!!!!! OUCH !!!!!, page 1
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Topic started on 7-8-2003 @ 11:39 PM by MaskedAvatar
Worth a look, to see where your freedoms are going...

Don't post anything on explosives or assassinations here.

www.raisethefist.com.../-----74814smallsherm.gifIMG.article

SHERMAN AUSTIN SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN FEDERAL PRISON

Sherman Austin, webmaster of RaisetheFist.com, was sentenced today, August 4, 2003, to one year in federal prison, with three years of probation. Judge Wilson shocked the courtroom when he went against the recommendation of not only the prosecution, but the FBI and the Justice Department, who had asked that Austin be sentenced to 4 months in prison, and 4 months in a half-way house, with 3 years of probation.

Austin's probation stipulates, among other things, that (1) he cannot possess or access a computer of any kind without prior approval of his probation officer, (2) if his probation officer gives permission, the equipment is subject to monitoring and is subject to search and seizure at any time, without notice, (3) he cannot alter any of the software or hardware on any computer he uses, (4) he must surrender his phone, DSL, electric, and satellite bills, (5) he cannot associate with any person or group that seeks to change the government in any way (be that environmental, social justice, political, economic, etc.), and (6) he must pay over $2,000 in fines and restitution. Austin must surrender himself to the Federal Bureau of Prisons by September 3, 2003.

To contact sherman, email keepfistraised@yahoo.com

FROM SHERMAN AUSTIN:

On Jan 24, 2002 , my home was surrounded and raided by approximately 25 heavily armed FBI and Secret Service agents in one of the governments first attempts to exercise the new US Patriot Act. I was interrogated for several hours while they ransacked my room and they seized a network of computers which I used to run my web site raisethefist.com. They also seized protest signs, and political literature. Their excuse was a protest guide (which I didn't author) that was posted to my site which a small portion contained information on explosives. The FBI had been monitoring the site long before this was ever posted, and long before Sept 11. The "explosives information" on my site (again which I didn't author) doesn't compare to what you an find on any other web sites such as howthingswork.com, Loompanics.com, Bombshock.com, Totse.com, Amazon.com, or the many neo nazi web sites which cover everything from assassinations, explosives, fraud and firearms. It's obvious a web surfer interested in making a bomb or taking part in other extra-illegal activities would not have to rely on Raisethefist.com. So how could the "bomb making information" on raisethefist.com be a concern to authorities? It wasn't a concern, it was simply used an excuse to exercise the new Patriot Act and take down the site. And that's what they did when federal agents spent 5-6 hours interrogating me while they disassembled each computer one by one , mirrored each hard drive, then loaded everything into a big white truck. During this whole process I was told I wasn't going to be arrested, and that I could even leave if I wanted to. Once the agents finished packing everything up, Special Agent John I. Pi, who was conducting the investigation and raid said that I had crossed a line, and as long as I got back on the other side of that line I'd be okay..... more at link


reply posted on 8-8-2003 @ 12:46 AM by Mycroft
A guy gets his name on a national registry of sex offenders, yet he wasn't convicted of a sex crime. Can this be real?!

abcnews.go.com...

Court Orders Sex-Offender Status for Man
Court Orders Sex-Offender Status for Minnesota Man Without a Sex-Crime Conviction

The Associated Press



ST. LOUIS Aug. 7 —
A federal appeals court has upheld a Minnesota law that requires a man to register as a sex offender even though he was not convicted of a sex crime.

In Wednesday's ruling, Judge C. Arlen Beam wrote that the sex offender registration law and the Minnesota Supreme Court's interpretation of it "turn reason and fairness on its head." Nonetheless, Beam concurred in the unanimous decision of a three-judge panel of the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.

Brian Gunderson was charged in 1998 in with first-degree criminal sexual conduct after a woman he met in a bar accused him of rape, the ruling said. Gunderson denied raping her but admitted they had a "physical altercation."

The physical evidence did not support the rape allegation, and that charge was dismissed.

In a deal with prosecutors, Gunderson pleaded guilty to a new complaint charging him with third-degree assault. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, which was suspended, and three years' probation. Less than a year later, Gunderson violated his probation and was sent to prison, the ruling said.

While in custody, he was told he would have to register as a sex offender under a state law that requires it whenever someone is convicted of a sex offense "or another offense arising out of the same set of circumstances."

After registering, Gunderson sued the Corrections commissioner. He argued he should not have to register because the original rape charge had been dismissed and the assault statute under which he was convicted was not covered by the registration statute.

But the federal appeals court panel said it agreed with the Minnesota Supreme Court's reasoning in a 1999 decision upholding the law. The Minnesota court ruled that a defendant who was charged with a sex crime but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge included in the same complaint had to register.
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