Slashdot Mirror


Witness In Secret WikiLeaks Grand Jury Hearing Posts Transcript of Questioning

Sparrowvsrevolution writes "A year ago, free information advocate and Bradley Manning supporter David House was subpoenaed to testify in the grand jury investigation of WikiLeaks that's taking place in Alexandria, Virginia. Now he's released a transcript of his interrogation that he produced by taking handwritten notes on a legal pad and handing pages to his lawyer during their consultations. Though House pled the fifth and didn't tell the prosecutors much, the notes show the prosecution attorneys focusing their questions on Boston-area hackers as well as Tor developer and WikiLeaks supporter Jacob Appelbaum."

7 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. Contempt of Court? by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I'm not a lawyer but from this part of the transcript on pastebin:

    Bob Wiechering: Mr. House, I notice you are taking notes. Attempting to create your own transcript is a violation of rule 6(e) of this grand jury. We have brought this to the attention of your counsel, and although he feels differently on the matter, we assert that you must stop taking notes at this time.
    David House: Let me consult with my attorney.
    [House leaves the grand jury room and returns one minute later]
    David House: My lawyer asks that you refer all questions about notes to him.

    It would seem that the rule in question now puts him in contempt of court? It appears to explicitly mention what is happening here. I wonder what his lawyer told him about taking these notes and then releasing them.

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:Contempt of Court? by tqk · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I admire Assange. I despise Manning. House? He's on the positive end of that scale.

      That seems fairly weird. Manning (allegedly) is the one whose conscience was in play. Manning decided his government was doing evil things and decided they needed to be outed. Assange designed the program that Manning (allegedly) used to do that. Manning (allegedly) did what Assange advocates, yet you admire the latter and despise the former?

      Where did you find that moral code of yours? In a box of CrackerJacks?

      --
      "Tongue tied and twisted, just an Earth bound misfit ..." -- Pink Floyd.
    2. Re:Contempt of Court? by cpu6502 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      >>>Attempting to create your own transcript is a violation of rule 6(e) of this grand jury

      They also claim we're not allowed to camera-record, audio-record, or pen-and-paper record our conversations with police/government officials. (And have arrested people for doing it and/or taking their property and erased them.) But the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in August 2011 that the Constitution is a higher law, and it clearly states the People have the inalienable right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press to record/discuss what the cops & government officials are doing to them.

      --
      My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
    3. Re:Contempt of Court? by Hatta · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I thought secrecy was required afterwards, too, the reason being that people being investigated shouldn't be smeared by questions asked, should charges not be brought.

      You and I both know that's not really why grand juries are held in secret.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  2. Re:This is just... boring by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You have to play by their rules or you get the worst possible outcome.

    Rule #1 - If they can do nasty things to you, NEVER EVER attach your name to things you do.
    Rule #2 - Never EVER talk about what you have done to anyone that can attach it to you. Talk anonomously via a secure and untraceable comms channel and for very BRIEF moments. I.E. you are trying to get the information to WikiLeaks, you spend less than 60 seconds asking questions and then go OFFLINE and do not use that path or even made up handle again.
    Rule #3 - Your computer is spying on you, Paranoia is key here even silly levels of paranoia. Better safe than sorry. USE a live CD on a laptop and spoof a MAC address just in case.

    Rule #4 - I don't care what anyone else calls it, It's espionage in their eyes. The people running the game have guns, they can point them at you and scream traitor. Keep this in mine every single second of the day.

    Bradley Manning was incredibly stupid. He was trying to get street cred in the Hax0r scene by bragging to a known Government Informant. Stupid him, epic stupid him.

    I don't care what others tell you, the guys that don't get caught use the above formula. The ones that get lazy or sloppy get caught. Ask Mitnick how he got caught.... he became complacent and lazy.

    If you cant live the lifestyle or walk the walk for the REST OF YOUR LIFE, then just dont do it.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  3. Re:This is just... boring by Tastecicles · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If they (the State, in this case acting as Prosecutor) want to fuck you up the arse, there is NOTHING you can do to prevent it.

    What you CAN do is not make their job easy. What you CAN do is make them spend money, because THAT is the limiting factor in their activities. What you CAN do is tell them to fuck off and that you will record what they say and obeying the maxim that for justice to be done it must be seen to be done, publish and be damned.

    --
    Operation Guillotine is in effect.
  4. Very one-sided transcript by Arancaytar · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Since he didn't answer anything.

    When I asked House how he might be incriminated by testifying, as he claims by invoking the fifth amendment, he gave me a predictable response: “I invoke.”

    Which is awesome, needless to say - here is clearly someone who doesn't take crap from anyone, and gives not an inch more to authority than he is legally obligated.