A TASTE OF FREEDOM (Spring, 2000) 
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By Kevin Mitnick

What a difference 44 days make. Just about seven weeks ago, I was dressed in
prison-issued khakis, a prisoner at the U.S. federal correctional institution
in Lompoc, California. Last Thursday, March 2, I presented my written and
verbal testimony to the United States Senate Governmental Affairs Committee
that described how to increase information security within government agencies.
Wow.

On The Inside

"Doing time" is a strange thing. When you're on the inside, you can't look out
you have to pretend as though the outside doesn't even exist. Letters are a
welcome break to the routine, but as soon as I read them, I'd have to focus
and get back into my rhythm of pretending there were no cars outside my
window, that there were no people living their lives. During my five years
inside, I looked at the sky only to see the weather, and I rarely looked at
the cars or the people.

I spent most of my waking hours working on my case, or corresponding with
supporters and attorneys who were helping me with legal research. I took the
energy I used to spend on hacking and I basically trained myself in law. This
took a great deal of time and energy, since I've never had any formal training
in law. Many of the attorneys who donated their time and expertise were
especially helpful in guiding my legal research, and to them I am particularly
grateful.

Conditional Freedom

I spend much of the time available to me when I'm not caring for my father
figuring out how to earn a living in light of the overly broad, unreasonable
restrictions imposed by Judge Pfaelzer. While I was at the World Trade Center
in New York with a friend recently, I saw an iMac used to select gifts from the
shop - technically, if I used that iMac I would violate the terms of my
supervised release. If I even used a computer to purchase a Metrocard to ride
the New York subway system I would also violate the probationary conditions of
supervised release.

Those conditions also restrict my First Amendment rights to the extent it
prohibits me from acting as an advisor to anyone who is engaged in
computer-related activity. My recent Senate talk could be violative, as could a
talk to a car mechanic. The conditions are so vague and overly broad that I 
don't know what I need to do or not do to stay out of jail. It's up to a 
government official to decide whether or not I go back to jail, and it's not
based on my intent - it's completely arbitrary.

Without the support of 2600 and you all, my case would likely have ended up
differently. The support of each and every one of you positively influenced
media treatment of my case, which gave me the energy to fight the charges
against me, which in turn influenced the government's treatment of me - see the
freekevin.com web site for more details about this. I greatly appreciate the
support of each person in my fight against injustice. Last, and definitely not
least, Emmanuel hasn't given up - he has dedicated time and resources and has
organized extraordinary events to focus the spotlight on injustices in my case
involving the federal government and the media. His support has been crucial,
and without it, things wouldn't have ended up as positively as they have.
Emmanuel took up my case more than five years ago, and has used his radio show
and space in 2600 to publicize the government's dramatic manipulation of my
case for the self-interest of a pair of misguided, egotistical prosecutors.

I owe him - and all of you - a great deal. I am very, very lucky to have had
friends like you.