[46440] in Cypherpunks
Re: New Mitnick Book
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Brad Huntting)
Thu Jan 4 00:03:16 1996
To: John Young <jya@pipeline.com>
Cc: cypherpunks@toad.com, pcw@access.digex.net
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 03 Jan 1996 20:14:56 EST."
<199601040114.UAA21383@pipe3.nyc.pipeline.com>
Date: Wed, 03 Jan 1996 21:53:48 -0700
From: Brad Huntting <huntting@glarp.com>
> Shimomura likes his computer-controlled cellular phone, but
> its use for tracking is limited. Its main purpose is to
> lock on a call and eavesdrop. It is illegal to use it to
> eavesdrop on calls. That's why Shimomura needed immunity
> from prosecution when he demonstrated his Oki scanner
> before Congress a couple of years ago. (p. 6)
Curious, David Skaggs (R-CO) while arguing against having the Rocky
Flats Grand Jury testify before congress on they're findings pointed
out that congress can only offer immunity from prosecution for a
testimony _about_ crimes they may have committed.
In Shimomura's case the crime was committed in front of congress
as _part_ of his testimony. One could easily argue, as Skaggs did,
that congress oversteped it's bounds by asking a witness to commit
a crime. Then again, they're the ones who decide what most of
these crimes are in the first place.
Sorry to stray off topic.
brad
