Re:Feds Bust CEO Allegedly Selling Custom BlackBerry Phones ...
by mattnewport on Monday March 12, 2018 @12:13AM
(#16566171)
Both knives designed for stabbing people and guns and bullets designed for shooting people exist and are sold in the US and I'm not aware of their manufacturers or retailers generally being held liable when they are used to commit crimes. I don't think your analogy holds.
Selling drugs is victimless in the sense that there is no legal ''victim" bringing a complaint - both the seller and the buyer are generally willing participants in the transaction. This is why so many drug prosecutions must rely on stings, undercover cops, informants, surveillance, etc. This is not to say that nobody suffers any harm as a result of the drug trade.
In this particular complaint there is no victim and all the evidence comes from undercover cops and informants.
Re:Feds Bust CEO Allegedly Selling Custom BlackBerry Phones ...
by amdavidson on Monday March 12, 2018 @08:30AM
(#16567715)
While there are certainly guns that are suitable for shooting people, have you seen a gun manufacturer advertise its products as being suitable for any illegal purpose?
They are extremely careful with their marketing language, and I have never seen any reference to shooting another person without it being heavily couched in castle doctrine / home defense language. They're not out there marketing their wares as being better for hitmen.
Consider two knife makers. One sells cooking knives. The other sells similar knives and tells people they're designed for stabbing. (The handles may be made so lifting prints off them is intentionally difficult.) Two stabbings happen, one with each of their knives. The government may have a case against the latter knife maker in being party to the crime.
Trafficking drugs is illegal. (It is also far from victimless.) If you intentionally make devices to aid drug traffickers, and then confess that to a federal agent, the government probably has a case. I say all this as someone who believes in de-criminalising most recreational drugs.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice.