Mark Rasch has just posted a fairly lengthy (but well worth reading)
Substitute teacher Julie Amero faces up to 40 years in prison for exposing kids to porn using a classroom computer, but the facts strongly suggest that she was wrongfully convicted. Many issues remain, from the need for an independent computer forensics investigation and the presence of spyware and adware on the machine, to bad or incomplete legal work on both sides of this criminal case…
The full article can be found
Jamie
It's a long read, but well worth the time spent. Looks like there were all kinds of issues on both sides of the case that could have been handled better.
KP
So does anyone here agree with what the investigator said? According to Mark Rasch;
"He reportedly also said that he can differentiate between what is and what is not a pop-up based on the source codes [sic]."
I take this to mean that he can differentiate between what browser windows a popup created(via non user interaction) and what was opened(ie Typed manually) by the user.
I've seen malware infections that redirect browsers and spawn popups and make connect requests to all kinds of sites/servers. How do you establish COMPREHENSIVELY that this has not happened?
Kangaroo Court is about the nicest way to put it. The article in its conclusion states "Her lawyers are taking over the appeal free of charge. They have a strong case. Julie Amero could have taken a plea-bargain allowing her the option of no jail time. Julie Amero refused the plea-bargain agreement, and after a trial was convicted. One hopes that he appeal is heard, and conviction is overturned."
Even if the ruling is overturned what happens to this woman's teaching career with this on her records? With the ability of future employers to "Google" people to examine their credentials and background, she will have a had time for the rest of her life trying to get another teaching position thanks to this "Kangaroo Court".
Yep, that's another sad result of this case. Her substitute teaching career is probably over. That, along with the notoriety that goes with the case is sure to cause her public embarrassment for a long time to come.
KP
Once this case is settled, which I have no doubt it will be overturned, I would be more interested in her being able to pursue a malpractice suit against her lawyers.
Conviction overturned, new trial granted.
UPDATE – A Connecticut judge granted on Wednesday a new trial for substitute teacher Julie Amero, according to media reports, saying that information discovered after her conviction has direct bearing on whether she is responsible for risking harm to her students when pornographic pop-ups appeared on a classroom computer.
Read the rest of the story here
KP
Whoops, didn't see this was already posted on the front page here.
KP