Technology
Man Sentenced in Online Threat Case Tied to Larger Debate
MARTHA BELLISLE, Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — A Washington man who posted Facebook comments threatening a former Ferguson, Missouri, police officer will avoid prison but has been ordered to stay off social media sites in a case that is part of a broader legal debate about when social media rants go beyond hyperbole and become a crime.
Before U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik handed down Jaleel Abdul-Jabbaar’s sentence Thursday, he said it was one of the hardest he has had to decide. He noted that in a separate case — the recent killings of two New York police officers — the gunman posted Facebook threats before shooting the officers.
But Lasnik accepted the defense argument that Abdul-Jabbaar’s comments were simply a strong reaction to the unfolding events in Ferguson, and he had no intention of following through on his threat to shoot Darren Wilson.
Abdul-Jabbaar told the judge he made a mistake, “and it won’t be repeated.”
The judge agreed that the two months Abdul-Jabbaar already spent behind bars was enough and ordered three years of supervised release.
In arguing for government monitoring of Abdul-Jabbaar’s computer, Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg said: “It’s OK to be frustrated, it’s OK to be angry about current events, and it’s OK to express that frustration. But our society cannot tolerate the type of violent threats the defendant made.”
Abdul-Jabbaar pleaded guilty Feb. 2 for posting a threat against Wilson on Facebook that included a call to “give back those bullets that Police Officer Darren Wilson fired into the body of Mike Brown.”
Federal prosecutors said Abdul-Jabbaar posted inflammatory messages for months after the Aug. 9 killing of Brown sparked protests nationwide. Assistant Federal Public Defender Kyana Givens said each note was in response to the news of the day out of Ferguson.
The popularity of social media sites like Facebook and its users’ willingness to speak their minds have landed people in jail and left lawyers arguing over what constitutes a “true threat” — one not protected by the First Amendment — and what is simply an exercise of free speech.
“It’s definitely an area of law that is in a state of flux,” Judge Lasnik said.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in December on another Facebook threat case that legal experts say could answer some of those questions.
When Anthony Elonis’ wife left him, he vented on his Facebook page by posting violent threats against her in the form of rap lyrics. The justices are considering whether an “objective” standard should be used in these cases, meaning an average person would believe the writer intended to harm someone, or whether the threat was “subjective,” meaning he was just venting and didn’t intend to hurt anyone.
“Facebook ‘threats’ may be different because the person is not ‘sending them’ to the intended target; indeed, the target may find out from someone else,” said Loyola Law School Professor Marcy Strauss. “It also may depend on whether the ‘threat’ is written on the ‘victim’s’ wall, or whether it is posted on the speaker’s. Whether that is important may turn on the standard the Supreme Court adopts.”
U.S. Justice Department data shows the federal government has prosecuted many of these cases: 53 cases in 2012; 63 in 2013; and 53 cases in 2014.
Ayn Dietrich, an FBI spokeswoman in Seattle, said her agency often receives tips about social media posts, but this is the only case it has seen that focused on Ferguson.
“In general, when the FBI becomes aware of publicly posted messages online, the FBI has the authority to conduct an investigation when it has reasonable grounds to believe that an individual has engaged in criminal activity or is planning to do so,” she said. “This authority is based on the illegal activity, not on the individual’s political views, position, or any other beliefs.”
Another Seattle man, Mark Brian Verhul, received prison time last year for posting on Facebook a photograph and message that said: “This is the cop I am going to kill.” A Nevada man was indicted in January for posting threats on Facebook to kill an African American police officer.
In the case the judge referred to, a Massachusetts man was arrested for posting “Put Wings On Pigs” on his Facebook page in December. The message was a repeat of the final remarks of the man who shot the two New York officers.
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Follow Martha Bellisle at https://twitter.com/marthabellisle
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
California Black Media
U.S. DOT Awards California Nearly $150M for EV Charging and Fueling Infrastructure
The United States Department of Transportation has awarded $149.7 million to California to build its zero-emission vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced last week. “Decarbonizing the transportation and goods movement sectors is essential for fighting the climate crisis and protecting public health in communities along busy corridors,” said Padilla. The funding includes $100 million for medium and heavy-duty zero emissions vehicles. The funding is being managed by the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program under the Federal Highway Administration (FHA).
By Bo Tefu, California Black Media
The United States Department of Transportation has awarded $149.7 million to California to build its zero-emission vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced last week.
“Decarbonizing the transportation and goods movement sectors is essential for fighting the climate crisis and protecting public health in communities along busy corridors,” said Padilla.
The funding includes $100 million for medium and heavy-duty zero emissions vehicles. The funding is being managed by the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program under the Federal Highway Administration (FHA).
The federal agency was created by the bipartisan infrastructure law to fund development projects. The state’s Department of Transportation will receive $102.4 million for its West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project. The charging and fueling stations will be developed for zero-emissions medium and heavy-duty vehicles along 2,500 miles of key freight corridors in California, Oregon, and Washington. The project aims to transport goods between major ports and freight centers and agricultural regions along the West Coast.
Several Democratic leaders urged U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to support the zero-emissions project. The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program also aims to deploy electric vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure in publicly accessible locations to help underserved and disadvantaged communities.
“To successfully meet California’s critical climate goals, we need to scale up our charging and fueling infrastructure up and down the state through transformative projects like the West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project,” Padilla added.
Additional government agencies and organizations in California were awarded up to $15 million to invest in sustainable transportation infrastructure. They include the Fort Independence Indian Community, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians.
California Black Media
Nvidia Announces Partnership With California Black Media
Nvidia, the tech leader in artificial intelligence and the third largest corporation in the world — valued at around $3.06 trillion – announced last week that it is partnering with California Black Media (CBM) to create a critical resource that will support Black-owned newspapers in the state.
By Tanu Henry, California Black Media
Nvidia, the tech leader in artificial intelligence and the third largest corporation in the world — valued at around $3.06 trillion – announced last week that it is partnering with California Black Media (CBM) to create a critical resource that will support Black-owned newspapers in the state.
The same week, Nvidia, based in Santa Clara, also announced a partnership with the state that will train educators and students across California.
“The public-private collaboration supports the state’s goals in workforce training and economic development by giving universities, community colleges and adult education programs in California the resources to gain skills in generative AI,” the Nvidia statement read.
With CBM, Nvidia will “train a large language model on nearly a century of journalism by Black journalists in the state.”
“We are excited to collaborate with NVIDIA to empower publishers in our sector,” said Regina Wilson, Executive Director of CBM. “This partnership places the Black Press at the forefront of journalism and technology, unlocking innovative opportunities that will drive the future of our industry.”
Bay Area
WestCAT to Replace Old Diesel Buses with New Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses
The Western Contra Costa Transit Authority (WestCAT) will receive $20,646,189 to buy hydrogen fuel cell buses to replace older diesel buses and expand its hydrogen fueling station and maintenance facilities, according to the transit agency.
The Richmond Standard
The Western Contra Costa Transit Authority (WestCAT) will receive $20,646,189 to buy hydrogen fuel cell buses to replace older diesel buses and expand its hydrogen fueling station and maintenance facilities, according to the transit agency.
The grant is part of $1.5 billion in federal funding to support 117 projects that aim to improve public transportation in 47 states. Over the last three years, the Federal Transit Administration has sent nearly $5 billion to replace and modernize transit buses, building new technology with American workers. U.S. factories will produce more than 3,650 new buses.
As part of the $20.6M in funding it was awarded, WestCAT said it will provide workforce training to support its transition to an entirely zero-emission fleet.
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