Re:This Guy Has My MacBook
by raganwald on Tuesday May 31, 2011 @04:43PM
(#2604463)
This is fine line or argument, but don't you think it belongs in a courtroom, being made to a jury that has been shown all of the evidence and who will also hear the accused make his own arguments for his innocence?
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This is a modern day wanted poster. I think it's completely fine. He hasn't been convicted to any material degree: He's still free, unhurt, and in possession of the item.
The website appears to have been created in response to the inability of the police to bring the person, allegedly responsible, into a courtroom to explain why he is in possession of a stolen laptop.
Isn't possession of stolen property prima facie proof of guilt of ... possession of stolen property?
Is buying stolen property, which you seller does not tell you is stolen, over Craig's List equivalent to stealing the item? Should the buyer be jailed?
No. The police possess a great deal of stolen property. The entire police force would collapse into a blue hole if they had to arrest everybody in possession of stolen property. The crime is knowing it is stolen and having no intent to return it.
Yeah.. that was pretty much what I was going for, there.