Slashdot Mirror


Terry Childs Case Puts All Admins In Danger

snydeq writes "Paul Venezia analyzes the four counts San Francisco has levied against Terry Childs, a case that curiously omits the charge of computer tampering, the very allegation that has kept Childs in jail for seven months and now appears too weak to present in court. Count 1 — 'disrupting or denying computer services' — is moot, according to Venezia, as the city's FiberWAN did not go down due to Childs' actions. Venezia writes, 'Childs' refusal to give up the passwords for several days in no way caused a disruption of the normal operation of the FiberWAN. In fact, it could be argued that his refusal actually prevented the disruption of normal network operation.' Counts 2 through 4 pertain to modems Childs had under his control, 'providing a means of accessing a computer, computer system, or computer network in violation of section 502,' according to case documents. As Venezia sees it, these counts too are spurious, as such devices are essential to the fulfillment of admin job requirements. 'If Childs is convicted on the modem charges, then just about every network administrator in the world could be charged with the same "crime,"' Venezia writes. All the authorities would have to do is 'point out that you have a modem or two, and suddenly you're wearing pinstripes of the jailhouse variety.'"

14 of 498 comments (clear)

  1. Too bad "being an asshole" is not a crime by winkydink · · Score: 4, Funny

    On second thought, I'd be in for a long stint.

    Never mind.

    --

    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

    1. Re:Too bad "being an asshole" is not a crime by poopdeville · · Score: 2, Funny

      Don't confuse us with facts.

      --
      After all, I am strangely colored.
  2. When modems are illegal... by MrEricSir · · Score: 5, Funny

    Thankfully I'm stealing my neighbor's wifi, so I don't have to worry about being caught with a modem.

    --
    There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
  3. Obligatory KITH link. by ebbomega · · Score: 3, Funny
    --
    Karma: Non-Heinous
    1. Re:Obligatory KITH link. by n1ckml007 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I'm crushing your head.

  4. Re:the admin's response by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    That's what she said!

  5. Re:Jeeezzzzzussss by socsoc · · Score: 4, Funny

    Those damn IT people and their correct usage of HTML tags on a tech website, always holding BBCode tags hostage for ransom...

  6. Re:Section 502 by plover · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't find the "Mod: +7 True, but fucking pathetic" button.

    --
    John
  7. A Moot Point ? by shashark · · Score: 3, Funny

    Count 1: disrupting or denying computer services is moot

    Joey: It's a moo point
    Rachel: You mean a moot point ?
    Joey: No...no, a moo point ... like a cows opinion, doesn't matter ... it's moo.

  8. Re:Free Terry Childs! by Amazing+Quantum+Man · · Score: 2, Funny

    Free Terry Childs with purchase!

    --
    Fascism starts when the efficiency of the government becomes more important than the rights of the people.
  9. Re:Free Terry Childs! by liquidsin · · Score: 2, Funny

    *Free Terry Childs must be of equal or lesser value to that of purchased Terry Childs. Must be a California resident to claim prize. Valid only while supplies last.

    --
    do not read this line twice.
  10. Future sys admin dialogue? by DeathElk · · Score: 2, Funny

    Tony: Hi Mike, how ya doin'? How was Joilet?

    Mike: Oh, it was bad. Thursday night they'd serve a wicked pepper steak.

    Tony: Can't be as bad as the cabbage roll at the Terra-Phelavo penn.

    Steve: Or that oatmeal at the Cook County slammer.

    Tony: Well, they're all pretty bad.

  11. Re:Free Terry Childs! by andy_t_roo · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Warning: This Product Attracts Every Other Piece of Matter in the Universe, Including the Products of Other Manufacturers, with a Force Proportional to the Product of the Masses and Inversely Proportional to the Distance Between Them."

  12. Re:popular trend in the courts lately by msuarezalvarez · · Score: 2, Funny

    At least, that's what he has managed to convince his followers of...