Before sentencing, Ulbricht begs for leniency: "please leave me my old age"

Here:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/05/before-sentencing-ulbricht-begs-for-leniency-please-leave-me-my-old-age/

As I see it, a life sentence is more similar in nature to a death sentence than it is to a sentence with a finite number of years. Both condemn you to die in prison, a life sentence just takes longer. If I do make it out of prison, decades from now, I won't be the same man, and the world won't be the same place. I certainly won't be the rebellious risk taker I was when I created Silk Road. In fact, I'll be an old man, at least 50, with the additional wear and tear prison life brings. I will know firsthand the heavy price of breaking the law and will know better than anyone that it is not worth it. Even now I understand what a terrible mistake I made. I've had my youth, and I know you must take away my middle years, but please leave me my old age. Please leave a small light at the end of the tunnel, an excuse to stay healthy, an excuse to dream of better days ahead, and a chance to redeem myself in the free world before I meet my maker.


Comments


[187 Points] jeeezzzuususss92:

Dammnn.....If only he had exit scammed us he'd be living the rest of his days on a island resort in the bahamas.


[109 Points] inhibit0r:

I was reading this on my phone, and as I read through some of the comments you assfucks have left, I've got to say a few things.

1) Yes, Ross made a lot of mistakes and he did do some stupid shit (the alleged hits), but let's be real... if you had created the Silk Road, the first of it's kind, were bringing in that kind of money (coins), had that kind of power, you cannot tell me it wouldn't go to your head and cause you to make some stupid decisions. Ross was not standing in the corner of a dark room giving his cronies a nod of his head to go forth and decapitate and dismember people. The power got to his head, and all of this shit was behind a goddamn computer screen. Logically he knew what he was doing, but he was shielded from any violence he would allegedly been perpetrating, so don't you dare tell me he is some sort of scum for giving the green light on these supposed "hits" (that were never carried out and IMO a form of entrapment by agent Force).

2) There are some people in this world that do deserve to be behind bars without parole, but this brilliant kid isn't one of them.

My only qualm is that it sounds like he's given up his idealistic libertarian views and is sucking the man's dick.

Have you ever gotten caught up in the system in your life? When you get in trouble, you don't go in the court room and tell the judge you're glad you knocked over that liquor store and it's too bad you didn't get caught because you would have done it again, too. No, you tell them what they want to fucking hear. It's all part of the game (make no mistake, it's a game), and since he got checkmated, he's doing the best he can with damage control.

His butthole is going to look 60.

God most of you who have posted (except for the supportive people, you know who you are) make me sick. IF IT WASN'T FOR ROSS NONE OF THIS SHIT WOULD EXIST IN ITS CURRENT FORM TODAY.

Ross quite possibly may have single-handedly landed the most significant blow against the "war on drugs" we'll see in our life time. There's nothing quite like "drugs, any kind of drugs you could ever want, and high quality drugs at that, at your door step" that says it's impossible to prohibit drugs. People will always use drugs. It's time to legalize them all. I'm not trying to suck Ross' dick, but in my eyes he's become a martyr and I will always have the utmost repsect for what he's done for our movement.


[58 Points] apocalyptic_pidgeons:

fuuuckkk.... honestly the fact that anyone is ever sentenced to life without possibility of parole is heartbreaking.... I don't care what you've done, everyone should get the chance to remake themselves...


[19 Points] deepdot:

Letters in support of Ross Ulbricht - https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2086663-gov-uscourts-nysd-422824-251-5.html


[17 Points] ToyotaTeamBB:

Having such a smart guy in jail is such a waste..


[8 Points] None:

I dont agree with everything he's done but damn does he have some great things to say. I agree with what he said wholeheartedly. Kinda got chills from this one.


[7 Points] sillysally11:

Feel really sorry for this guy.


[5 Points] blackbankthrowaway:

I'm torn about it. On the one hand, he is a warrior for the prehistoric drug laws in place in most countries under the guise of "public safety". But most people in prison are there for non-violent drug offenses. They didn't kill anybody, they just had a pound of weed in the trunk they were going to smoke and sell to friends.

But where I draw the line is hurting someone else. You rob somebody for drug money, fuck you. Prison. That's what it's there for. Not to protect us from ourselves.

But Ross crossed that line when he hired someone to kill somebody. I understand he was trying to protect his community, but that's no excuse to hire someone to have him killed. I just can't see any reason or logic behind ignoring that aspect of the case.

That said, if he was "JUST" coming up on the charge of hiring someone to kill somebody, he'd only be looking at a decade or so in prison. What that's telling me is, they think it's WORSE for you to consume, buy or sell drugs than it is to kill somebody or attempt to kill somebody. And that my friends is truly fucked.


[3 Points] sosoyo1:

This is some of the saddest shit ever. This man changed the game on the war on drugs. What he did needed to be done. I can only hope he get's a lenient sentence and a noble prize because in reality once silk roads was created a lot of the drug war in mexico stopped.


[3 Points] damnmachine:

Heartbreaking


[6 Points] givemeoil420:

that really puts life and time into perspective.... Not gonna lie ... his words bring a tear.... he is the martyr for our Freedom , losing his. Give him a reason to eat . Let the smart young kid have a reason to survive.


[3 Points] 987sg38h4os9fu0aq2:

I really hope they give him this leniency. Still not entirely sure why he didn't flee, but since he's stuck in this, I really hope he gets out. He did us a tremendous service.


[2 Points] None:

As a man of 51, I would tell Ross that 50 is not "old"


[2 Points] None:

those feels though... poor guy RIP DPR =/


[2 Points] None:

The state is an utterly ugly, terrible, miserable, wasteful and sad thing. Reading this stuff makes me sad.


[2 Points] NinoBr0wn:

Damn this is depressing me. :(


[2 Points] temporaryaccount420:

The man is a martyr. I hope he gets his wish granted.


[2 Points] ZummerzetZider:

they're going to make an example of him, no way are they going to be lenient


[2 Points] Hamiltone:

His letter is so fucking heart breaking.... man :/


[2 Points] Hamiltone:

We all sadly know what will happen.... They're going to hit him as hard as they can to set an example ! The thing is he created a "monster" that will never be killed, dnm are here forever now and in the process they will give us our martyr.


[1 Points] DaMenehune:

Another patsy burned.


[1 Points] coinpr0n:

sad af


[1 Points] 2weekcatnipbender:

One of the important things to remember here is that Ross established his own frontier. He built his empire from the ground up and crossed a threshold of his own design. I cannot think of many more people in our lifetime who have done just that. Granted, it is nowhere near as important as space exploration will be in the future or standing at the helm of colonizing previously undiscovered land, but as others here have said, it has been a huge hit to the injustices dealt by those who actively fight for the war on drugs. His efforts were a radical movement and they obviously worked to some extent, even if only as a very risky form of a political statement.

Even the smallest threat to him could have had the potential to bring his operation down. Nearly every controversial movement in the past had to make some sacrifices in order to continue to grow and accomplish all it could. I understand that, regardless of the fact that none of the six actually died and some were aided with borderline entrapment, morality is one thing that will never be met with unanimous decision and no doubt it plays an important role in determining whether or not they were justifiable moves. Not that the court will care seeing as they have their own set of rules by which they must abide.

However, his empire was forged within the confines of a preexisting government that loves to exercise control and disregard alternative viewpoints, refusing the very opportunity to open a case for change. It is unfortunate that someone with the required charisma and proper integrity to take on such an endeavor that yields a success will be taken from the world. Reading his statement is especially heartbreaking because it seems they've already broken him down to believing what he did was wrong and occupied the grounds that should be met with this severe punishment. It very well might be a front to soften his sentence but the fact that he would have to say such a thing at all is unsettling.

I am not saying it was okay that he placed a hit on six people, but if the circumstances were different, it might have been absolutely necessary if he wanted to see his project through with little resistance. Ross still accomplished his goal of changing the world and no doubt his name will be remembered as one of the most influential people regarding internet history. Ordering the hits were not necessary for this new industry to flourish but hindsight is 20/20. In fact, Ross himself was a necessary sacrifice in order to strengthen the community he created. He birthed a hydra and even though they have extinguished the original source, it has already laid its eggs and the damage is done. You cannot command this kind of entity to extinction because there is no way to win.


[1 Points] None:

Holy shit, he ADMITTED to starting silk road now.... Honestly, while I'd like to see him walk, its clear thats not going to happen. Hope they give him the finite sentence he asks for.


[1 Points] BizzyWriter:

That is depressing to read.


[0 Points] Deleetdk:

He may get realized when the US legalizes drugs. That is likely sooner than his real release. :p


[0 Points] sanborg:

I honestly feel like everything he said there he was pulling it out of his ass. I doubt he means any of it.


[-4 Points] None:

" I’ll be an old man, at least 50, with the additional wear and tear prison life brings. "

He doesn't know how young, healthy and fresh prison can keep you. He will come out at 50 looking 35.


[-1 Points] procowtipper:

My only qualm is that it sounds like he's given up his idealistic libertarian views and is sucking the man's dick.


[-4 Points] Underthearchway:

Most of the people on here will sympathise with Ross. But he made millions out of illegal activity and will be sentanced as such. I don't think many would be backing a cartel leader to the same extent.