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Witnesses beware!
by Karen Hatter | May 22, 2007 at 05:29 pm | 839 views | 3 comments
by accrama
An article in the New York Times identifies sites like www.whosarat.com as representative of a new trend, with similar web sites identifying witnesses that cooperate with the government, posting names and mug shots. Information that discloses details of agreements reached that have resulted in leniency for witnesses during sentencing is also provided. The site claims to have identified informers and undercover agents.
A letter written to the Judicial Conference of the United States by a Justice Department official, states that web sites like the above mentioned web site are engaged in posting this information, "....for the clear purpose of witness intimidation, retaliation and harassment". The letter and article continue:
“The posting of sensitive witness information,” the letter continued, “poses a grave risk of harm to cooperating witnesses and defendants.”
In one case described in the letter, a witness in Philadelphia was moved and the F.B.I. was asked to investigate after material from whosarat.com was mailed to his neighbors and posted on utility poles and cars in the area.
A most intriguing development raised as a challenge to the use of electronic public records.
www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/washington/22plea.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
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May 22, 2007 at 05:29 pm by Karen Hatter, 839 views, 3 comments
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Comments (3)
at 20:02 on May 22nd, 2007
Karen thanks for bring this forward. My word would be Orwellian -> Good stuff.
at 20:24 on May 22nd, 2007
You're welcome and my thoughts as well, Ricknight! I'll have to dig out my old copy of 1984 to recall the department meant to control information. It seems there are interesting times approaching as relates to technology, with technolgy running ahead of the curve as relates to the dissemination of information. That worrisome query will truly need to be answered soon; whose job is it to watch the watchers as they 'protect' us from ourselves?
at 10:44 on August 2nd, 2007
I expect Justice Department to say Web sites like whosarat exist "for the clear purpose of witness intimidation, retaliation and harassment."
But it's also important to know who the snitches are. They're not always clean residents looking to do good in their community. Situational ethics are an exceedingly large problem in law enforcement; too often, the actions of the informants are over-looked so somebody else can be arrested.
Check out these stories:
Lalo, a corrupt informant who participated in the death of several women along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Jaybird Dobyns, the ATF undercover agent who lost control.
And the Arizona case I've been investigating about the informants who participated in the rape of a Las Vegas stripper with the FBI's knowledge.