Mother of Autistic U.K. Hacker Calls on Obama for Help
Forty-three-year-old Londoner Gary McKinnon is facing extradition to the U.S. (as well as up to 60 years in a U.S. prison) if convicted of hacking into government computers, reports the BBC. He also has Asperger's syndrome, a type of autism disorder. After numerous failed attempts to have her son tried in the U.K., McKinnon's mother, Janis Sharp (pictured) is pleading directly to President Obama for help, having sent him a letter signed by 40 Members of British Parliament asking him to "bring this shameful episode to an end." Speaking outside the High Court last week, she added, "I'm just praying, please hear us, Obama, because I know you would do the right thing."McKinnon claims he was simply looking for suppressed UFO-related documents, and that the attacks were in no way malicious. Still, laws were broken, and two judges found that extradition was the proper response, but also admitted that extradition and prison in the U.S. for the handicapped McKinnon might be "very difficult indeed." With the U.S.-U.K. extradition treaty recently failing to get a revision, it's unknown exactly what Obama's choices are in the matter. But Sharp is hopeful. Outside the High Court, she told reporters, "Obama wouldn't have this. He doesn't want the first guy extradited for computer misuse to be a guy with Asperger's, a UFO guy." [From: BBC News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 14)
sb said 1:13PM on 8-03-2009
Yet Obama can get involved in the Boston situation, yet he won't help this lady? It is very easy to end up on sites that you shouldn't be in when searching for info about one topic or another. A person with Aspergers may not know he was doing anything wrong. Yet we let murderers and child molestors out on tiny amounts of bail. This world is screwed up.
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obamabiddenladen said 9:01AM on 8-04-2009
See, you don't understand......this man doesn't have the "complexion for the connection".....ya dig?
jmbulluck said 11:34AM on 8-04-2009
so every mentally disabled kid that commits a federal crime should be helped by the president? what happened to getting an attorney? in my opinion, the mother should be charged for not paying more attention to what her 'special needs' child does. parents need to monitor their children's activities more, especially on the internet.
Lynn said 12:05PM on 8-04-2009
This is not up for Presidental Pardon.. its international law and laws of the USA.
Perhaps the Supreme Court.. but why not let the little "brilliant", will figure out how to get out of it himself.. he got into it.. and apparently.. attaching a name to being ... a pain in the butt to millions of people is socially acceptable here.
There must be actions... and there must be reactions. ying yang..
If ya don't want to do the time.. don't do the crime !
What if he was hacking your records.. say your social security records.. and using them to sell to people who will then steal your ID ? Ruin your credit.. hummmm ???
What if he changed all info on your work records.. and made you a criminal ?
What if he.. used the hacking to change grade scores and delete credits and degree's that you worked all your life to achieve ?
Then .. what would you say about him .. ? Oh it was just a mistake ?
lol yeah.
ra said 9:37PM on 8-12-2009
Idiot--you do realize that Obama "got involved" because he answered a question at a press conference, right?
Brian said 1:42PM on 8-03-2009
I say the guy gets electronic surveillance for life and a year of prison, with work for the US gov't as a work release program.
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Mom with a Felon said 9:34PM on 8-03-2009
As a mother of a son with what we now believer to be aspergers, I know what this mother is going through. I have one son diagnosed. My older son, who is now a felon for computer hacking, was lucky....and got off light. However, he did learn from the experience. Jail would not have helped him learn! A hallmark of aspergers is bluntness and difficulty with social skills. It was not a matter of right/wrong... it was a matter of helping the wrong people while pursing an area of intense interest. He was not fully aware of "being used" nor that his intense area of interest was doing damage or breaking laws. He had/has a very limited "theory of mind" skills. Weak theory of mind skills are often responsible for being very concrete (to the point of what we might view as sarcasm), the inability to know what is appropriate in different circumstances, and the inabilty to understand the implications of behaviors. However, it can be learned, as my son as learned over the last 4-5 years and grown tremendously. Explicit, detailed, practiced instruction helps tremendously. I do not condone breaking the law or that he should not get consequences. However, the consequences should be meant to help him. Jail will not do this. My son had to pay back $10,000, was on house arrest for nearly 4 years, and was not allowed to touch a computer for some time. It has now been 5 years and his life is back on track, he learned much through the experience, and he now has the oppportunity to contribute to society rather than to "take" from it by being placed in jail. He has learned to use his computer skills more appropriately through shema or "Theory of mind" instruction applicable to the situation, including helping him with his very concrete way of thinking and helping him understand "perspective taking."
I am not fully aware of the situation, and so cannot say I support the mom whole heartedly. However, explicit, detailed instruction would be far more productive than jail.
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Mary Anne said 6:23AM on 8-04-2009
To Mom with a Felon,
You have made the most sense of all the people I have read who have commented on this story. I really really hate when people think that IQ is co-related to having Asperger's Syndrome. My best friend in college and I were both 'hacker's - the exception was that in the mid to late 1970's there was no internet but we hacked into the computer at the University. We both ended up being hired as a result. The thing is, both of us most likely have Aspergers. I was told by two doctors that I have it. Yet my IQ is in the high 160's. But I have no social skills and just this week got kicked off of an adoption database message board because the moderator doesn't like me. I think it's that I am too outspoken or blunt. Yet I need to be there because I am adopted and need the support of the adoption community found there. Those of us with Aspergers are very very misunderstood and end up in 'messes' not really of our own making because when we try to communicate with people, often times it is misunderstood. Please contact me. It's so good to see someone who understands the situation with those of us with Aspergers and our sometimes futile attempts to communicate and make friends only to have it fall down around us.
omountainman said 7:20AM on 8-04-2009
To Mary Ann........... I'm sorry, but I don't buy you explanation of why you hacked the schools computer. It's obvious by reading your post that you know the difference between right and wrong. For you to justify your crimes by claiming an infirmity is a piss poor excuse. As for the Hacker in the UK....... it's known that he has a medical condition and doesn't know the difference between right and wrong. Then he shouldn't be allowed access to a computer. As for punishment......maybe his mother is the one that should be in jail for being a friggin idiot.
Sierra said 11:33PM on 8-17-2009
Thank you for your insightful post. It sounds like the consequences impossed on your son would be a good solution for this instance, as well. You also sound like a great mom!
bear452 said 5:53PM on 8-03-2009
......"I'm just praying, oh hear us Obama"
well if the annointed one can't answer prayers who can?
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Mary Anne said 6:23AM on 8-04-2009
Jeff, you are such an understanding moron -- NOT !!!!
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starbuxlady said 6:50AM on 8-04-2009
I so agree with John Z.. so this pres of ours will definitely not have a few beer parties, and laugh it off..
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dickweed4647 said 6:52AM on 8-04-2009
I'm thinking the messiah will just do a "laying on of hands" to resolve this. What else could anyone ask for?
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kelly said 9:17AM on 8-04-2009
Actually, the best thing for him might be to be extradicted to the US. He would have his day in court and could be placed in a program like the one #11's son went through. Most people with Asbergers and autism can be greatly helped by behavioral modification therapy. It's a shame that a 43 year old man still hasn't been helped with this. In the US, he won't have to deal with socialized medicine and might be able to get the help he needs.
No jury in the US is going to sentence a first time offender, who is handicapped, to the maximum term of 60 years. That just used in the article for shock value.
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Kathy said 7:06AM on 8-04-2009
Asperger a form of autism, however, depending on the level, they are highly functional and intelligent, as far as technical use, they can control this, as they are mechanically inclined. Note; those piano prodigists!
Can this case be blamed on this young man, due to his disability, and for another to get away with this criminal invasion of privacy, hacking?
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gimcm3185 said 7:08AM on 8-04-2009
Just because YOU can type it doesn't mean that your IQ is higher than 50. Why don't you have someone research autism and maybe write you a picture book that you can understand.
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nightctix said 7:30AM on 8-04-2009
"I'm just praying, please hear us, Obama, because I know you would do the right thing."
Yep, sounds like obama is the new Messiah in some people's shallow minds, they now pray to him. Excuse me while I go puke.
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BettyB22111896 said 7:47AM on 8-04-2009
My son has Asperger's also. He is extremely bright. However, as with most Aspies, he does not have much in the way of social skills and interprets most things literally. He also has the typical Aspie tendency to be focused on one or two interests - in his case it was Godzilla when he was younger - the single-minded pursuit of a fascination. He has a kind of innocence - not really street-smart.
Asperger's Syndrome is a developmental disorder characterized by literal thinking. When my son was 12, he had the behavior and thinking of an 8 yr old, with the intelligence above most 12 yr olds. At 15, we were maybe 12. He is now 27, and with a whole lot of support along the way, has a full time job and his own apartment. I don't know where he will be at 43. But I do know, wherever it is, he will still have Asperger's.
This mother is correct - her son was not looking for government secrets, he was looking for information on UFO's. He was following the trail of UFO info single-mindedly - very doggedly but very likely without realizing the flap it would create.
My heart goes out to her. There is no winner in this situation.
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tempestrogue said 8:05AM on 8-04-2009
Jeff,
Learn some about Asperger's and Autism before you make such stupid remarks. People with Aspergers can get OCD to the point where it over rules their life, and do not have the ability to have the social cues to realize what they are doing might not be exactly right. They also often have no "grey" areas in perception of things...so for him..if his OCD idea was that a UFO document must exist and must be made public then trust me, it consumed him.
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