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Government prosecutors seek to shut down web site naming informersThis one is an ethical
mess
Oh
my.
This is a mess. American officials have urged courts to censor documents published on the internet after the success of a website that names police informers and undercover agents. The founders of the site, whosarat.com, claim it has identified 4,300 informers and 400 undercover police and FBI agents. Its home page offers three "rats of the week", providing their names and photographs as well as court documents showing what they have agreed to say and do in return for lenient sentences. Subscribers pay anything from $7.99 (£4) a week or $89.99 (£45) for life and get a free "Stop Snitching" T-shirt. They can see hundreds more informants as well as various chat forums for exchanging rumours about law enforcement agencies. The site was started in a fit of pique in August 2004 by Sean Bucci, a DJ, now jailed, who was facing charges of dealing marijuana based on an informant's information. It began attracting thousands of postings, many supported by court documents. The site - access to which was blocked yesterday - insists that it does not promote violence against informants or agents but is "designed to assist attorneys and criminal defendants". Actually I am not really sure of the legality of this one. The Sixth Amendment of the Constitution would seem to ban secret accusations. I seem to remember that the defense is supposed to get a witness list well before the trial. If I am remembering right, there have been some real abuses of the plea bargain, but I am not going to look it up now. That whole "censoring documents" rubs me wrong. 
Posted: Wed - May 23, 2007 at 03:24 PM
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 Pagan Vigil
Pagan philosopher, libertarian, and part-time trouble maker, NeoWayland watches for threats to individual freedom or personal responsiblity. There's more to life than just black and white, using only extremes just increases the problems.  My Thinking Blogger Nominees
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