Diebold whistleblower Heller case examined by Cleveland paper.

[Stevepol]

The reference comes courtesy www.blackboxvoting.org

Jones Day papers focus of theft case
Diebold information leaked to writer
Monday, April 24, 2006
Alison Grant
Plain Dealer Reporter

A criminal case involving Cleveland law firm Jones Day, Summit County voting machine maker Diebold Inc. and an obscure, part-time Hollywood actor is expected to unfold in a Los Angeles courtroom today.

The actor, Stephen Heller, has been charged with felony theft of confidential records from a Jones Day office where he was temping in 2004.

Heller is alleged to have given the records to an investigative writer who had just published a book saying Diebold had installed uncertified voting systems in California. A copy of the records landed in the hands of an Oakland Tribune reporter who used them to report embarrassing details about Diebold's hasty use of uncertified software with its machines.

snip

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office says that on five days over a three-week period in early 2004, Heller copied more than 500 pages of Diebold-related documents. Some were stamped "attorney work product, privileged and confidential." One was an estimated Jones Day budget of $535,000 to $925,000 for two months of Diebold work.

Prosecutors say Heller met Bev Harris, founder of the elections watchdog group Black Box Voting, in a Ventura County park and gave her the records. Harris allegedly gave them to a third person, who in turn gave them to California's then-Secretary of State Kevin Shelley. However, no one at that office or the attorney general's office recalls receiving the papers, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office said.

snip

Heller has become a cause cél袲e to electronic-voting critics, who say he helped prevent voters from being disenfranchised in California. Black Box Voting has contributed $10,000 to his legal defense fund.

Heller's case is showing up on liberal blogs like Daily Kos and The Huffington Post, where political activist Lyn Davis Lear, the wife of television producer Norman Lear, argued that Heller deserved "a medal of gratitude instead of jail."

As for Heller, he and his wife have covered his legal bills with personal savings and a second mortgage on their home. He was fired from two jobs when employers learned of his criminal case and is, according to his lawyer, "desperately looking for work."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[e-mail], 216-999-4758

Much more at the link:

http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1145867701235570.xml&coll=2&thispage=4

[salin]

1. k & r

[autorank]

2. Stevepol , EXCELLENT!

Steven Heller is an "everyman" figure. He saw great harm done to his country, right before his eyes,
and he was participating. The revulsion at both the acts of Diebold and the hands-on requirement as
part of his job were too much. He did what all of us would do, he got the word out.

He didn't think about employment contracts or labor law. Imagine this: you're working for a foreign own firm and you find out that they plan to attack some city in the United States. What do you do?
It's obvious, you drop a dime. In this case, Diebold was and is attacking the entire country.

Good for you Steven Heller. You put your country first.

...and bad on you LA DA. When the story is told, the true story, and you run for re-election, you get
to explain why your were so vigorous in prosecuting a patriot and sentinel of democracy while, at the
same time, you failed to go after Diebold or the others who are trashing our democracy.

[Kelvin Mace]

3. More evidence Bev burned her source

Prosecutors say Heller met Bev Harris, founder of the elections watchdog group Black Box Voting, in a Ventura County park and gave her the records. Harris allegedly gave them to a third person, who in turn gave them to California's then-Secretary of State Kevin Shelley. However, no one at that office or the attorney general's office recalls receiving the papers, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office said.

In the earlier report Bev gave the police Heller's name and confirmed his role in the matter. If Heller goes to trial, Bev will be a witness for the prosecution.

[Boredtodeath]

4. Guesses on the "third person"

Jim March

[Kelvin Mace]

8. Of course

That way Bev can claim she didn't tell the police.

Actually, I believe Jim has admitted he gave the name to police, but I am trying to find the post.

[flyingobject]

5. how to help

contact the Los Angeles District Attorney's office and
ask them not to prosecute
http://www.hellerlegaldefensefund.com/help.html



http://www.hellerlegaldefensefund.com/Donate.html

[Steve A Play]

6. A big thank you to Stephen Heller for his courage

and also for signing up here at DU to correct some disinformation being spread. :hi:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x423451#423973

steveheller (2 posts) Mon Apr-17-06 04:09 PM
Response to Reply #37

52. I am Steve Heller

This is Steve Heller. I received a phone call about this discussion thread so I came to read it. I am under felony indictment, so I am not able to comment in any way about my case. Nor will I be responding to other posts on this thread or to anyone who contacts me; this will be my only post.

Regarding Bev Harris - My experience with her has lead me to believe she is a person of integrity. She has never done anything to cause me any harm. Those who insist she has done something to harm me or my legal defense don't know what they are talking about.

Someday, when I am no longer in legal jeopardy and I am free to talk about the case, I will do so, and many of the people who have posted about my case or Bev Harris' role therein will learn they were wrong.

Steve Heller

[Kelvin Mace]

9. A shame Bev burned him

[flyingobject]

7. three felony charges

“Three felony charges against someone is the same as saying
we are going to destroy this person forever,”
http://www.hellerlegaldefensefund.com/weekly.html


http://www.hellerlegaldefensefund.com/Donate.html