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Law Backpage has been seized
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- Nov 10, 2019
Hookers for everyone!
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- Mar 30, 2020
Why necro this?
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- Nov 10, 2019
There was a post just before it from someone linking the mistrial news. I swear it was there.
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- Apr 27, 2015
Someone before him posted a link to an article about this being declared a mistrial, but it was deleted for some reason.
anti SJW
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- Dec 26, 2016
Mistrial declared
https://sneed.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/dkl.iT5re8tUrufiCTvrPA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTE3NDtoPTQwO2NmPXdlYnA-/https://sneed.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2020-11/092f7540-26ea-11eb-bdb4-b7283677d9f5
Tue, September 14, 2021, 4:18 PM·3 min read
In this article:
PHOENIX – A federal judge on Tuesday halted the criminal trial of former executives and employees of the Backpage website, saying the government, in presenting its case, unfairly tainted the jury with testimony about child sex trafficking, instead of focusing on the crime at hand – whether the defendants helped facilitate sex work.
“The government, as prosecutors, are held to a higher standard,” said Judge Susan Brnovich from the bench as court opened for what was expected to be the eighth day of the trial. “Their goal is not to win at any costs, but their goal is to win by the rules."
Lacey and Larkin founded the Phoenix New Times, held ownership interests in other weeklies such as The Village Voice and ultimately sold their newspapers in 2013. But they held onto Backpage, which authorities say generated $500 million in sex work-related revenue from its inception in 2004 until April 2018, when it was shut down by the government.
https://sneed.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ltjKc6ssMIDnPiRZTwFGzg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTk0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://sneed.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/qV3FcuD_OvIkhoTciYy1tA--~B/aD00MDMyO3c9MzAyNDthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_news_641/5c49353acfdf144c4732d208b83e4333
Backpage.com founders James Larkin (left) and Michael Lacey (right) as they leave federal court in Phoenix on April 30, 2018.
While prosecutors say the site published many ads that depicted children who were victims of sex trafficking, no one in the federal case in Arizona is charged with sex trafficking or child sex trafficking.
The pair started Backpage to serve as an online home for classified advertising, similar to the sometimes-racy ads that appeared in the back of the printed newspaper.
But the government said that the two, in a conspiracy with other executives and two employees, did more than merely publish ads. Instead, the government said, the defendants knowingly worked to lure sex workers and pimps to the website, cornering the market on thinly veiled ads for sex work.
In all, six former Backpage operators have pleaded not guilty to charges of facilitating prostitution. Of the six, Lacey, Larkin and two others have pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges.
The site’s marketing director has pleaded guilty to conspiring to facilitate prostitution and acknowledged he participated in a scheme to give free ads to to win over their business. Additionally, the CEO of the company when the government shut the site down, Carl Ferrer, pleaded guilty to a separate federal conspiracy case in Arizona and to state money laundering charges in California. The new trial date was set for Oct. 5.
Neither Lacey nor Larkin would comment after heading out of the courthouse. “Seal,“ was all that Lacey said.
Prosecutors said that Backpage changed its standards in an effort to keep law enforcement and reporters at bay.
https://sneed.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wVTXMOGSKnK9E8gmXMU_.Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTM1MztjZj13ZWJw/https://sneed.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/hYz6t0pGWJYKH4hnyF6Qhw--~B/aD05NjA7dz0xOTIwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_news_641/a571089055b9f341967c481c567fae78
Susan Brnovich
Brnovich had warned prosecutors, up to and including this week, about keeping testimony focused on the 100-count indictment. She said she wanted to tamp down on discussions of child sex trafficking and murders of people who had advertised on Backpage, knowing such testimony would inflame the jury.
However, Brnovich ruled that two witnesses, a woman who was sold on Backpage as a teen and an expert, crossed the line.
“Although I don’t see it as intentional misconduct,” Brnovich said from the bench, “the cumulative effect of all of that is something that I can’t overlook and won’t overlook.”
Contributing: Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Federal judge declares mistrial in Backpage executives' case
I was the one that posted this before and I deleted it because I was on my phone at work and could'nt copy and paste the story good so I waited until I got home to do it right.
EDIT: No idea why the pics did'nt show up. So looks like I still can't get it to work LOL
https://sneed.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/dkl.iT5re8tUrufiCTvrPA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTE3NDtoPTQwO2NmPXdlYnA-/https://sneed.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2020-11/092f7540-26ea-11eb-bdb4-b7283677d9f5
Judge declares mistrial for Backpage website founders, says government tainted jury with testimony
Richard Ruelas, Arizona RepublicTue, September 14, 2021, 4:18 PM·3 min read
In this article:
- Susan Brnovich
United States federal judge for the District of Arizona
PHOENIX – A federal judge on Tuesday halted the criminal trial of former executives and employees of the Backpage website, saying the government, in presenting its case, unfairly tainted the jury with testimony about child sex trafficking, instead of focusing on the crime at hand – whether the defendants helped facilitate sex work.
“The government, as prosecutors, are held to a higher standard,” said Judge Susan Brnovich from the bench as court opened for what was expected to be the eighth day of the trial. “Their goal is not to win at any costs, but their goal is to win by the rules."
Lacey and Larkin founded the Phoenix New Times, held ownership interests in other weeklies such as The Village Voice and ultimately sold their newspapers in 2013. But they held onto Backpage, which authorities say generated $500 million in sex work-related revenue from its inception in 2004 until April 2018, when it was shut down by the government.
https://sneed.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ltjKc6ssMIDnPiRZTwFGzg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTk0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://sneed.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/qV3FcuD_OvIkhoTciYy1tA--~B/aD00MDMyO3c9MzAyNDthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_news_641/5c49353acfdf144c4732d208b83e4333
Backpage.com founders James Larkin (left) and Michael Lacey (right) as they leave federal court in Phoenix on April 30, 2018.
While prosecutors say the site published many ads that depicted children who were victims of sex trafficking, no one in the federal case in Arizona is charged with sex trafficking or child sex trafficking.
The pair started Backpage to serve as an online home for classified advertising, similar to the sometimes-racy ads that appeared in the back of the printed newspaper.
But the government said that the two, in a conspiracy with other executives and two employees, did more than merely publish ads. Instead, the government said, the defendants knowingly worked to lure sex workers and pimps to the website, cornering the market on thinly veiled ads for sex work.
In all, six former Backpage operators have pleaded not guilty to charges of facilitating prostitution. Of the six, Lacey, Larkin and two others have pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges.
The site’s marketing director has pleaded guilty to conspiring to facilitate prostitution and acknowledged he participated in a scheme to give free ads to to win over their business. Additionally, the CEO of the company when the government shut the site down, Carl Ferrer, pleaded guilty to a separate federal conspiracy case in Arizona and to state money laundering charges in California. The new trial date was set for Oct. 5.
Neither Lacey nor Larkin would comment after heading out of the courthouse. “Seal,“ was all that Lacey said.
Prosecutors said that Backpage changed its standards in an effort to keep law enforcement and reporters at bay.
https://sneed.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wVTXMOGSKnK9E8gmXMU_.Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTM1MztjZj13ZWJw/https://sneed.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/hYz6t0pGWJYKH4hnyF6Qhw--~B/aD05NjA7dz0xOTIwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_news_641/a571089055b9f341967c481c567fae78
Susan Brnovich
Brnovich had warned prosecutors, up to and including this week, about keeping testimony focused on the 100-count indictment. She said she wanted to tamp down on discussions of child sex trafficking and murders of people who had advertised on Backpage, knowing such testimony would inflame the jury.
However, Brnovich ruled that two witnesses, a woman who was sold on Backpage as a teen and an expert, crossed the line.
“Although I don’t see it as intentional misconduct,” Brnovich said from the bench, “the cumulative effect of all of that is something that I can’t overlook and won’t overlook.”
Contributing: Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Federal judge declares mistrial in Backpage executives' case
I was the one that posted this before and I deleted it because I was on my phone at work and could'nt copy and paste the story good so I waited until I got home to do it right.
EDIT: No idea why the pics did'nt show up. So looks like I still can't get it to work LOL
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- Joined
- Jan 8, 2020
Pictures never show up. I forgot why, but they never do. I wouldn't worry too much about.
Oh, and yeah. #FREEHOOKERS
Oh, and yeah. #FREEHOOKERS
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2020
surprised this part hasn't been mentioned:
reason.com
"The memo—subject: "Backpage.com Investigation"—reveals that six years before Backpage leaders were indicted on federal criminal charges, prosecutors had already begun building a "child sex trafficking" case against the company. But this case was hampered by the fact that Backpage kept trying to help stop sex trafficking."
TLDR is basically that the government decided to destroy Backpage at all costs despite the fact that Backpage had been extremely cooperative without being compelled. They lament that Backpage was so cooperative they would often respond to requests within an hour, and had moved to a credit card payment system to help law enforcement evidence collection. None of the charges would stick. So what did they do? Used their own cooperation as evidence against them. No surprise also that Kamela Harris was involved.
EDIT: I also want to point out that the defense had been banned from using the memos in their case, despite it being clear and overwhelming exculpatory evidence.
Secret Memos Show the Government Has Been Lying About Backpage All Along
Sealed memos fought over in federal court last week show authorities have known for years that claims about Backpage were bogus.
reason.com
Secret Memos Show the Government Has Been Lying About Backpage All Along
Sealed memos fought over in federal court last week show authorities have known for years that claims about Backpage were bogus.
Exerpt:"The memo—subject: "Backpage.com Investigation"—reveals that six years before Backpage leaders were indicted on federal criminal charges, prosecutors had already begun building a "child sex trafficking" case against the company. But this case was hampered by the fact that Backpage kept trying to help stop sex trafficking."
TLDR is basically that the government decided to destroy Backpage at all costs despite the fact that Backpage had been extremely cooperative without being compelled. They lament that Backpage was so cooperative they would often respond to requests within an hour, and had moved to a credit card payment system to help law enforcement evidence collection. None of the charges would stick. So what did they do? Used their own cooperation as evidence against them. No surprise also that Kamela Harris was involved.
EDIT: I also want to point out that the defense had been banned from using the memos in their case, despite it being clear and overwhelming exculpatory evidence.
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- Jul 15, 2016
I believe one theory is that child trafficers with ties to glowies were getting caught up in back page stings.
- Joined
- May 20, 2020
How am I going to find a lightly used La-Z-Boy chair now?
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- Jun 3, 2016
Lol, they're lying about child trafficking online while they allow 60 year old Afghan men to arrive in their country with brides as young as 5.