Kevin Free

An anonymous reader writes: "Surely many of you will remember that before there was ever a cry to 'Free Dimitry Sklyarov', Free Kevin Mitnick was the call of many. He was convicted on 'hacking' charges, though many on the Internet found the charges and trial to be unfair. He was freed in January 2000, but not allowed to touch a computer or log onto the Internet until January 20, 2003. See the story at CNN or read some background info at freekevin.com. "

Comments

I'M FREE

[Kevin Mitnick]

PRAISE THE GOOD LORD, USA!

Re:I'M FREE

[buckeyeguy]

Guess he's still got the 'edge', if he can sneak in a first post on a thread about himself ;)

Free Kevin?

[Rayonic]

Wait... you mean free-as-in-beer, or free-as-in-speech?

Re:Free Kevin?

[gezerk]

It's perfectly clear to me, they mean free as in WILLY!

Re:Free Kevin?

[Twirlip of the Mists]

Hee hee. Next time somebody uses that tired and never-was-all-that-appropriate cliche, "Free as in speech or free as in beer?" I'll know just how to respond.

"Do you mean free as in bird, or free as in Willy?"

Hee hee. The people who take themselves too seriously are going to love that one.

Re:Free Kevin?

[Waab]

I think this merits a third freedom option.

• Free-as-in-beer
• Free-as-in-speech
• Free-as-in-Kevin

Let's hope he won't get into trouble again

[sisukapalli1]

Say, by watching DVDs on linux, or reading an e-book on linux, or... The odds are stacked against him. I suggest he take up VB.Net classes and work on IE plugins and IIS maintenance.

S

So where's the story here?

[goldspider]

Wouldn't this story be more appropriate on Jan. 20? Or are you setting yourselves up for a pre-emptive Dupe?

Free Kevin....

[Alric]

Geez. That brings back memories. I used to have that yellow and black bumper stick on the back of my car. One summer I was driving to SummerCon, and I was pulled over by a Georgia state trooper, on 85 right outside of Atlanta. He actually knew what the sticker meant, and we discussed the merits of the case. It was a very cool experience and made me regain some trust in our government, all of which has subsequently been eroded. AND I only got a written warning for going 83 in a 70mph speed zone. Hell yeah.

Re:Free Kevin....

[MacAndrew]

You have *significantly* improved my stereotyped impression of Georgia state troopers. :)

Note that you benefitted from prosecutorial discretion. Mitnick did not, I think largely because he was such as asshole and ticked off the wrong people. If you'd had his kind of publicity you'd probably still be breaking rocks in Georgia.

The (apocryphal) tale I remember was of a woman who was zipping through Georgia late at 90 MPH to be stopped by a classic Cool Hand Luke trooper with an attitude. He drawled, "Lady, no one drives that fast in Georgia." She quipped, "Sherman did." And spent the night in jail.

Ouch.

Irony

[Aggrazel]

"Not being allowed to use the Internet is kind of like not being allowed to use a telephone," Mitnick said Thursday in a phone interview.

hehe

Re:Foolish Punishment?!??

[Twirlip of the Mists]

My wife worked in the courts for a few years and while people lost the "privledge" of driving for multiple DUI and DWI's that "never" stopped any of them from driving and "rarely" caused any of them to server more than 30 days (which also was a rare occurrence).

I find your "use" of "quotation marks" somewhat "confusing." Do you "mean" them as "irony" or as "emphasis?"

Just "asking."

Re:More interesting

[mr_z_beeblebrox]

Where he states how he's going to raise money for his $16k legal fees, making corporate videos for how to not be socially hacked.

I have one if you would like to see it, send me a credit card number. email me