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Hans Reiser in Court Today
An anonymous reader writes "Hans Reiser has pled not guilty to murdering his wife and invoked his right to a speedy trial. He will attend a hearing today where the judge will decide if the state has a case " We had covered this story back when it had first broke; and for those of you playing catch-up, Hans is the author of ReiserFS.
That would presume that the function of prison is to rehabilitate people into useful members society, rather than to exact emotionally driven revenge through punishment.
Personally I like the fact that national media leaves a lot of local stories uncovered. It gives the accused a chance to have an unbiased jury, though a change of venue may be required. If they're cleared, the minimal media slam means they can rebuild elsewhere after the page 2 apologies fails to change the minds of those who "know" they're guilty.
Papparatzi chasing famous people while they make fools of themselves in public is one thing. That same mentality destroying careers on the basis of accusation instead of conviction is not what "freedom of speech" was ever about.
Canadian courts typically restrict publication from the initial hearing onwards. The only time you see further information is if the defense is making preliminary statements about their planned approach, especially if they expect to raise constitutional or human rights issues. That serves to warn the bar that there may be a precedence case coming up.
I hope the accusations turn out false, but Hans' infamous temper isn't going to help him with this argument.
I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
You guys are lucky! Here in the UK they Government/Police can keep trying again and again until they get the result they want.
Lemme guess... You're a Digg reader? If so, go away. Yes the James Kim story was very tragic and I feel very much for the family. But based on the idiotic level of commentary that popped up on Digg regarding the story, I think it's better than Slashdot DIDN'T cover the story. Why? Because we'd be getting retards like you trying to use it to make points about god knows what. There were too many people on Digg who spent time talking about how THEY would have NEVER done X, Y, and Z and their families would have been home by dinner time with fresh bear meat. I'm sorry, but taking nature survival classes, knowing how to hunt, or experience on a farm will NOT save you in the situation that James Kim was in. Think about it. He had no idea if help was coming, so he ventured out hoping that he'd be able to make some headway. He TRIED. He probably did it because he didn't want to come off like he didn't know what to do to his family. He wanted to make an effort rather than just sitting there twiddling his thumbs hoping for help that may never come. To be honest, no matter how you look at it, he succeeded in saving his family. He at least knew enough to NOT take his family with him and risk their lives too. And you know what? THEY'RE ALIVE thanks to that decision. He had a 50/50 chance no matter how you look at it and he made the best decision he could under that kind of pressure. So basically, I think all Digg readers should fuck off.
Regarding Reiser, as much as it pains me, I think I have accepted that unless they can really clear him of the picture painted by the circumstantial evidence, he's up shit creek. If he did kill her, then he deserves it. A lot of arrogant geeks seem to think they are godlike and that they can get away with anything. It's possible that he fits that standard mold to a T. If he didn't do it, then his side had damn well better find proof because that's what it's going to take at this point. The speedy trial thing actually has me worried. While it's something that I believe everyone should be guaranteed, I also know that it's possible that with the right lawyer he could get away with murder on a technicality. That would not be right, but it's not like it hasn't happened before. Crimes of passion can be quite ugly and I think they do throw the perpetrators mentally out of whack for life. If he did do it, he's certainly got internal demons that will follow him for all the days of his life. Sadly, based on his biography, I'd say he seems to be a perfect fit for the type of arrogant geek who thinks they can get away with anything as long as they plan it well enough. That kind of geek needs to be knocked down the entire set of ladder rungs and then have their face ground into the dirt and through the other side of the planet. Maybe then their overinflated egos will be right sized to a humble enough level. Note that I feel I can say this because I AM a geek and I do believe I have limitations which I happily accept.
Reiser's wife probrably wasn't as attractive as Laci Peterson. The media only showcases good looking victims.
Other factors:
Laci was pregnant. Laci went missing on Christmas Eve (I believe). Laci had a lot of friends and a large family, all of whom coordinated a media blitz.
That's mainly because of the bullshit drug war though. If you remove drug "crimes" we'd have a lot less people in prison.
I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
He's a guy who apparently owned neither a GPS NOR a 406 EPIRB.
They weren't out hiking in the wilderness as I understand it. They drove down a closed seasonal road by mistake and got stuck.
Do you carry an EPIRB in your car? I know that I don't.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
I also know that it's possible that with the right lawyer he could get away with murder on a technicality. That would not be right, but it's not like it hasn't happened before.
Those technicalities that everybody hates so much are what keeps our Government in line. If the police screw up and overstep a warrant or "forget" to Mirandize a suspect then that evidence should be thrown out.
If defendants couldn't win on "technicalities" then what incentive does the Government have to follow the rules?
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Nina's boyfriend Sean Sturgeon allegedly practices BDSM, raped Nina, engages in "death yoga", made death threats against Hans...
And Hans is allegedly a murderer, what's your point?
sic transit gloria mundi
Guess which one the cops arrested and which one isn't even a suspect?
I'm going with "The one who all the evidence points to", namely Hans.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
I wasn't serious when I wrote "Who is James Kim". I just made the point that to the Slashdot geeks, Hans Reiser is more known than James Kim. The complaint was why doesn't Slashdot cover the James Kim story -- well it was already covered pretty well by the media.Slashdot isn't CNN, that is why you don't see news about Palestine and Iraq here unless they have to do with technology. Kim wasn't directly involved with creating technology, just writing on it, so somehow that doesn't interest the nerds as much. If it is not interesting for the nerds, it has no place on Slashdot.
They aren't saints, but using drugs as an excuse to put "undesirable" people away is a very dangerous precedent.
Selective enforcement of laws that makes everyone a criminal is a sure road to oppression.
I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
Dude, that's not Russian Women.
That's ALL women.
These are my friends, See how they glisten. See this one shine, how he smiles in the light.
Nina's boyfriend Sean Sturgeon allegedly practices BDSM
Assuming that's true, exactly how does practicing BDSM mean you're a likely murder suspect?
raped Nina, made death threats against Hans
Both hearsay arguments made by Hans. I'd like to see some kind of evidence for this other than an ex-husbands allegations.
engages in "death yoga"
I didn't know what this was until I read the article, but apparently it's just slowing down your heart rate. How does that have anything to do with someone being a likely murder suspect? Oh it does have the word "death" in it, so it must somehow involve actually killing people. Are people who listen to "death metal" also potential murder suspects?
cheated with a married woman,
This is probbably at least likely (since the two were together before her death). But what does it have to do with him being a murder suspect?
and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Hans Reiser:
Another allegation by Reiser which we have no other real evidence for. But even if true, why is that a motive for him to murder Nina?
Hans Reiser, on the other hand, is a linux developer.
Ahh.. well obviously if he does anything I personally like and approve of he can't be a murder suspect.
Guess which one the cops arrested and which one isn't even a suspect?
Maybe the one who Nina Reiser had a temporary restraining order against him in 2004 for allegedly pushing her? A restraining order is really easy to get and isn't proof that Hans was violent. But it at least shows she was afraid of him. I don't know if Hans did it, the other guy did it, or neither. But the facts that we have point more toward Hans at the moment. Casting suspicion on someone who you have really no evidence to suspect is simply dishonest.
AccountKiller