"To care about the imprisoned, is an essential precondition to the defense of and the establishment of liberty in the world." - Jeffrey Tucker
The defense team for Ross Ulbricht launched their appeal process over the Silk Road case almost a year ago. Their appeal is Ulbricht's last chance of being able to escape his life sentence. Ulbricht was convicted of running a conspiracy which trafficked drugs, as well as money laundering charges, and charges over trying to sell computer hacking tools.
Despite the appeal process being a healthy reality of a just legal system, the prosecutors have responded to the fight over Silk Road by deeming Ulbricht unworthy of an appeal. The prosecution says that the allegations over corrupt agents involved in the case are irrelevant, they also argue that no evidence could have been planted, and they unsurprisingly stand by the decision to sentence Ulbricht to life in prison without any chance for parole.
One wonders where their draconian legal tactics escape to once it comes time to deal with cases that involve banking executives, child molesters, and oil companies that massively contribute to destroying the environment. We commonly see that those sorts of criminals receive more lenient sentences than Ulbricht has.
Ulbricht's legal team is currently appealing his charges in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and his team is focusing on possible allegations of evidence tampering by corrupt agents and the possibility that someone else other than Ulbricht had access to the Dread Pirate Roberts account. U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest previously told Ulbricht that he was a criminal though he didn't look the typical part. She has previously stated that he was “no better than” any drug dealer out there, and that he was to be made an example of so that his life sentence would discourage others from coming after him who might want to engage in similar activities.
Why Should You Care?
Ulbricht is now behind bars because of charges over victimless crimes, and he is spending time with many other individuals behind bars who just like him are there as well for victimless crimes. It's because of this travesty in abuse of power that is why the U.S. is currently the country with the largest prison population on earth. Many see Ulbricht as an innovator, and not only that but a peaceful individual as well, and they don't see how it benefits society to have an individual like that locked up for the rest of his life. The allegations surrounding the corruption involved in this case from government agents, should be reason enough to warrant an appeal, and a new search for the truth.
"The fate of prisoners like this is very much bound-up with the cause of human rights." - Jeffrey Tucker
Ulbricht has been a personal inspiration to many freedom-lovers around the world and his mother along with the help of many others, is dedicated to continuing the fight and to spreading awareness about the case. It's not just about Ulbricht though, even though it is about Ulbricht, because the case is also about freedom itself.
Pics:
CBS News
Pixabay
Sources:
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/revelations-of-evidence-tampering-help-boost-global-support-of-ross-ulbricht-1481835518
http://www.dailydot.com/layer8/ross-ulbricht-dpr-silk-road-evidence-corruption/
https://www.wired.com/2016/06/silk-road-prosecutors-argue-ross-ulbricht-doesnt-deserve-new-trial/
https://www.wired.com/2016/10/judges-question-ulbrichts-life-sentence-silk-road-appeal/
https://steemit.com/politics/@doitvoluntarily/silk-road-updates-on-the-ross-ulbricht-case
https://steemit.com/news/@doitvoluntarily/free-ross-a-thon-ross-ulbricht-fundraiser-tops-usd50-000
https://steemit.com/cryptocurrency/@doitvoluntarily/don-t-miss-the-free-ross-a-thon-this-sunday
Seems like owners of eBay and Amazon should be locked up too...
and fb and youtube..
Yep, was just thinking Craigslist too.
I really don't know the facts, but everything I've seen would imply that no laws were broken; certainly nothing deserving more than a slap on the wrist.
If there is no victim, there is no crime. Arbitrary decrees by government cannot magically transform a non-crime into a crime, and enforcing such decrees is a crime in and of itself. Never confuse legality with morality.
People should start selling drugs on steemit, because to block transactions you'd need the approval of all the top 19 witnesses.