Freethought & Rationalism Archive

spin · 10-04-2010, 12:11 PM

Anyone interested in the progress of the Raphael Golb identity theft case, verdict was given last week. See here, here, or here.

N/A

spin

Toto · 10-04-2010, 02:02 PM

The best sources for the gory details are the blogs of Robert Cargill (XKV8R) and Jim West. There are other blogs that support Golb - search on Google blogs.

Interestingly, Golb was acquitted on one court of impersonating or harassing Jeffrey Gibson.

Golb tried to make the trial focus on the academic issues around the DSS, but it didn't fly. He will appeal on first amendment grounds.

mountainman · 10-04-2010, 04:21 PM

From here

Quote:

His lawyer said the verdict trampled on free speech rights.

"Today what happened was the district attorney of New York County and the trial court made hurting somebody's feelings a criminal act,"

defense lawyer Ronald Kuby said.

"In New York, hurting people's feelings or being annoying is not a crime. We call that Monday."

:realitycheck:

:hysterical:

:eating_popcorn:

Quote:

In a statement, Mr. Schiffman expressed regret that “academic debate was replaced by cyber crime and identity theft as a means of advancing a particular scholarly point of view.”

“Let us hope,” he added, “that the field of Dead Sea Scrolls research can get back to its real business — interpreting the ancient scrolls and explaining their significance for the history of Judaism and the background of early Christianity.”

Let us live in hope that whatever significance the DSS have on the "background" (NOT the history) of early Christianity stays well and truly in the background where it belongs, and not in the field of history where it does not belong at all.

Anyone know which party has the greater "legal defence budget", and by what percentage?

:eating_popcorn:

meow · 10-06-2010, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

The best sources... There are other blogs that support Golb - search on Google blogs.

The "best" sources? That's an interesting bias.

One person who actually attended the trial has given her impressions along with analysis of the media coverage.

Steve Avery has contributed some interesting comments on Scott Greenfield's Simple Justice blog.

Dr. Howard Cedrics (who also comments on Scott Greenfield's blog) has opened a Facebook page.

Geoff Hudson has also posted various comments and analysis.

Quote:

Interestingly, Golb was acquitted on one court of impersonating or harassing Jeffrey Gibson.

If there was no discernible difference between this count and the others, this would seem to raise some serious questions.

Quote:

Golb tried to make the trial focus on the academic issues around the DSS, but it didn't fly. He will appeal on first amendment grounds.

If Golb's attorneys were not allowed to focus on the academic issues, then it would be hard to understand or evaluate the nature of the fraudulent "benefit" Golb allegedly intended to obtain. Perhaps we should reserve judgment until the trial transcripts and exhibits become available during the course of the appeal.

Toto · 10-06-2010, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meow

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

The best sources... There are other blogs that support Golb - search on Google blogs.

The "best" sources? That's an interesting bias.

Best in terms of gory details.

Quote:

Originally Posted by meow

...

Steve Avery has contributed some interesting comments on Scott Greenfield's Simple Justice blog.

Steven used to post here, as did Geoff Hudson.

Quote:

Originally Posted by meow

Dr. Howard Cedrics (who also comments on Scott Greenfield's blog) has opened a Facebook page.

Cedrics has no DSS connection, but he himself was recently arrested, tried, convicted, and the conviction overturned for blogging about academic corruption on a blog named for someone else. From wikipeida

Quote:

In 2009 Scott tried to persuade the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) that an internet domain name -- www.sirpeterscott.com -- run by a former Kingston lecturer constituted a trademark owned by him (Scott) and that the former lecturer did not have the right to use it. The WIPO ruled against Scott, holding that he "had not acquired sufficient goodwill to establish the name as a trademark". The former lecturer, Dr Howard Fredrics, was subsequently convicted of harassing Scott via the website that uses the domain name in question, though the conviction was later set aside and he was then acquitted in a re-trial.

The source cited in that wikipedia article indicates that Fredrics was acquitted of harrassment but convicted of a lesser offence under the Public Order Act, based on a chance meeting in real life.

Quote:

Originally Posted by meow

...

Quote:

Golb tried to make the trial focus on the academic issues around the DSS, but it didn't fly. He will appeal on first amendment grounds.

If Golb's attorneys were not allowed to focus on the academic issues, then it would be hard to understand or evaluate the nature of the fraudulent "benefit" Golb allegedly intended to obtain. Perhaps we should reserve judgment until the trial transcripts and exhibits become available during the course of the appeal.

I await the next chapter in this saga. I think the felony conviction is vulnerable on several grounds.

meow · 10-06-2010, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Quote:

Originally Posted by meow

The "best" sources? That's an interesting bias.

Best in terms of gory details.

If Raphael Golb or his attorneys were publicizing their side of the story, do you think they would be providing the same gory details?

Quote:

Steven used to post here, as did Geoff Hudson.

and others too, rendering it quite clear that in cyberspace one man's jest is another's mortal insult.

Quote:

Cedrics has no DSS connection, but he himself was recently arrested, tried, convicted, and the conviction overturned for blogging about academic corruption on a blog named for someone else. From wikipeida ...

From what I understand, the blog was not merely "named for someone else"; rather, its address (www.sirpeterscott.com) bore the name of Peter Scott, one of the scholars Dr. Cedrics was criticizing.

Quote:

I await the next chapter in this saga. I think the felony conviction is vulnerable on several grounds.

I could be wrong, but someone told me that in New York, if the felony conviction is overturned, all of the other counts must be dismissed as well. In the meantime, it's interesting to learn that Raphael Golb may ultimately spend four years in prison for hurting someone's feelings. I read this morning that a French banker responsible for a fraud causing the loss of billions of dollars has received a sentence of three years.

Toto · 11-18-2010, 10:05 AM

Golb sentenced to six months in jail plus 5 years probation

Quote:

Golb's sentence also calls for five years' probation — during which he can't engage in online discussions about the scrolls under any name but his own or "anonymous." He has been disbarred because of his conviction, his lawyers said.

But he will appeal.

(There was an amazingly similar case involving Tucker Carlson and Keith Olbermann in the news recently. It was styled a "prank," and Olbermann declined to prosecute.)

ETA: Robert Cargill reaction

stephan huller · 11-18-2010, 10:12 AM

I think everyone should be forced to use their real names in these forums. Shame alone would prevent 90% of the stupid comments and arguments found in these threads (except for my own of course as I am shameless).

Toto · 11-18-2010, 10:22 AM

This forum and its precessor, the Internet Infidels Discussion Board, have always protected anonymity. Many atheists, unbelievers, and heretics would suffer economic harm or even threats to their safety if their real identities were known.

But we have never approved of using multiple sock puppets to create the false impression of support for a lone position.

Toto · 11-18-2010, 04:10 PM

more news

Quote:

Kuby was more scathing - and vowed an appeal

"\[D.A.\] Cy Vance's office asked for a term of up to four years in an Upstate prison for first degree blogging," Kuby mocked.

"The court and the district attorney's office have done their best to make sure the Internet is safe for elite scholars who wish to avoid criticism."

10-04-2010, 12:11 PM	#1
spin Contributor Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: nowhere Posts: 15,747	Golb case verdict Anyone interested in the progress of the Raphael Golb identity theft case, verdict was given last week. See here, here, or here. N/A spin

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10-04-2010, 02:02 PM	#2
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	The best sources for the gory details are the blogs of Robert Cargill (XKV8R) and Jim West. There are other blogs that support Golb - search on Google blogs. Interestingly, Golb was acquitted on one court of impersonating or harassing Jeffrey Gibson. Golb tried to make the trial focus on the academic issues around the DSS, but it didn't fly. He will appeal on first amendment grounds.

11-18-2010, 10:12 AM	#8
stephan huller Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 9,337	I think everyone should be forced to use their real names in these forums. Shame alone would prevent 90% of the stupid comments and arguments found in these threads (except for my own of course as I am shameless).

11-18-2010, 10:22 AM	#9
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	This forum and its precessor, the Internet Infidels Discussion Board, have always protected anonymity. Many atheists, unbelievers, and heretics would suffer economic harm or even threats to their safety if their real identities were known. But we have never approved of using multiple sock puppets to create the false impression of support for a lone position.

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