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Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

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Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#511

Post by highwaylights »

rappatic wrote: post #164

I think his original sentence was absolutely deserved—even though the charge of hiring a contract killer to assassinate his business competition may have been dropped, I think it's clear he did many things in the same vein. Even if you support his original pursuit of a free and open online marketplace, I think most people would agree he took it a bridge too far in the end. That said, I do think he absolutely deserved…

I don’t see why he deserves to be released.

So many people are in jail for crimes they didn’t commit, or for non-violent offenses that were committed out of hardship and a need to eat.

They gave evidence he tried to have someone killed, and that he saw confirmation it had been done.

Even if the accusation is somehow false and he didn’t order that killing, how many people did he actually kill just by running Silk Road?

I’m so sick of the narrative that aww shucks he’s a good kid from a good family and he just made a boo-boo and didn’t mean to build a multi-billion dollar illicit fortune from trafficking deadly drugs and outright poisons all over the world.

If this dude wasn’t a money-raised white kid from California no-one would care.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#512

Post by CSSer »

mrandish wrote: post #181

This is wonderful. I've never argued that Ross shouldn't have served time but it's always been clear his prosecution and sentencing were excessive and unjust. The prosecutors asked for a 20 year sentence, which seemed disproportionate given the sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender and the non-violent charges he was convicted of. But the judge sentenced Ross to TWO life sentences plus 40 years - without the…

> non-violent charges

Although the murder-for-hire charges were dropped, transcripts published by Wired in 2015[0] show Ross Ulbricht openly discussing contract killings: he haggles over price, suggests interrogation, and even provides personal details about a target’s family (“Wife + 3 kids”). These charges were dismissed partly because he had already been sentenced to life in New York, making further prosecution moot—but the transcripts themselves factored into his sentencing. No killings occurred (he was likely scammed), yet the conversations challenge the notion that his crimes were purely non-violent. He was willing to have someone killed to protect his idea.

[0]: https://archive.is/pRG3U.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#513

Post by pavlov »

The US constitution increasingly seems like the principles of the Roman Republic after Caesar — a quaint relic that gets regular ceremonial lip service but provides no checks and balances on the leaders.

Presidents of both parties abuse pardon power with monarchic glee. The president now has full immunity. The incoming president and his wife launched crypto-tokens whose only utility is to allow foreigners to send billions of dollars to them anonymously (of course with full identification of the buyer in private communications thanks to the crypto private key, so you can be sure of who sent the bribe).

People are obviously tired and overwhelmed. It's hard to pay attention because Trump has recently threatened so much more: invading foreign allies, military trials for political opponents, using the army against citizens, and so on. When he carries through with just 20% of what he said, it's supposed to be no big deal. But the institutions and norms are destroyed and they don't magically come back if the other party wins.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#514

Post by ews »

wolfgang42 wrote: post #173

Tangentially related: I had the disconcerting experience of reading a Wired article about his arrest[1] while unknowingly sitting about six feet from the spot where he was apprehended. When I read that the FBI agents had stopped at Bello Coffee while preparing their stakeout, I thought, huh, interesting coincidence, I just had a coffee there. Then Ulbricht walked into the public library and sat down at the table dire…

I used to live in Glen Park at that time and I vividly remember seeing Ross working as a cashier at the Canyon Market, helping me bag my groceries. It was probably around the time he was starting the Silk Road. The place where he was arrested was also my favorite table at the Public Library, where I used to go work. It is incredible to be that close to history.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#515

Post by TeMPOraL »

wolfgang42 wrote: post #307
remram wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When the FBI agents stopped to have a drink I thought You mean "when I read the part where the FBI agents stopped to have a drink I thought"? This part makes your comment super confusing. Where you there then or later?

I thought that starting my story in media res would make for a better dramatic effect, but it seems I overestimated my audience and went a little too heavy on the narrative ellipsis.

Can you form vivid mental images in your head?

Many of us can't. Personally, for nearly three decades I thought the ability to vividly experience a book this way was just some overused and extremely exaggerated metaphor - and then I discovered aphantasia is a thing, and I score close to top of its severity scale.

So perhaps it's less about your starting point, and more about describing a frame of mind some in the audience don't have, and can't relate to.

Curiously, I don't recall ever seeing this particular style of writing before, in any of the books I ever read.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#516

Post by highwaylights »

bilekas wrote: post #497
agentultra wrote: post #381

Is this president extremely concerned about drug dealers and gangs in the US? Why is he pardoning a drug trafficker?

I mean, I don't know why it's a full pardon, IMO Ulbricht's sentence was far too long and harsh, I'm sure it was to make a point that others should not replicate it, but wouldn't a stay on the remainder of his sentence been a better option here ?

You’re assuming the reason for the pardon is “the sentence was unfair” rather than “some people that cheered at my rally said they would like me to do this”.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#517

Post by highwaylights »

hbbio wrote: post #430
agentultra wrote: post #381

Is this president extremely concerned about drug dealers and gangs in the US? Why is he pardoning a drug trafficker?

A drug trafficker sells drugs A developer builds a platform like eBay but without censorship that can be used by the drug trafficker It's not the same thing

It’s not not the same thing either.

The purpose of eBay isn’t to facilitate illicit transactions, doing so is abusing the platform.

SR was very much for illicit transactions.

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#518

Post by raverbashing »

rib3ye wrote: post #356
cogman10 wrote: post #351

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish instead of criminalizing addiction we'd fund harm reduction centers and rehabilitation services. I would much rather the police be focused on stopping violent crime rather than these victimless crimes. Legitimizing drugs/prostitution makes is easier to regulate and ultimately make safer. Shoving this stuff into a black/gray market is what ultimately creates violent crime.

> I wish instead of criminalizing addiction we'd fund harm reduction centers and rehabilitation services. We tried that in SF, I was a supporter. Seeing it first hand with a with a family member in public school flipped me. Dumping money into people who aren't ready to convert back into tax payers (even in the most basic sense) while schools got the back burner was enough. Not to mention the tents.

Honestly, it's because SF didn't actually do anything

Having harm reduction sites doesn't mean you get to shoot whenever and whatever

SF's governance is delirious honestly

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#519

Post by InDubioProRubio »

inopinatus wrote: post #280
remram wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When the FBI agents stopped to have a drink I thought You mean "when I read the part where the FBI agents stopped to have a drink I thought"? This part makes your comment super confusing. Where you there then or later?

I believe they are suggesting an experience of imaginatively visualising the events of the arrest linearly as they were narrated in their read-through of the article, serendipitously aided by being physically present at the same location, and are referencing the article's narration partially in the present tense to similarly immerse us in medias res as we follow their remark. Alternatively, they are themselves Ross U…

[flagged]

Re: Ross Ulbricht granted a full pardon

#520

Post by toyg »

mikrotikker wrote: post #221
vvpan wrote: post #127

When Snowden, is my question. RFK put a lot of words into "if I am in charge that'll be my first thing". Yeah, he's not the president but he's also not nobody anymore.

I'd be worried about the Russians putting him in jail if the US pardoned him.

Why? He did nothing to deserve punishment in Russia. If anything, if Snowden left, I think Putin would be relieved he doesn't have to treat a potential nuisance with utmost care anymore. At the moment he can't really disappear him and has to waste resources monitoring him.
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