David LaMacchia Defense Fund
The David LaMacchia Defense Fund was organized to ensure that David
LaMacchia gets a fair trial. LaMacchia has been indicted by the
federal government for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. "This is the
first time in Massachusetts that the wire fraud statute has been used
in a computer bulletin board case," said Stephen Heyman, deputy chief
in the US attorney's office. That makes the case interesting,
law-making, and very expensive. An unfortunate side-effect of our
common law system, where laws are made by decisions in particular
cases, is that an individual involved in a constitutional test case is
faced with the certainty of staggering legal bills as well as the
possibility of imprisonment and fines.
Contributions to the Fund will be used to defray a portion of
LaMacchia's legal expenses. The Fund spends nothing on advertising,
salaries, promotions, etc.; 100% of contributions are used for legal
defense.
The Fund takes no position on the merits of either side's case.
Information from both sides
- The Indictment
- U.S. Attorney's April 7, 1994 press release
- Response of Defense Counsel, April 8, 1994
- Issues Primer (from Defense Counsel), April 11, 1994
- Motion to Dismiss (from Defense Counsel), September 30, 1994
- Government's Opposition to Motion to Dismiss (from U.S. Attorney),
October 24, 1994
- Reply to Government's Opposition to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss
(from Defense Counsel), November 4, 1994
- Memorandum of Decision and Order on Defendant's Motion to Dismiss
(from Stearns, D.J., allowing the Motion to Dismiss), December 28, 1994
- Statement from Defense Counsel Concerning
the Dismissal of the Indictment, December 29, 1994
- Statement from the U.S. Attorney's
Office on decision not to appeal Judge Stearns' ruling, January 27, 1995.
- Statement from Defense Counsel on decision not to appeal, January 27, 1995.
Case Chronology