Monday, September 6, 2010

Facebook "friending" lands activist Rod Coronado in prison

http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/IndyBlog/archives/2010/08/24/facebook-friending-lands-activist-rod-coronado-in-prison

 

Missoula Independent

 

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

 

Facebook "friending" lands activist Rod Coronado in prison

Posted by Matthew Frank on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 3:29 PM

 

Animal rights and environmental activist Rod Coronado finds himself in federal prison for becoming a “friend” with part-time Missoula resident and Earth First! co-founder Mike Roselle on Facebook.

In a federal court document (PDF) dated July 14, 2010, U.S. Probation Officer Rhonda J. Wallock claimed that Coronado, convicted of felony conspiracy in 2006, violated the special conditions of his court-ordered supervision.

“In monitoring Mr. Coronado’s Facebook account,” Wallock wrote, “this officer found Michael Roselle to be a ‘friend’ of Mr. Coronado. According to FBI intelligence and a criminal history investigation of Michael Roselle, he is a well-known environmental activist who has a history of condoning direct action and violence as a means of protest or demonstration.”

Wallock believes being Roselle’s “friend” violated the first condition of Coronado’s supervision—not associating with activists who have a history of violence or condoning violence, including but not limited to those involved with Earth First!, the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front.

“I sent him a friend request because someone had suggested that I friend him,” Roselle says from West Virginia, where he’s working to stop mountaintop removal operations, “and given that I’ve known Rod for quite a while, I did. I guess he hit the accept button.”

Coronado also violated the terms of his supervision by using a computer unauthorized and unmonitored by Wallock.

Wallock wrote: "This officer found Facebook posts from March 14, April 27, and May 3, 2010, showing Mr. Coronado utilized a computer or computer related device to post information on Facebook. According to computer monitoring records, Mr. Coronado’s monitored computer had no data recorded from February 8 to May 10, 2010. In March 2010, Mr. Coronado advised this officer that his computer had crashed and that he was no longer using or accessing the monitored computer."

On August 3, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney, of the Western District of Michigan, sentenced (PDF) Coronado to four months in prison.

“Guilt by association, that’s not really part of our legal system,” Roselle says. “This is a flagrant constitutional violation, if you ask me. And then it really brings up the question, What is an ‘association’?”

Add a comment

 The comment that I have supported violence is not based on fact. The FBI knows this and I have been under an active investigation for some time. I have never been charged with, or have been investigated for a violent crime. Direct action is not a violent crime. Rodney has paid his debt to society and has stated his commitment to non violent change. To portray this as a criminal association violates both of our constitutional rights.

.Posted by Mike Roselle on August 25, 2010 at 9:20 AM  

 

Roko, ok I'll play. Yes, Lets look at the crimes which he was INITIALLY Convicted of.

1986 - Sinking of 2 whaling ships, 2 million in damages

1995 - 57 Month Conviction of Arson at MSU

2005 - Convicted of conspiracy against a Govt official/Destruction of Gov't property

2008 - Convicted of conspiracy to commit acts of violence

 

STELLAR record. I see all sorts of comments about his 1st amendment rights, But those rights don't exist to the point of inciting riot. You might want to re-read the full 1st amendment again.

The Basic laws of the land stem from the premise that it is unlawful to harm another person and/or their property. Seems as Rod had no problem doing just that. So after so many attempts to change his mentality of willingly breaking laws, it's come down to more prison time. I guess some people just refuse to learn to play well with others.

.Posted by RoninDallas on August 26, 2010 at 9:02 AM | Report this comment

 

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"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs

 

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