yet. Today he was sentenced to life in prison for a number of victimless crimes.