Assange backers ordered to pay up after asylum bid

[struggle4progress]

Source: Associated Press

CASSANDRA VINOGRAD
Updated 6:37 a.m., Monday, October 8, 2012

... Former BBC journalist Vaughan Smith, who hosted Assange at his country house for more than a year as the WikiLeaks founder fought extradition, was among the nine supporters who had argued that they should not be punished for trying to "serve the public interest" in the case.

But Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle on Monday ordered them to pay 93,500 pounds ($150,000) by Nov. 6, saying that while he accepted the supporters had acted in good faith, they had failed in their "basic duty" to ensure Assange surrendered.

"They must have understood the risk and the concerns of the courts," he said in his ruling, ordering each of the nine to pay part of 140,000 pounds ($224,300) originally pledged ...

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Assange-backers-ordered-to-pay-up-after-asylum-bid-3927820.php

[struggle4progress]

1. ... In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate said he accepted that the nine had all acted in good faith,

saying: "I accept that they trusted Mr Assange to surrender himself as required. I accept that they followed the proceedings and made necessary arrangements to remain in contact with him.

"However, they failed in their basic duty, to ensure his surrender. They must have understood the risk and the concerns of the courts.

"Both this court and the High Court assessed that there were substantial grounds to believe the defendant would abscond, and that the risk could only be met by stringent conditions including the sureties," he said ...

Assange backers told to pay £93,500
Oct 8 2012
http://www.osadvertiser.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2012/10/08/assange-backers-told-to-pay-93-500-80904-31991738/

[struggle4progress]

2. ... Judge Howard Riddle said today that some of a bond of £140,000 offered in late 2010

Judge Howard Riddle said today that some of a bond of £140,000 offered in late 2010 to cover Assange's conditional bail must now be paid. A total of £93,500 has been demanded from the nine sureties ...

Assange chums must cough up £93,500 bail over embassy lurk
Wikileakster still living on sofa in small diplo flat
By Kelly Fiveash, Networks Correspondent
Posted in Media, 8th October 2012 13:33 GMT
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/08/julian_assange_sureties/

[struggle4progress]

3. ... Judge Riddle said in most cases the surety is forfeit in full to maintain confidence

in the system.

“It would be particularly unfortunate if it became established that a defendant who absconded without in any way forewarning his sureties thereby releases them from some or all of their responsibilities” ...

The judge ruled that all nine must pay the money demanded in full by November 6th or appear in front of him to say why they should “not be committed to custody for non-payment”.

Under section 120 (3) of the 1980 Magistrates Court Act, he ruled that Prof David must pay £10,000; Lady Evans, the wife of a former Labour minister, £15,000; Joseph Farrell and Sarah Harrison, WikiLeaks aides, £3,500 each; Phillip Knightley, a journalist, £15,000; Ms Saunders, £12,000; Mr Smith, £12,000; Sir John Sulston, a biologist, £15,000; and Tracy Worcester, the Marchioness of Worcester, £7,500.

Julian Assange’s backers told to pay £93,500 over bail breach
Julian Assange's backers have been ordered to pay a court £93,500 after the Wikileaks founder breached his bail conditions to seek asylum in Ecuadorian Embassy.
By Martin Beckford, Home Affairs Editor
2:17PM BST 08 Oct 2012
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/9594015/Julian-Assanges-backers-told-to-pay-93500-over-bail-breach.html

[wtmusic]

7. Your manic posting of dupes is quite amusing

as if it will aid in your attempt at character assassination. Sadly, 100 x 0 = 0.

Apparently Assange has gotten under your skin - to which I say bravo, Julian!

[randome]

8. You seem to be bouncing all over the place without actually refuting much.

Care to explain what you find wrong with post #3?

[wtmusic]

28. What's to refute?

I suppose JA has an unpaid traffic ticket.

I really don't give a rat's ass about whether Assange's supporters have to fork over his bail or not. He's fighting for his life. If you can't see these sexual charges are bullshit diplomatic machinations to force him to face espionage charges in the U.S.; if you believe $7M/year is a reasonable fee to force an individual to answer in person to unconfirmed, dubious allegations; if you see nothing curious in the inability of either the Brits or Swedes to pledge not to extradite him while dealing with this matter: you inhabit a universe where logic is founded on different principles than mine.

It's a testament to his character they had to go that far out on a limb.

[99th_Monkey]

16. I've had similar experiences

with said person re: obsessively vilifying Assange.

Defiant refusal to acknowledge clear factual information, clear
as nose on face.

[cstanleytech]

19. How about we call it what it is? Which in this case was annoying plus bordering on outright rude.

[truth2power]

11. "...maintain confidence in the system."

Yeah, we sure want to do that. When it benefits the PTB, that is.

Otherwise, not so much.

[struggle4progress]

13. What's wrong with the bail system? Defendants get some freedom while their cases are pending;

the jails are spared the burden of feeding and housing those same persons; somebody puts up substantial money as a guarantee that the defendant will surrender to custody or appear in court when demanded -- and forfeits the money if the defendant doesn't show

As a general rule, it works well and to the advantage of several parties

[wtmusic]

29. Agree - it's worked wonderfully in this case.

Assange suckered both the Brits and the US - I guess they didn't figure he had supporters willing to cough up the money.

They were wrong.

[truth2power]

30. You are correct, of course. I think I just had a knee-jerk response to that phrase...

"maintain confidence in the system".

Generally, it seems maintaining confidence etc. is only claimed by the PTB when it's their ox being gored.

Just being cranky. Don't know what's wrong with me lately.

[freedom fighter jh]

4. Howard Riddle: Any relation to Tom Riddle (Voldemort)? nt

[msanthrope]

14. His squib cousin, I'm sure of it. nt

[randome]

5. Then that means...Howard Riddle is part of the conspiracy, too!

It grows! It growwwwwws!

[Octafish]

6. Freedom of Speech isn't free.

As for the royale court: They are the direct servants of the corrupt turds from whom the United States declared independence.

[struggle4progress]

9. ... "Mr Assange has an obligation to comply with the legal requirements of this country to surrender

to the bail granted on terms originally set by the High Court," he said in his ruling ...

Julian Assange's Backers Ordered To Pay Up
Monday, 8th October 2012 12:19
http://www.lbc.co.uk/julian-assanges-backers-ordered-to-pay-up-60981

[malthaussen]

10. Bail is bail. What's the problem?

However justified Mr Assange might be in his fears, bail is bail. The judge doesn't exactly have room to suspend it, and Mr Assange has obviously failed to surrender.

-- Mal

[cstanleytech]

17. The problem appears that since it involves Assage some people believe it should be overlooked. nt

[greiner3]

12. Ahhh;

Future thought crimes.

Shades of 1984.

Minority Report; that was Cruise's best film, other than the first 2 MI films, in the last couple of decades.

[msanthrope]

15. I don't understand this. How is bail jumping a thought crime? nt

[cstanleytech]

18. I was wondering the same thing. nt

[struggle4progress]

20. ... Mr Smith said he and four other supporters visited Mr Assange last week to raise the question

of giving himself up, and they reported that meeting to the court.

"He was obviously upset that we were likely to lose our money, <but> at the same time he was very convincing in the fact that the threat to him was real," Mr Smith said.

"He explained that he was unable to leave because he had evidence that pointed to the fact that leaving the embassy would lead him to, you know, get sent to the United States of America."

Mr Smith said it is difficult to say exactly what that evidence is ...

Assange's bail guarantors ordered to pay
By Europe correspondent Mary Gearin, wires
Posted 1 hour 57 minutes ago
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-09/assanges-bail-guarantors-ordered-to-pay-out/4302318


Of course it's difficult to say exactly what evidence points to the fact that leaving the embassy would get Assange sent to the US! and that's simply because there is actually no evidence of that at all! Assange can't explain his behavior in a thorough and satisfactory manner to Vaughn Smith and the other guarantors -- because Assange is a bullshitter

[msanthrope]

21. The Family connection explains a great deal. nt

[cstanleytech]

24. I hate to say it because wikileaks has done some good things but it is looking like its a BS excuse

on part of Assage.
If I could contact him I would tell him to just get it the fuck over with already and turn himself in to the British authorities and stop using the fear that you may be charged with a crime in the US one day to hide from the charges you actually do face in Sweden.

[AntiFascist]

25. Gee, why did you leave out the most important part...

the part about having no regrets and being able to live with themselves:

'No regrets'

Long-time Assange supporter Vaughan Smith says he has no regrets about pledging about $19,000.

"Twelve-thousand pounds, I mean no one really wants to lose that sort of money," he said.

"Clearly my family will live less well as a result, however at least we will be able to live with ourselves."

...

You don't seem to get the fact that these supporters still support him.

[struggle4progress]

26. They offered monetary guarantees Assange would surrender himself when required,

at a time when Assange was talking about seeking asylum in Switzerland, but later claimed to be astonished and amazed when Assange did actually flee to an embassy; then, although they had agreed to ensure Assange would surrender himself when required, they uniformly refused to ask him to do so

[Nye Bevan]

22. I don't understand why this was ever in any doubt.

You post bail for someone, they run and hide instead of showing up at court as they promised they would, you lose your bail money.

Isn't that exactly how the system works? Even if the person on trial considers himself to be a special snowflake?

[cemaphonic]

23. Well, there's another 9 bridges burnt.

Is there anyone whose trust Assange won't abuse?

[hack89]

27. Bradley Manning is learning that particular lesson the hard way. nt