*article* Arrested LulzSec hacker has Asperger's Syndrome

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I just read about this, and thought I'd share it with you all for discussion.
Pretty messed up if you ask me... of course they scapegoat the aspie guy...

from bbcnews:
Hacking suspect Ryan Cleary 'has Asperger's syndrome'

Wow. So this hacker does a DDOS against a law enforcement agency, and the big headline is that he's an Aspie.

The news is ridiculous.

I had already guessed he had Aspergers from the original article on this case, where they did not mention it.

Aspergers isn't a factor. He was competent to know what he was getting into. It's not like someone used a social setting to frame him.

Don't use Asperger's Syndrome as an excuse to coddle criminals.

While I do not think that having Asperger's Disorder should make the headlines, it is something to consider, and I say that as someone who does have legal expertise. We do not know any circumstances, and given the nature of the disorder, it cannot be outruled that he was doli incapax. Some people with the syndrome, especially those who operate in absolutely no direct social environment, can be easily manipulated, especially if they have a certain talent. It is not out of the ordinary that even neurotypical people get fixated over something, because they get recognition for it, something that is denied to them in their "real" life, and at one point or another, any human being craves, and it is imaginable that a human being with a mental disorder that isolates him or her from the rest of society is easily exploitable in this regard. It is not an excuse, but I think being on the autism spectrum can severely add up to a bigger picture that, in the end, is not worthy of criminal punishment.

The guy I use to play Dungeons and Dragons with was High Function Autistic it turned out he was hiding an arrest for child molestation and possession of child pornography when I did a google search of his name and his sex offender status popped up he also had hidden cameras in the bathrooms of the computershop he worked at. I also found court documents where his lawyer tried to blame it all on his autism. I knew this guy for two years before finding about his autism he was a very socialable out going person. I was suprised when he told me he had HFA. There is no way his autism affected his sexual preferences He acted too NT.

I don't see why people are getting bent out of shape for he probably will be doing federal time. Federal prisons are better than state prisons. I would do federal time if I had to without any worries. If your really upset about this guy going to prison then put money on his commisaary accounts when he goes to prison I think you can also send him packages that you can pay for on a web site and they will send them to him. When you have a friend that goes to prison sending him/her a letter is nice but putting cash on his books is a life saver it really makes a difference in their quality of life.

He will probably be railroaded and made an example of by the feds, but at least he will be doing federal time. He might be able to get a lucrative consultant job helping corporations defend against cyber attacks when he gets out. While there he will be able to take college courses his autism might help him jump the waiting list for job training. The best way to win against the government is to hold your head up high when they send you away and come out smiling when you get out to show them their punishment was not s**t to you. He could come out of this stronger if uses his time right. I have two friends who went away for a little bit and got welding training while on the inside and now they are doing very well for themselves. I would imagine someone with computer skills could do even better.

The Scottish (or at least the SNP) tend to get pissed off if Britain passes a law that affects Scotland and the Scottish government doesn't get a say. Even though there are Scottish MPs at Westminister. And no English equivalent. It's like if Alaska support a law for the other 49 states but opt out of it themselves, with, say, New Jersey unable to opt out.