Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit
Providing online forums is legal now.
Given there are at least thousands if not millions of people who "provide online forums," and pretty much this single one is in prison, I have to wonder if there's something unique about this case?

I don't know anything about this guy. Is there really nothing unique about his case?

loading story #42787564
loading story #42787613
loading story #42789017
Hiring a hitman is legal now.
The seven offenses in question: distributing narcotics, distributing narcotics by means of the Internet, conspiring to distribute narcotics, engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiring to commit computer hacking, conspiring to traffic in false identity documents, and conspiring to commit money laundering
A judge bypassed the jury and prosecutor and sentenced him as if he hired hit men and admitted doing so. The sentence upgrade was based on a preponderance of evidence, whereas they would have had to proven beyond a reasonable doubt had he been charged.
Framing this as judicial activism is false. Many sentencing arrangements include - with the agreement of the defendant (since it is their rights in this case) - to have other related activities factored in exactly this manner.

It happens all the time in pleas and diversion agreements, so don’t frame it as a reckless lone judge going off the reservation.

To be fair - he was not pardoned for that, he could still be charged for it. He was only pardoned for crimes related to drugs.
do you know that is actually the case ? i've been trying to find the text of the pardon and haven't been able to yet. can only find Trump's description of it as "full and unconditional"

edit: i see your other comment with the context

loading story #42787989
He was never tried for that. Don't believe the disinformation.
blatant entrapment and gaslighting for more than a year by law enforcement dedicating 24h to it.

the real criminals for that prank were never even tried.

Looks like the "real criminal" was charged.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/silk-road-drug-vendor-w...

loading story #42803380
Running an elicit drug and whatever else you want to sell market is legal now.
loading story #42788344