Lessig to NZ court: Dotcom charges would fail in the US

Harvard professor, Creative Commons father, and US presidential hopeful Lawrence Lessig has adopted Kim Dotcom as a cause. He's filed an affidavit (picked up by New Zealand's National Business Review) with the District Court at North Shore, Auckland, in which he says the Megaupload founder and deluded self-proclaimed pop star …

[FozzyBear]

Who would have thought that the U.S in their zeal to curb global criminal masterminds that they overlooked a few tiny details such as facts and evidence.

[Mark 85]

It's part of the dumbing down of America that's been going on for the last 40 years... Started in the '70's apparently with teachers not teaching but being there to tell the kids how great they were. A good example was the cops, teacher, and principle with the young clockmaker in Texas. Smart kid but dumb adults.

[Sandtitz]

Doesn't matter.

The plan is to sue Dotcom, deny bail, and the next X years see that every avenue of appeal is used to exhaust Dotcoms assets and make an example of him. Even if the government knows that the case cannot be won they will pursue him to the end with no regard to costs since hey, it's not their money.

[Anonymous Coward]

"The plan is to sue Dotcom, deny bail, and the next X years see that every avenue of appeal is used to exhaust Dotcoms assets and make an example of him "

Not really. Team Dotcom has been delaying the trial for years, because it knows what the result will be.

I heard there's no room in the Ecuadorian Embassy big enough for fatboy to hide in. Such a shame.

[The Travelling Dangleberries]

Cardinal Richelieu got there first...

@ FozzyBear

"Give me six lines written by the most honest man in the world, and I will find enough in them to hang him."

[Dr Stephen Jones]

The facts and the evidence are on the USA's side.

Which is why Dotcom has been trying to delay this for three years.

Your icon gives you away.

[Captain DaFt]

"The Department of Justice allegations “do not meet the requirements necessary to support a prima facie case that would be recognised by United States federal law”, he adds."

Ah, but this is "The Land Of The Free". They were hoping for a quick snatch and grab, with lots of press about the "Criminal matermind being brought to justice".

Then once he was safely in house, the wheels of Justice would turn slowly over the years, and in the end he'd be convicted for violating statute AH47-27a, paragraph b, line 12: "Noodling your navel online" (the only charge that stuck), with a $50 fine.

Too many years would've passed for anyone to remember or care, and it'd be ticked down as job well done.

[Youngone]

@ Captain DaFt

While the good Captain is not wrong, fortunately for Mr. Dotcom he will be in front of a Kiwi judge and they tend to have a fairly independent nature.

Generally speaking they don't take kindly to orders from above, be that Washington or Wellington.

I would have thought Mr. Dotcom might be feeling a bit optimistic by now.

[2460 Something]

The bottom line is that he was high profile and they wanted a quick success story. Now that it has gone on so long they are unable to back down as to do so would be admitting that the whole thing was a farce from the beginning.

[Bota]

Go to Youtube and type "full movie" and see how many results you get. The issue is his company wasn't Murican. If it was he'd be sitting pretty still. These US cunts ruined this mans' life, he lost his wife and the life he had with his kids. Surely, destroying a family over trumped up b-s charges is enough to drop the issue and give him his money back?

[Jay 2]

Whilst I'm not particularly impressed with the dodgy methods used by US and NZ governments in this case, Herr Dotcom has not exactly helped himself with his actions either recently, or in the past for that matter. I'm wondering if he's as much as a publicity whore as the World's most famous Ecuadorian houseguest.

[Anonymous Coward]

re: ...wondering if he's as much as a publicity whore

Irrelevant, except to those whose only interest is tarnishing the image of people who are innocent unless proven guilty, before they even have a chance to defend themselves.

Those such as the Daily Fail comic, et al, who aim to pervert the course of justice by throwing as much mud as possible and hoping some of it sticks.

Forget the legalities. That's their MO. They are just obeying their masters voice (no pun intended).

[DocJames]

The usual claims of massive damages - can we please have some reporting that includes how inflated previous claims have been? This would seem to be the basic level of journalism expected.

[GeezaGaz]

Hey fatty bum bum

Doesn't look like his diet has gone too well....

[Anonymous Coward]

Two reasons why he'll never be POTUS

He's wrong and he's dumb.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Two reasons why he'll never be POTUS

"He's wrong and he's dumb."

I think you mean "They're wrong and they're dumb" as you're talking about the majority of US voters.

[Yes Me]

Re: Two reasons why he'll never be POTUS

I've known Larry slightly for about 20 years, and he's usually right. He's certainly right in this case; whatever you think about Kim Schmitz, this is a witch hunt and the evidence is just about as solid as that in Salem in 1692.

[Anonymous Coward]

Lessig is a terrible lawyer

"I've known Larry slightly for about 20 years, and he's usually right."

He may be morally right, but that's a matter of subjective opinion. All that means is you agree with his politics. As a lawyer, he's wrong far often than he's right.

- Didn't get it right in A&M vs Napster.

- Didn't get it right in Eldred vs Ashcroft.

- Lots of mistakes in this one too. A gift to the prosecution.

http://www.copyhype.com/2015/09/lessig-defends-dotcom-as-extradition-hearing-begins/

Basically, when Larry Lessig joins in on your side, you know you're completely f*cked.