Some people ask why John Tighe pleaded guilty to possession of child porn if he was innocent.
Child porn was allegedly found on a Mac computer seized from Tighe’s house in an October 2013 raid.
State Trooper Rodger Krisop seized Tighe’s computers for evidence of computer trespassing.
They were not looking for child porn.
But four months later, NYS Police found it on a Mac computer they say Tighe owned.
Tighe claims he never owned a Mac computer.
The feds took over the case and offered him a plea deal to two counts of possession of child porn. If he chose not to take the deal, the feds would seek to put him away for 20 years, and by the way they would indict his wife.
Was child porn planted by Keith Raniere’s agents or by a New York State trooper they had collateral on?
John recently wrote Tighe: On the Most Abusive SHU; Raniere May Go to Dangerous Prison
In this post, he explains a little more.
By John Tighe
I was 58 years old with no criminal history when I was charged. I was also broke.
I was told if I pleaded to a single count of possession of child porn and receipt, I might get probation and no more than three years.
I was also told that if I went to trial and was found guilty, the sentence would be 20 years. I’m a realist. I chose to take a plea deal rather than go to trial and end up with a sentence that would ensure I died in prison.
I had a malignant gastrointestinal tumor removed in 2012. They removed some of my small intestines in Albany Med and did a successful resection.
The judge knew of my medical history.
Like 90% of other defendants, I pleaded out.
They lied about the lenient sentence. I was given 70 months.
A 2018 Pew Research Center study indicates that 90% of federal criminal cases end with defendants pleading guilty to their alleged offenses. Most defendants who went to trial were found guilty, either by a jury or judge. (Defendants can waive their right to a jury trial if they wish.)
In Russia, over 99% of criminal trials end in a conviction. In the USA, 96% end in conviction.
Not much better
Put another way, only 320 of 79,704 total federal defendants – fewer than 1% – went to trial and won their cases, at least in an acquittal, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
John Tighe, photo taken from prison.I was assigned to Devens. It is one of the better prisons and was less than 120 miles from home. Not that it was good, but it was better than most.
Except for a few camps, like Otisville, the prisons all suck.
In prison, I developed thyroid cancer, which led to metastatic liver cancer. I was very, very sick.
I have since received an experimental liver transplant, for which I volunteered. I was terminal anyway and said what the hell. I received a liver from a drug overdose victim.
Hopefully, experiments like these can open up a new source of organs. Ex-Felons get what they can. I had my wife’s insurance. I am now 65 and have Medicare A&B.
I have been in rejection once, but I recovered. I’m not bad now and will be in Boston next week for a liver biopsy. No big deal.
***
John Tighe has made an interesting calculation for a release date for Allison Mack.
Writing for Trials and Truths, Tighe thinks Mack will be home for the holidays.
He wrote, “Although the BOP currently lists December 15, 2023 as Mack’s ‘‘Release Date,’ I believe she will be back home in time to celebrate Christmas with her family this year… it appears she has been a ‘model prisoner’ in FCI Dublin.
“As such, she is eligible for both halfway house and home confinement time.”
Based on Tighe’s detailed computations, Mack may be on home confinement by Christmas 2022, ahead of her release date of December 2022.
Read his story on TrialandTruths.US.
We need to get rid of indictment by the grand jury. It’s too easy to get someone indicted and once indicted, it’s nearly impossible to break free.
This would eliminate many of the plea agreements where innocent people are drained of life savings, and reputation tarnished. It makes no sense to continue when everyone knows the bar is set way too low.
[…] Ice Nine is a scholar and gentleman. He read Tighe: Forced to Plead Guilty vs. Risking 20 Years […]
I don’t want to speculate on Tighe’s case because it would be, well, pure speculation.
But I will say the statistics meant to prove government repression, injustice, tyranny and maliciousness prove nothing of the kind.
That 90% of the accused plead guilty may mean they are railroaded by “the guv’mint”. The innocent as well as the guilty are swept up in the system’s voaracious maw.
Or it may mean people who are arrested and prosecuted are overwhelmingly guilty of committing crimes. Or to put it another way, the government doesn’t prosecute people who are innocent.
This is a good thing. It means the system is working.
The mere statistic that 90% plead guilty doesn’t say anything either way.
For enlightenment we can look to the cases that do go to trial. Which are the cases like Raniere’s, where the defendant has the money and the resources to fight the accusations before a jury of his peers. What’s the conviction rate there?
It’s 83%. Not much better than the rate of conviction for those who are “forced” to plead guilty.
Now if most, or even a sizable majority, of those who can afford to have their cases argued before a jury were found not guilty, I’d agree with with the FR’s conclusion. There would be something deeply wrong with our justice system.
But the statistics indicate that the system overwhelmingly targets only those who have actually committed crimes.
Would we prefer to have it otherwise? What if fifty or seventy five percent of those arrested, prosecuted and tried were found not guilty?
Just look at the Nxivm trial. The one we’ve been obsessively dissecting for years. Raniere fought the charges and was convicted because he’s guilty as hell. The system worked. All of his co-defendants pleaded guilty and got light or no sentences. Several of Raniere’s co-conspirators (like Clyne) were not even prosecuted.
Looks to me like the justice system works to an overwhelming degree.
I dumber comment Aristotle, you could not make. You are suggesting that because wealthy people still get convicted, it means that the system works. That is asinine. What it really means is that wealthy people have a hell of a hard time buying their way out, even though it does happen sometimes (OJ, Cosby, Epstein (the first time) to name a few).
What you should be saying is that the indigent have very little chance. Just ask John Tighe.
Start here to see if the system is working. This is just cases involving DNA.
https://innocenceproject.org/dna-exonerations-in-the-united-states/
Furthermore, it made no sense when you said the system works, then immediately said ” Several of Raniere’s co-conspirators (like Clyne) were not even prosecuted.” How the hell does Nicki Clyne not being prosecuted mean the system works? Ship that woman back to Canada. WTF are you talking about man?
Unfortunately, AS won’t look anyone in the eyes when they try to speak to him…
property receipt also shows federal agents collected other potential presidential records, including the order pardoning Trump ally Roger Stone, a “leatherbound box of documents,” hmmmmmm
🎀
John – I had asked Kristin Keefe about your case and what she thought happened (her response is below). She seems to think that keith had nothing to do with it, and essentially Rodger Kirsopp was just paranoid and framed you himself, out of fear I guess that keith might eventually go after him. I’m not sure what to think really. I am certain you are innocent, but Kristin’s comments create some doubt about who was responsible. Do you have any thoughts on her comments?
—-
[By Kristin Keefe]
https://frankreport.com/2022/07/04/keeffe-speaks-i-met-psychopaths-like-keith-since-i-left-him/#comments
Dear Ice-Nine –
I will address your questions albeit briefly,
– NY State Trooper Rodger Kirsopp – was he a corrupted agent of NXIVM?
I went to the NYS Police to report, among many other crimes committed by NXIVM, that the computer trespass charges filed against Joe, Barbara, Toni, and John were fraudulent charges. After my report, I thought the whole case would die and because Keith found out I had turned on him. Instead, I had to go on the run.
I never dreamed the NYS Police would go forward with the case – and it was horrifying to me when it did, I did everything in my power to make sure the charges were dropped. And eventually they were.
********************
– John Tighe – What was done to John and by whom? Ben Myer’s role in it, and which state and local authorities were corrupted as a part of it?
I am not aware of anything that was done to Tighe. If things were done, I never heard about them.
********************
– How deep does the corruption run in upstate NY, who did it, and how was it done, i.e. through blackmail or bribes?
I am not aware of any blackmail or bribes. You would be shockingly surprised how far relationships, fear, and people with known untold resources (i.e., the Bronfmans) can influence proceedings. I generally think it was a confluence of events…
a) No one wanted to go against the Bronfmans in the Capital District because anyone who did knew they’d be against the best attorneys money could buy. Plus, everyone wanted their money for their own causes.
b) The child porn charges against John were considered legit and that was the biggest collar in Clifton Park, NY in a decade. They didn’t want to lose that case.
c) Rodger Kirsopp had something to hide and in his paranoid guilt thought NXIVM knew what it was. Although they didn’t.
d) The NXIVM attorneys had deep relationships with the local District Attorneys and the police. You would be surprised how much influence that can have. The squeaky wheel gets oiled.
I hope that provides some of the information you’re seeking…
Kristin K
Being that ill in itself is awful. But add to that being in prison with no comfort an feeling terrible…..a small miracle John survived…….
Inverse relationship between government corruption/abuse of power and number of federal criminal trials.
So much for government for and by the people.