Artist Released From Supervision Over DOJ Objections (Patriot Act Abuse)

Press Release from:

http://www.caedefensefund.org/

http://www.caedefensefund.org/releases/111705_Release.html

Supervisor requests release, prosecution attempts to block

Artist and University at Buffalo professor Steven Kurtz has been released from pretrial supervision despite strong objections from US Department of Justice prosecutor William Hochul.

SUMMARY OF CASE

Almost eighteen months have passed since Kurtz awoke to find that his wife of twenty years had died of heart failure. He called the police, who, upon noticing lab equipment that Kurtz used in his artwork and teaching, contacted the FBI. The FBI detained Kurtz as a potential "bioterrorist" and initiated an investigation involving the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Department of Homeland Security, and numerous other federal and international law enforcement agencies, at an estimated cost to taxpayers in the millions of dollars.

Kurtz was finally indicted not for bioterrorism, but for "mail and wire fraud" - charges traditionally brought in weak cases when no other charges will stick. (These charges still carry a possible sentence of twenty years in prison.)

the KGB and the SS would be proud.

I weep for our future.

Naw, you are wrong. The KGB and SS would be turning up their noses in professional distain at how badly the Feds have screwed up what should have been a routine "See? We are doing something to keep you safe and protected" oublietting.

bungling of a routine operation.