Quote from: Crenel84 on May 31, 2015, 04:22:12 AM

Quote from: jaysabi on May 31, 2015, 02:46:16 AM

That's why the attempted murder charge is important to me. Even if we could all agree that in a "free society" none of his drug dealing and money laundering actions should be illegal, there is nothing that can justify murder.

"Even if we could all agree" that "there is nothing that can can justify murder" ("murder" being an unfortunately malleable concept), that's irrelevant. The multiple life sentences he was given have nothing to do with the attempted murder charge. There were seven charges behind this excessive sentencing, none of which are for crimes with direct victims, unlike (attempted) murder. And convicted murderers can do less time, so even if the attempted murder charge was somehow relevant, it still does not justify Ulbricht's sentencing.

Three charges were for crimes related to the "war on drugs" which was a failure from the very moment it was conceived, one is merely "you're a bad guy according to us," one is ridiculous starting with the very title of it (ooooh, computer "hacking"), and two are about government control over citizens (regarding money and identity documentation).

The charges were:

Distribution/Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Narcotics
Distribution/Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Narcotics by Means of the Internet
Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics
Continuing Criminal Enterprise
Conspiracy to Commit or Aid and Abet Computer Hacking
Conspiracy to Traffic in Fraudulent Identity Documents
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

See: Reference
Also see: 8th Amendment to the US Constitution

I'm not talking about his sentence in regards to the attempted murder charge (which he has yet to be sentenced for in Maryland), but the idea that he is a sympathetic hero and the unfortunate victim of an out of control government. His attempted murder charge completely contradicts the martyr status people here are trying to thrust upon him. He's not a hero, he's a hypocrite who sold out his non-violent ideology when he solicited the murder of several individuals. My entire point has been he is not the rallying cry some in this thread want him to be, because he sought to use violence against people who were inconvenient to him; not that his prison sentences for 'non-violent' crimes are appropriate because he solicited murder.

For context, here are my previous short posts:

Quote from: jaysabi on May 30, 2015, 03:57:13 PM

Quote from: Rmcdermott927 on May 30, 2015, 04:17:16 AM

Quote from: Vod on May 30, 2015, 01:44:41 AM

Life in prison without parole. He'll never set foot outside of prison again for the rest of his life.

I wonder if this will deter other scammers, or do most people think they will never be caught, like he did?

I'm sorry, I am not up to date on this story. Did he scam people or did he just operate silk road?

I don't particularly care about Silk Road as a black market. The money laundering is a larger issue, but even this one I can get past. But the murder for hire charge is where I draw the line. I would like to see him serve an appropriately long prison term for attempted murder. It's not excusable.

Edit: I see now they never ended up charging him with the attempted murder charge.

Quote from: jaysabi on May 30, 2015, 04:29:04 PM

Quote from: jmurjeff on May 30, 2015, 04:03:09 PM

Quote from: jaysabi on May 30, 2015, 03:57:13 PM

Quote from: Rmcdermott927 on May 30, 2015, 04:17:16 AM

Quote from: Vod on May 30, 2015, 01:44:41 AM

Life in prison without parole. He'll never set foot outside of prison again for the rest of his life.

I wonder if this will deter other scammers, or do most people think they will never be caught, like he did?

I'm sorry, I am not up to date on this story. Did he scam people or did he just operate silk road?

I don't particularly care about Silk Road as a black market. The money laundering is a larger issue, but even this one I can get past. But the murder for hire charge is where I draw the line. I would like to see him serve an appropriately long prison term for attempted murder. It's not excusable.

Edit: I see now they never ended up charging him with the attempted murder charge.

He still has to face this charge in Maryland. Even if he wins on appeal a reduced sentence, he may get added time for the Maryland charge. He is pretty much going to be stuck behind bars for life.

I thought I had read somewhere that he was charged with attempted murder, so the information in this article wasn't gelling with that. Thanks for reconciling it. It's a serious charge, and one that can't be excused with the community's rush to turn him into a martyr. Pick better heroes, because this guy is not a rallying cry.

His attempted murder charge remains wholly relevant.