Palin set to take stand in Tenn. hacking trial

The Sun News [Myrtle Beach] ^ | Tuesday, Apr. 20, 2010 | BILL POOVEY - Associated Press Writer

[Slings and Arrows]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- A former college student charged with hacking Sarah Palin's e-mail account fears some jurors in heavily Republican East Tennessee could be dazzled when the conservative star testifies.

-snip-

Convictions on all four felony charges - identity theft, wire fraud, intentionally accessing Palin's e-mail account without authorization and obstructing an FBI investigation - could send Kernell to prison for up to 50 years.

"If I was the individual being charged I would be concerned, particularly the other party," East Tennessee State University political analyst David Briley said. "Politics and religion are pretty close to the vest here."

[Never on my watch]

It's time for this kid to plead out,unless he determined to play the political martyr role. If he does, he will be very disappointed when he is dropped and forgotten by his liberal friends.

[martinidon]

I am surprised he hasn't accepted a plea bargain. He would be crazy rolling the dice on a jury conviction. My bet is after the jury is seated he takes the deal.

[Slings and Arrows]

Agreed. From the article, it sounds like his attorney’s strategy is to get the evidence against him thrown out on procedural grounds, and the judge isn’t buying it.

I can’t tell you how heartbroken this leaves me.

[Slings and Arrows]

After the jury is seated may be too late - the prosecutor might be confident enough not to bargain. Now where did I put that popcorn...?

[Josh Painter]

Now, if investigators can only find the arsonists and would-be murderers who, obviously incited by violence-inducing leftist hate speech, doused all of the exits with accelerant and torched the Wasilla church that Gov. Palin and her family attends, another hate crime would go to a jury, too.

[rj45mis]

He is a democratic operative who was trying to damage Palin politically

Bingo! He needs to pay the piper for his illegal activities. When the dems slit the tires on gop vans on election eve in Milwaukee the bassturds got off scott free!

[Erasmus]

For defense attorneys these days, the steps have become purely reflexive:

1. Try to get the evidence tossed.
2. Go for the nutz defense.
3. Try to stack the jury.
4. Impugn the cops and the prosecutors.

[EyeGuy]

I guess “fomenting race and/or class warfare” goes under #3.

[SkipW]

Well, OK! Give the poor kid a break. Fifty years is too much time for just hacking into Sarah Palin’s info.

I’d say ten to twenty would be about right.

[rockrr]

I am mostly indifferent to the fact that it was Ms. Palin’s account. I just hate hackers!

[Lazamataz]

THIISII JUuST SHOOWS HOWQ eeeEEECVCCIIILL::: RREPUBLI*PUKES* AREEEEE

THIS INNNOCIXCENT KID SHOULLD BE LETY gO aNF GIVING A NEDAl for hiS EXPLOSURTE OF THE CULTURE OF XCORRUPTION SROUND SPARAH OPALIN!!!!!! !!! !!111~~~

YOU ALLLLLL SUCUKLKKKKKKK!!!!!!

[a fool in paradise]

A former college student charged with hacking Sarah Palin's e-mail account fears some jurors in heavily Republican East Tennessee could be dazzled when the conservative star testifies

If it's a Republican heavy community, they will probably laugh out loud when they hear that this adult "kid" is the son of an elected Democrat. Who put him up to this? Who did he circulate Palin's communications to?

[a fool in paradise]

You would think a break-in wiretape to rival Watergate would be big news considering he’s a politically connected Democrat.

[a fool in paradise]

---

Kernell has been free on bond since pleading not guilty after the indictment was unsealed in October 2008.

He is accused of accessing Palin’s Yahoo! e-mail account by answering a series of personal security questions, resetting the password to “popcorn,” making screen shots and posting the contents online using the nickname “rubico.”

---

So he’s claiming they got the wrong guy? Totally innocent? Not guilty? Or not guilty because she’s an evil republipuke whorenazi warcriminal PALIN!!!!

[a fool in paradise]

Those DNC Brownshirts who slashed the tires of GOP get out the vote vans on election day 2004 also included the son of an elected Democrat. There is a culture of corruption that extends to the top of the party ranks and through the court system.

DRAIN THE SWAMP

vote for NO democrat in 2010.

[Lazamataz]

AAUUUAUAUUUGGGGGHHHHH YOOOUUUUU SSUCUCUUUJKKKKKKKK!!!! PASLINN ISSZ EEEVUIEIKLLLLLLL!!!!! !!!!JAJJJJJ!JKJKK!OI3-_)(+_9_0=-0+*_#0+_)#+_8LK>M<L<DL:<<<<<<

[Lazamataz]

[Psalm 144]

“What I’m afraid of is that the cowardly little sh!t’s father is a Democrat slimeball legislator, with any number of corrupt, politically-motivated judges, sympathetic to his cause.”

Yessir. Look for the defendant to opt for a judge trial.

Meanwhile, the DA’s office will be getting hounded to accept some misdemeanor plea.

[Psalm 144]

At least his daddy is probably out of pocket for six figures.

******************

Easily.

[Slings and Arrows]

Who put him up to this?

I'd forgotten about that angle, and it's a good question. Still, my gut says he was operating alone, if only because he hasn't ratted anyone else out in exchange for a reduced sentence.