Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

...Man Convicted of Illegally Accessing Sarah Palin's E-mail Account and Obstruction of Justice
US DOJ.gov - justice.gov/opa/pr ^ | Friday, April 30, 2010 | n/a

Posted on 04/30/2010 4:20:41 PM PDT by Cindy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tennessee Man Convicted of Illegally Accessing Sarah Palin’s E-mail Account and Obstruction of Justice

David C. Kernell, 22, was convicted by a federal jury in Knoxville, Tenn., today for intentionally accessing without authorization the e-mail account of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and obstruction of justice, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney James R. Dedrick for the Eastern District of Tennessee announced.

After a week-long trial, a jury found Kernell guilty of one count of misdemeanor unauthorized access to obtain information from a computer and one count of obstruction of justice. The jury found Kernell not guilty of wire fraud. The jury could not reach a verdict on the identity theft charge and the judge declared a mistrial as to that charge.

According to evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 16, 2008, Kernell, a resident of Knoxville, obtained unauthorized access to Gov. Palin’s personal e-mail account by resetting the account password. Evidence showed that after answering a series of security questions that allowed him to reset the password and gain access to the e-mail account, Kernell read the contents of the account and made screenshots of the e-mail directory, e-mail content and other personal information. Kernell posted screenshots of the e-mails and other personal information to a public Website. Kernell also posted the new e-mail account password that he had created, thus providing access to the account by others.

Evidence at trial showed that Kernell became aware of a possible FBI investigation on Sept. 16, 2008, following the illegal entry into the e-mail account. The evidence further showed that Kernell began to delete records and documents with the intent to impede an anticipated FBI investigation.

At sentencing, Kernell faces a maximum of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine for unauthorized access and 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for obstruction of justice.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Krotoski currently detailed to the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Weddle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. CCIPS Trial Attorney Josh Goldfoot provided significant assistance. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Knoxville field office.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: davidckernell; davidkernell; email; kernell; knoxville; palin; palinfreeperping; palinkernellhacker; sarahpalin; tennessee
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-51 last
To: Texas Fossil
He had a fantasy that he could act like that and the Dems would be endeared to him.

I'm not sure that was an unreasonable fantasy, but to earn the netroots' respect his actions would have had to discredit Palin, and he failed. Instead, he discredited himself by getting caught. Sarah's emails may have showed that she sometimes used her personal email account for government business, but that is not a scandal, thought the left tried to make it one.

Still, I bet the typical netroots attitude toward Kernell is positive. They probably think that while he made some mistakes, he showed a proper contempt for Palin, so his heart was in the right place. He can put the details of his crime at the top of his resume when he applies to work for a leftist employer.

41 posted on 04/30/2010 8:02:05 PM PDT by TChad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: TChad

Yes. Pretty sad statement isn’t it?

That is what happens when those in power recognize no authority over them. Anything they do is justified.


42 posted on 04/30/2010 8:05:17 PM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: screaminsunshine; All
Good idea, screaminsunshine, here is the perp himself all prepped for the video...


43 posted on 04/30/2010 8:49:09 PM PDT by rlmorel (We are traveling "The Road to Serfdom".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Star Traveler

Thank you Star Traveler for the link set.


44 posted on 04/30/2010 11:28:58 PM PDT by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: TChad

He will probably get a fine, probation and an Obama pardon in December 2012. His legal advice probably was to roll the dice because if convicted he could depend on a pardon before he ever had to apply for anything serious. That does not sound like such bad advice afterall, does it?


45 posted on 05/01/2010 12:46:07 AM PDT by JLS (Democrats: People who wont even let you enjoy an unseasonably warm winter day)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: rlmorel

Cool. Put him on a Dinovite Diet too.


46 posted on 05/01/2010 12:58:18 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (e)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: JLS
He will probably get a fine, probation and an Obama pardon in December 2012.

That might depend on the length of the sentence. AFAIK, Obama has no personal or professional connection to Kernell. Unless Kernell receives a very long sentence, a pardon would be interpreted by the electorate as an endorsement of the felony. It would be a political liability for Obama & the Dems. The only benefit would be to Kernell personally, and he does not matter.

On the other hand, if Kernell get's a very long sentence, then Obama might want to use that as a political issue. After all, he couldn't stand by and let a heartless Republican judge ruin this poor child's life, now could he?

We'll see.

47 posted on 05/02/2010 11:45:35 PM PDT by TChad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: TChad
get's

Facepalm.

OK, where's my scourge?

48 posted on 05/03/2010 5:22:05 PM PDT by TChad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: All

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2596677/posts

“Palin hacker’s verdict stands”
knoxnews.com ^ | September 25, 2010 | By Jamie Satterfield
Posted on September 26, 2010 4:45:13 PM PDT by onyx

SNIPPET: “Judge denies ex-UT student’s bid to toss out convictions”


49 posted on 09/26/2010 4:54:58 PM PDT by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

How Kewl, the cells have pet doors!


50 posted on 09/26/2010 4:59:29 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Cindy; tet68

I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
I'm more than a bird
I'm more than a plane
I'm more than some pretty face beside a train
And it's not easy to be... me
I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
'bout a home I'll never see
It may sound absurd
But dont be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed
But wont you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
And its not easy to be... me

51 posted on 09/26/2010 5:28:28 PM PDT by SkyPilot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-51 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson