Help Scott to stay out of Prison

Written by Ernesto on September 15, 2006 

Scott McCausland, the man who pleaded guilty in a BitTorrent case this week, now invites everyone who sympathizes with him to write a letter to the judge on his behalf.

Scott admitted to the judge that he was involved in managing to popular “private” BitTorrent tracker Elitetorrents.org. He also told the judge that he uploaded copyrighted content more than once, including a copy of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”, several hours before it was officially released.

By pleading guilty to “conspiracy to commit copyright infringement” and “criminal copyright infringement”, he now faces up to a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

In a response to our previous article Scott links to this statement.

Dear Users/Geeks/Techies/All-In-Between,

This is Scott McCausland, yes, the one who just plead guilty to a BitTorrent case held on September 12, in Erie, PA.

The reason I am releasing this is because I am going to ask that anyone who feels the need, or, feels some type of desire to see me not spend the maximum of 5 years per count in prison, if you could please write a letter directed towards the judge on my behalf.

Please direct it towards: U.S. District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin.
Please send letters/notes to: freeme@sk0t.com

If you want to be heard in this matter please do so professionally and without ill-intent. I will not edit any of the letters (however I will read them first to make sure they wont hurt me in any way).

Please, do not let this become anything more than it has to be. Do not let me get made an ‘example’ of because of the popularity of Star Wars.

Thanks,

Scott McCausland
sk0t/MindHunter

Time for some action!

Previously: How to run uTorrent in Mac OS X

Next: BitTorrent Video Store Coming Soon

43 Responses

1 Sep 15, 2006 at 23:09 by Just Some Guy

Scott committed a crime,but the punishment should fit the crime. For a family man who works with disabled youth and has never even had a ticket, this punishment that he faces does not.

We have people in hte uS killing, raping children, robbing banks at gunpoint and multiple offenders, that are not getting half the punishment Scott will get, which is 2 years, and 3 years monitored.

The punishment they are giving him is a crime.

2 Sep 16, 2006 at 01:04 by Soulxlight

Yes I agree. The punishment they are handing him is only because the offense is against major labels, and not just some average joe on the street without alot of money to back them up. I know people who sell drugs to youths who are back walking around in only 3 to 6 months, while this man who was lulled into uploading a copy of Star Wars is facing 5 hard years in prisons.

I don’t think that a crime such as this, that is committed for the first time should lead to such a sentence. If after a lighter sentence the offense is committed again, then maybe it is time for such measures…

3 Sep 16, 2006 at 17:33 by mog

Kupo!

4 Sep 16, 2006 at 19:09 by LadyMystic

I feel for Him.
And I agree with Justsomeguy and Soulxlight.
Why are they doing this to him and not out there catching the REAL criminals. Some how seems unfair.
White Collar Crimes should not get such a sentence.
Murders and and those who hurt Childern,(VIA selling drugs,etc.) Those are the ones who should be punished.
You know I thinks it pretty Sad that are taking OUR internet away, and Telling us how and what we can do with it.
if it was not for people like us where would the internet be. THIS IS OUR INTERNET!!!! we make it what it is.and I will be writing a letter to his Judge ask him please not to do this to him.
lets pull together and see if we can help out,I mean we have all done it. Why should Scott suffer.
So lets all ban together and help out…

Thank you

5 Sep 16, 2006 at 22:18 by Big O Steve

Of course the federal gov. is going to try to lock him up for as long as possible since it has a multi billion dollar indutry whispering in it,s ear. Drug dealers and other criminals don,t have any adverse affect on hollywood as a matter of fact they practicly cater to it. Really now does an actor or some rapper really need another 25 million dollars for one movie or album. Please !!!!!!! Who are we kidding, they are trying to set an example to simply scare the hell out of everyone else.

6 Sep 16, 2006 at 22:35 by Dominic Douse

Best of luck Scott –
A bit like David and Goliath -
Lets hope Scott shares the good fortune David benifitted from – prosecuting you and people like you – is not the solution – technology is light years ahead of the judiciary – Im a westerner living in South Korea – the things I see here everyday, make your so-called crime, dwindle into insignificance – and this stuff here continues day in day out -on a grand scale – the powers that be are aware – nobody really cares – laissez faire – people want pirated goods because they’re free or cheaper – give the people what they want -
All hail the mighty Scott – the peoples hero!

7 Sep 16, 2006 at 23:16 by Dominic Douse

I would just like to add – although Scott acted in a manner that was technically illegal, there ought to be some leeway – his sentence is preposterous – I said before that I hoped Scott would share David’s good fortune – but I did not mean he should choose a stone and with his sling cast it at the honorable Justice Sean J.Mclaughlin. That would be pure folly – two wrongs dont make a right – but for a man to be incarcerated in – what state is this in ? -whatever state – he isnt looking forward to it – I’m sure that most people would kill, or even be killed rather than be couped up in an antiquated, ineffectual, hard, cold, penal system like those found across your great country -”Home of the brave, land of the free” oh oh no there’s something wrong there – if some guy tried to imprison me for copying a movie which made how much money ????? well Im sure it was enough to pay several judges salaries and build another prison or two – well done – yeah !! money well spent – WHY IS THE WORLD RUN BY FASCIST MORONES ?

8 Sep 19, 2006 at 19:28 by Legal Eagle

No matter what you think of the law or punishment, writing to the judge is futile. He’ll never read a single letter. Don’t waste your time.

9 Sep 19, 2006 at 20:36 by Platypus

Poor guy… He should have gotten max 10 days or a 50$ fine in my opinion.

10 Sep 23, 2006 at 14:30 by Joe

This is what happens when a country is run by corporate intersts rather than the interests of the individual. Of course murder and child abuse would rank as lesser crimes than an affront to corporate power. The lawyers prosecuting this case are such tools of corporate hegemony its absurd and really could ONLY happen in America to this degree (5 years per count! thats obscene). America is so defiantly backwards it is shocking.

11 Sep 23, 2006 at 14:31 by Zepher

Yeah, it is amazing how a country based on the rights of individuals could evolve into such a tool of corporate power.

12 Oct 04, 2006 at 02:00 by Scott McCausland

http://www.cafepress.com/sk0t

13 Oct 07, 2006 at 13:39 by manwhore6969

It’s about time the judicial system woke up and started addressing real issues instead of picking on easy targets.If corportate America hadn’t been so greedy this mans life and reputation would not be getting dragged thru the courts.Who has Scott hurt?.NOBODY. Please folks, don’t let Scott do time for having a hobby.It’s in ALL our interests as pc users and file sharers.

Good luck Scott

I’m sorry your life has been put on display and you’re now being made a scapegoat.

14 Oct 27, 2006 at 09:52 by urbanman

If he gets maximum sentence and even half sentence is life is broken. And he is only 23. I propose that we wait and see what comes from it. The letter might help a bit, but the judge might be blind from the interest at stakes.

When he comes out, WE SHOULD ALL USE THE INTERNET for what it is. Build a network to put him back on rail with his life. Sending (for example) 1 € or 1 $ per person might seem useless but the internet and its broadcast might turn it into a tsunami. 5it is one way of helping the poor guy) Send a message to the world as well. That is one of the main interest of internet anyhow… to link people together. I know it is a crime he has done. We are all on thoses sites.

What is the use of punishing one guy? It is beheading one man on the public place to scare the entire population. History books have many examples. And it is still going today literally.

Internet has educated me more that any teacher and any educational system because it is free. Imagine what societies can become if they have (full) access to information. It should not only serve 20% of the world’s population but the maximum.

Linking people is the basis of this system (post cold war military system at first), morality is the foundations of humanity. What are we afraid of? Are we afraid of writing a new page of history and a new society with it? And who is afraid?

I have never been so in contact with music, art, news, information, people from different cultures that with internet. It is obvious, the world is going to be well managed only through a well managed network. Do not let it die out like this. You will not only send a message to scott but as well send a message to the network. The message that you want to send is : you are alone man but thanks for the information you scattered, or dont’t worry scott we’ll back you up!

at least I hope my community would react with adequate response when the tools are available and almost free (an internet connection + cpu) when I am in the hole.

15 Oct 28, 2006 at 00:12 by Anon

WTF?!?! There’s no more freedom!
Neither in internet you can share your songs (that you made with YOUR garage band) or whatever. That’s ridicoulos, I just hope that other sites (ig those hostes in Europe, Sweden) still resist.

16 Oct 28, 2006 at 00:57 by Gecko_Brasil

Brazil is with you !!

17 Oct 28, 2006 at 01:37 by T_Brasil

I´m with you !!!

18 Oct 28, 2006 at 02:21 by ricardo

I will only know if somebody copied my music for illegal ends if the same be sold to the some price.

19 Oct 28, 2006 at 02:42 by Toledao

TOLEDO ESMAGA JUIZ

20 Oct 28, 2006 at 03:32 by Lucas_Brasil

The internet should be a place with no rules like this, knowledge should be shared no metter which way it’ll take.

21 Oct 28, 2006 at 04:06 by HwK

You a nerd man!!! fuck!!!

22 Oct 28, 2006 at 06:12 by F@bio

Concordo com sua causa.

Espero que se saia bem e livre deste evento.

Cordialmente,

F@bio – BRASIL

23 Oct 28, 2006 at 13:56 by Lucas (Brasil)

Espero que nao seja preso por essa besteira.

24 Oct 28, 2006 at 18:54 by César (Brasil)

Não adianta essas industrias lutarem contra a maré, essa é uma revoulução, é melhor aceitarem agora e não pegarem ninguém para Cristo.

Boa sorte para você, espero que a humanidade se preocupe com coisas mais importantes, do que compartilhar cultura pela internet.

César Kallas.

25 Oct 30, 2006 at 01:05 by Xup1sk0_8r4z1L

Break the walls, break the handcuffs, live the freedom.
Prepare a standard letter for us to send to the judge.

That’s all folks :-P

26 Oct 30, 2006 at 15:03 by Elcio Figueiredo (Brasil)

É um direito de todos compartilhar informações.
Por isso apoio sua causa, a industria tem que remexer e criar maneiras de criar receitas com as novas tecnologias.

Elcio Figueiredo

27 Oct 30, 2006 at 18:05 by Jeff

Please Mr. Judge,

Set him free !!! He was just helping everybody !!! Thanks

28 Oct 30, 2006 at 21:17 by cesar fleming

tem mmais é que prender essas figuras nefqastas!!!!!

29 Oct 30, 2006 at 22:37 by Daniel - Redencao - BRAZIL

apoio sua causa ao inves de ir atraz de um crime tao besta eles deveriam era prender o OSAMA kkk

30 Oct 30, 2006 at 23:27 by DG

You are guilty of being a person beyond our time. You are being punished by people and laws that doens’t belong to the 21 century. And they will loose this war. In fact, they aready loosed it. I wish you luck, man, and don’t give up. When you get out of the jail, you will see a much better and free world.

31 Oct 31, 2006 at 13:02 by Renato

As gravadoras estão lutando para manter uma realidade que já está morta, se fosse possível, elas iriam querer que quando você escuta uma música numa festa ou boite, se não paga está pirateando. Mas tudo está muito diferente hoje, eles querem pegar alguns para servirem de exemplo, não ligam para as leis, eles (as gravadoras) querem ganhar dinheiro. Se não mudarem os conceitos, podem prender um ou outro, mas vão gastar todo o dinheiro que arrancaram dos artistas e usuários para isso.

32 Oct 31, 2006 at 14:46 by Spiderman

Free Torrent!!!

33 Nov 01, 2006 at 13:50 by Pedro Augusto S. Vieira

Sr. Juiz

Por favor, dê mais uma chance ao rapaz. Aqueles que ganham com os programas e filmes que são veiculados já estão bastante ricos. Faça-o assinar um acordo que permita que o mesmo pague pelos prejuízos causados a longo prazo. Perder a liberdade por causa de alguns milhões de 0000 e 11111 não é algo que seja essencial.

Voto pela liberdade do rapaz.

Obs. Não sou a favor de bitorrents. Não uso e não recomendo.

Pedro Augusto

34 Nov 01, 2006 at 20:53 by Carlos (Brazil)

hi, my name is Carlos and i live in Brazil.
right now, we have a millions of kids hungry, people who dont have any money or food, just to stay alive, people are beeing killed, murdered, dying of serious deseases, and a thousand problems more serious than that, and what they do ? waste time sending young boys from prison just to share files. THIS IS INTERNET, NOT THE REAL LIFE, INTERNET IS OUR PLACE TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT, WHENEVER WE WANT.
the world is seed with greed, just like the producers. they’re are RICH even if half of their films or albums are beeing shared on the internet. they’re just looking for our money, they don’t care if a young man life is destroyed.
Scoot do something illegal, but look at yourself in the mirror for moment. think if you NEVER do something wrong, if you never act wrong, if you never download a song from internet that you not found anywhere.
judge when you go home, see if your kids, if someone in your family, if a friend of yours are downloading a song from internet, are watching a movie in the PC, if they dont use illegal tools over the net.
maybe they can spend sometime with Scott on the prison too, beeing molested by many of murderes and all that kind of person.
think about it before send Scott to jail.

TORRENT OWNZ
INTERNET IS OUR PLACE.

35 Nov 04, 2006 at 20:09 by Daniel

Cinematographic industries still make a lot of money with your abuse moneys, art is rigth of people and torrent is way to popularize cinema, music and other midia.

36 Nov 10, 2006 at 17:52 by Adrian Cortez

Sorry, I am Brazilian and don’t say English well…
But I leave here my indignation with this decision of “Justice” American north…
And I wait that this is reverted…

I with you Scoot!

37 Nov 15, 2006 at 00:57 by Bruno - Brazil

Hi, i’m Bruno, a law student from Rio de Janeiro.

In fact, the Law Science intends to apply the norms in accordance with the social yearning. It’s true, and notorious, that 99% of the population in earth don’t have money for spending with leisure pleasures; and it’s exactly what the media coerces everybody to desire – popstars, Hollywood movies, Broadway… Any single 3 years kid in Bangladesh knows who is Michael Jackson, and they don’t have even money for food.

The XXI Century’s media created a monster: the need for something that nobody realy needs. And, if they profits rivers of money by one side, they have to hold the wave of the demand.

We have the basic rights, that appeared in the French revolution (to the life, to the dignity…); after them, with the welfare state come the social rights (to the adequate wage, to a place to live…); and, by the social yearning, we have another type of rights that are intrinsics to the dignity of human being, called society rights, that includes the right to the information and culture (to the movies, to the music), the right to the environment…

Based on that, our friend Scott was just fighting against a need that the proper society created. What kind of freak would be Scott if he doesn’t knew Madonna???

Based on that, and certain that U.S. Constitution consecrates the rights of a democratic republic, i ask for the absolution of Scott.

Thanks, and contact me for what you to need.

38 Dec 21, 2006 at 17:49 by Me

Hello,

I’ve never used EliteTorrent, but I’m deeply shocked to see a young man, that never committed any crimes, sentenced to 5 years, for nothing. Nothing ! He never earned any money, he just helped people to share what they had, for free.
In a lot of countries (Holland, Canada, etc…), it’s not illegal to download copyrighted stuff if you don’t make money with it. Majors make cd for 1 bucks, they sell it 20 bucks and this guy go in jail ?
If he really deserved something, it should have been suspended prison.
Injustice.

39 Apr 17, 2007 at 23:14 by dark4190

[quote comment="12384"]Scott committed a crime,but the punishment should fit the crime. For a family man who works with disabled youth and has never even had a ticket, this punishment that he faces does not.

We have people in hte uS killing, raping children, robbing banks at gunpoint and multiple offenders, that are not getting half the punishment Scott will get, which is 2 years, and 3 years monitored.

The punishment they are giving him is a crime.[/quote]

You kill someone, shame on you. You steal money from people, shame on me?

40 Apr 20, 2007 at 14:02 by Code 47

Planet earth is full of shit people! Corrupt lawyers get paid and controlled by money interest of fucking greedy cocaine addicted assholes like RIAA, MPAA and so on. 5 years in prison for that is not human! In usa it has so many gangs. Why you guys don’t get organized and bomb the headquarters of RIAA, MPAA.

41 Nov 14, 2007 at 09:53 by mr anon

I haven,t got a legal argument for scott, i wish i did,all i can say is i live alone,i,m single, i have no real freinds, except for a couple i,ve met on the internet,a new movie comes out,one id like to see but who wants to sit in a movie theatre alone,maybe there,s other people out there in the same boat,but thanks to scott for making it possible for people like me to go to the movies.
good luck scott

42 Nov 17, 2007 at 15:07 by Seb

People who commit murders, robbery… ect. usually have something to think about so going to jail is supposed to give them time to think about what they’ve done and how its effected there society. You cant make scot go to jail to think, ‘yep, shouldn’t of downloaded all those things’ a fine will do that. Not a live changing destroying thing like this. Wife Children, criminal record. He may not get another good job in whats left of his life after they steel five years of it.

Sick.

43 Jun 26, 2008 at 08:58 by dickhead

Boycott the fat cunt george luca!

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