reviews used as evidence?

lyn.xes's Avatar
Microsoft director, former Amazon director charged in prostitution sting

Charges have been filed against additional men – including a director from Microsoft and a former Amazon director – for promoting prostitution after investigators said they met with victims of sex trafficking at high-end Bellevue apartments.

One of those charged is S**** V******, the director of worldwide health for Microsoft.

Using the names "Appy" and "Jaytee," investigators said V****** submitted over 70 reviews of prostitutes he had allegedly hired since April 2012, according to investigators....


Another man charged is V**** A******. He was the director of software development at Amazon, and spearheaded the company's new FireTV.

A****** used the name "Captain America" when he allegedly hired prostitutes at least 29 times through The Review Board and TheLeague.Net, according to court documents.

The tech directors are two of six local men charged late last month in King County Superior Court with promoting prostitution in the second degree – a felony charge.

All have been added to the 12 men and one woman arrested and charged when TheReviewBoard.net was shut down in January....

They all pleaded not guilty and are free on bail, which was set at $75,000 for each.
it kind of sounds like they are using the reviews as evidence to go after these men?

should we be worried?
Wakeup's Avatar
Yep. Disable your account and quit hobbying...
Any thing you can and will be...

Miranda is very clear
  • cr76
  • 05-15-2016, 05:11 PM
They have to establish the validity of said reviews.
LexusLover's Avatar
Any thing you can and will be...

Miranda is very clear Originally Posted by Mythos
Miranda doesn't apply to reviews, silly.
LexusLover's Avatar
They have to establish the validity of said reviews. Originally Posted by cr76
By that do you mean .... if "John Doe" aka Captain America wrote it?

"They" can prove what I just typed in response to your post!!!!
  • cr76
  • 05-15-2016, 06:11 PM
What I meant was establish the details in the review - date, time, prove its legit.
They would need to have the providers testify in court under oath to corroborate is my best guess
Miranda doesn't apply to reviews, silly. Originally Posted by LexusLover
lol....shhh. Don't ruin the fun.


No. Op, imo, Reviews are not admissable as fact, (but they can lead to witnesses if called and they 'offer' up information) but posting participation can influence a jury or judge as to chatacter if a factual link between said post's and the accused are established.

Go read the question of legality on national
When you're sitting at the bar with undercover cops, discussing buying pussy, bragging about activities, admitting you knew the girls were victims of sex trafficking....you got bigger things to worry about
SpiceItUp's Avatar
In the legal forum there is a sticky covering this exact topic.

http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=515506

Sorry to interrupt the discussions of which provider has the biggest tits, whether licking a person's A-hole is a worthwhile activity, and if VickieVagina should be drawn and quartered for no-showing JerryGiantCock, but over in our humble legal forum a member asked,

Can a review be used as evidence in a prostitution case?

This is a legitimate question that comes up often. Here is my response:

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The short answer to the question is "Yes, but it's highly unlikely." Here are some reasons why this is so:

1. As we all know, everything written here is pure fantasy (except when I write that LazurusLong is one cheap mofo -- haha).

2. Before a written review would be admitted into evidence at trial, a proper foundation must be established that it's authentic -- here, that it is what it purports to be. For example, if John Jones, whose ECCIE handle is IrishPussyLover, is on trial for prostitution, the prosecutor must establish that (1) Jones is IrishPussyLover and (2) Jones wrote the review. That would be hard, unless Jones is a total dumbass and admitted his handle is IrishPussyLover and he wrote the review.

3. In the real world, the primary evidence used to make a prostitution case consists of admissions or other damaging statements by the defendant to LE. As I've written before, the common fact in all the prostitution cases I've handled over 28 years is the defendant either talked about a specific sex act and/or a specific dollar amount with the undercover 'provider' or the UC 'john.' In other words, the Laws don't need a 'fantasy review' to make a prostitution case because the defendant makes it for them by voluntarily placing his or her own empty head in the noose.

4. The defendant may properly object that a written review is inadmissible hearsay, which is an out-of-court statement offered for the truth of the matter asserted therein. (The 'truth' here is the defendant committed prostitution.) However, the prosecution may reply that the review is non-hearsay because it's a statement against interest because a person does not admit committing a crime unless it's true. However, do not confuse the hearsay objection with the authenticity requirement. The prosecutor would have to overcome both objections.

The bottom line is: If you hobby, you're engaging in criminal activity. Engaging in criminal activity involves the risk of criminal prosecution therefor. If you want to lessen your risk, don't write reviews. But you'd have to be borderline paranoid to think that way. Instead, write reviews, but be discreet and use common sense when you do so.

-----------------------------------------

Again, sorry for the interruption boys and girls. Now back to your regularly-scheduled programming. Originally Posted by ShysterJon
azteclust's Avatar
Highly unlikely. Is a escort site, what happens between 2 parties is private nothing to discuss. Reviews are like reviewing a car or house. A car was used in a pursuit chase or a car was used for work transportation. Escort also goes either way. However for precautions always use a hobby email, hobby phone and hobby name.
DEAR_JOHN's Avatar
There is no doubt in my mind that some member of LE has read this thread and laughed.
Grace Preston's Avatar
They were not arrested simply for writing reviews. There are many other articles about this situation. The arrests stemmed from their involvement in creating a separate advertising site for these girls that they KNEW were trafficked. They were also captured on tape discussing the girls and even acknowledging that they knew the girls were likely trafficked. One of the gents was even shown to have partial ownership in one of the brothels in question.

A review in regards to the court system is primarily hearsay. Used to establish a pattern of behavior in conjunction with other evidence, but never as a stand-alone piece.
LexusLover's Avatar
Highly unlikely. Originally Posted by azteclust
Really?

"The bottom line is: If you hobby, you're engaging in criminal activity. Engaging in criminal activity involves the risk of criminal prosecution therefor. If you want to lessen your risk, don't write reviews. But you'd have to be borderline paranoid to think that way. Instead, write reviews, but be discreet and use common sense when you do so."

Ask the Galveston Tourist Bureau if there are sharks off the beaches there.

Then ask any fisherman at the end of any one of the fishing piers.