From a moral standpoint, what sentence (if any) do you personally think Ross Ulbricht deserves?

For this discussion, let's disregard law.

From a moral standpoint, Ross is not innocent. He attempted (unsuccessfully) to murder a potential rat; on the other hand, he's most likely saved lives through opening the Silk Road. Not only have lives been saved due to the lack of a physical aspect in drug exchanges online, but because he genuinely encourage responsible use.

He also attempted to hire a doctor to give medical advice to those on SR seeking it. As you can see, I'm somewhat biased. He did (or attempted) some fucked up shit, but he also produced a lot of good. I think that that good may counterbalance some of the shittiness of the attempted murder thing. I can't think of an exact number of years in prison he deserves to serve, but I do think the 30 year minimum seems morally unjust.

Thoughts?


Comments


[14 Points] MLP_is_my_OPSEC:

He's not a threat to society, and I highly doubt he would do the same thing again. However he is a smart guy, and was aware of the possible consequences of his actions. Whatever sentence he gets, he does not deserve life in prison.


[10 Points] GatekeeperProject:

He should get a medal. He ordered someone killed because they were threatening to send thousands of people to jail. The price of the hit was more than the bounty demanded by the blackmailer - he did it so we could sleep at night. Anyone who attempts to extort by threatening the lives of many SHOULD be put to death.

As for the Silk Road? He's the only drug kingpin in history that didn't rise to power on a mountain of bodies. For once, there was a market without bloodshed. No gang wars over turf, no shootouts with the police, nothing. He kept hundreds of thousands of people safe, and for that he is a hero.


[6 Points] None:

[deleted]


[5 Points] None:

Unfortunately, life. As a black male, my demographic gets much harsher sentences for lesser crimes.

Ross tried to have numerous people killed, he begs for his old age but never took that into consideration when he ordered those hits. I am sorry, Mr. Ulbricht is a game changer, but he deserves life in jail.


[3 Points] iAlpha700:

0 days and 0 years for anything related to SR, all humans should have the right to make their own choices without a governing body intervening, assuming it doesn't harm others or their liberties. It's fucked up that people actually think it's ok for any higher power to control what you do with your own life/body if you aren't harming others. As for the "hit", I would say that's harming someone else or their liberties. So I think he should get whatever the sentence for crimes relating to that but none at all for SR. America's supposed to be this "free" and "capitalist" Country, yet he is limited in what he can sell or buy even though it's not harming anyone? I can't grasp that, it doesn't make sense to me.


[3 Points] None:

10 years


[1 Points] sycophantelephant:

20 years. 10 if he didn't try to fucking murder somebody (remember, he actually did think he had somebody hit... no remorse... hard to say he is no threat to society. He obviously has an (albeit treatable) anti social personality disorder complex.

Perhaps even no jailif you were to compare this site to say NAPSTER / MEGAUPLOAD / *insert any file distribution site with illegal content. None of them did time. Ross facilitated the site, and I dont think they have anything on him. The mushroom charges had no evidence etc


[1 Points] concernisgrowing:

Its strange but even though I've seen the evidence its still hard to believe Ross negotiated those "hits". I've read through his writings, seen his family on interviews, and kept up with the case. In a weird way I feel like I know Ross because views on many things are so similar. Its like when you're bullshitting with your buddies about political shit but in the end its all talk. Ross actually did something to change things. Something that may end up helping to end this ridiculous drug war. It makes me sad to know what he now faces. 10 years


[1 Points] The_fire_bird:

I'm not totally sure really. Must suck to be the judge in this case...

One thing I really hate is prohibition of any kind. You'd've thought the US would've learned its lesson 80 odd years ago, but the ongoing war on drugs suggests otherwise.

Whereever there's prohibition, black markets will always emerge to counteract it. Black markets never have the law on their side, so their usual method of maintaining the security of their presence is through violence - again, a throwback reference to 1920's and 1930's U.S.

You can save all this violence by eliminating prohibition.

I certainly don't approve of Ross's attempt to have someone killed, but of course, given what he was creating and in control of, it doesn't exactly come as much of a shock. Killing (or ordering such) in defense of innocent life is (to me) the limit of acceptability. As we all know though, that simply wasn't the rationale behind it.

A threat to your business isn't the same as a threat to your life. So yes, I'd believe there certainly should be a punishment for that, but not necessarily life. Life is for those who kill people that have done absolutely nothing to them at all - like when a 40 year old goes into a school and murders scores of children aged just 5 (yeah, each and every one of them must have put him through absolute hell /s) - That's the sort of person life is for. Ross's actions were extreme, but not that extreme.

I'd probably give him 10 years if the murders actually did happen, and a lot less if they didn't.


[1 Points] sillysally11:

Maybe 7-10 years if he's innocent of conspiracy to commit murder, otherwise, 15-25 years.


[1 Points] BizzyWriter:

I would say 10 years is a reasonable sentance however they are going to make an example of him. Sadly I think that he will not get any less than 20 years inside.