UK-U.S. Extradition Review Deals Blow to Hacker

It looks like the UFO hacker dude is running out of excuses for why he can't stand trial in the U.S. for poking around in the Pentagon's computers. How long has this case been dragging on?

"The UK-U.S. extradition arrangements were examined in great detail and the panel concluded that the widespread perception that they operate in an imbalanced manner is not justified," it said. "There is no 'practical difference' between the information required of both countries when requesting extradition."

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Might be me but I have a feel this is how Gary is going to look like in 20 more years..

lol wow they do look alike

lmao!

article said:

McKinnon, 45, suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism, and his supporters say he is too ill to be sent for trial in the United States.

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Lol?

He suffers from a condition that essentially just makes him extremely geeky.

How does this make him too ill to stand trial in the U.S?

The Aspbergers defense nonsense needs to stop and needs to stop now.

I would like to see more information on how the extradition treaty isn't lopsided. I am not defending the guy, nor do I really care about his case, but everything I have seen about the treaty has shown it to be pretty easy for the US to extradite people from the UK and offers the defendant very little protection of their rights. For instance, the US needs only offer enough evidence as would be necessary to gain a warrant and once the defendant is brought to the US their defense must be provided by their own private means. In the case of Gary, he has already admitted his guilt and his trial will revolve around mental competency, but for someone like Richard O'Dwyer he is being subjected to a financial burden with no recourse.

EchtoGammut said:

I would like to see more information on how the extradition treaty isn't lopsided. I am not defending the guy, nor do I really care about his case, but everything I have seen about the treaty has shown it to be pretty easy for the US to extradite people from the UK and offers the defendant very little protection of their rights. For instance, the US needs only offer enough evidence as would be necessary to gain a warrant

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The part above I can not speak to, but the part below is inaccurate.

EchtoGammut said:

and once the defendant is brought to the US their defense must be provided by their own private means.

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Anyone facing charges in the United States, regardless of their origin or legal status has the right to a public defender, free of cost.

Public defenders are often lampooned in TV shows and in the media as being incompetent low grade lawyers, but this is by no means the case.

The public defenders I have seen here in Massachusetts are very qualified professional individuals, and in a high profile case like this, it's not uncommon for much higher priced lawyers to step in pro bono and take the case free of charge, just for the publicity.

EchtoGammut said:

In the case of Gary, he has already admitted his guilt and his trial will revolve around mental competency

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Using Aspbergers Syndrome as a "mental competency" excuse has to end. These people are very highly functioning, and are not much different from a typical very geeky person. (socially awkward, in to really geeky stuff, etc.)

I know some people diagnosed with Aspbergers, and there is NOTHING about their personalities that prevents them from telling right from wrong.