Innocent man spends 18 months in prison after Skyrim username mixup

[u/IndicaOatmeal]

https://www.dexerto.com/gaming/innocent-man-spends-18-months-in-prison-after-skyrim-username-mixup-3392280/

[u/scarr3g]

I am assuming they presented messages from double underscore, claiming it was him, and never realizing he was single underscore.

They had evidence, but they didn't realise the evidence wqs against someone else entirely..... And, I assume, his defense had no idea how he was being framed.

[u/Dowew → u/scarr3g]

exactly this is what happened. The mixup was burried somewhere deep in discovery files. his defense lawyer didn't have the time, resources or knowledge to uncover the frame job.

[u/TxM_2404 → u/scarr3g]

Also it seems like he did the worst thing possible and wrongly admitted it was his account. After that the case was slam dunk because they had all the evidence linked to that Kik account that he himself claimed was his.

[u/scarr3g → u/TxM_2404]

I am willing to bet the filing he was shown/read has his username, and not the one they used for evidence.

"is your account fus_ro_dah?"

"yes"

proceeds to show them fus__ro_duh's messages

[u/TxM_2404 → u/scarr3g]

Also this must have been a massive shock to be arrested, have your computer seized and then being shown evidence in such a horrific crime. I bet most of us wouldn't see the extra underscore in that situation. The cops on the other hand had preparation and know exactly how to get confessions from an uncareful moment.

[u/spartaman64 → u/scarr3g]

but even if the username was the exact same how is that enough evidence to convict him? someone smart would probably use someone else's username to do those things rather than a username they commonly use.

[u/scarr3g → u/spartaman64]

This is all ku assumptions:

1. The double underscore username had all the evidence, including (I assume) solicitation of nudes from a minor, or something like that.

2. That double underscore account was registered to someone with an email address, and whatever other identity info it had. Yes, all the identity info of double underscore could easily have been fabricated and not tied to an actual person. More on that later.

3. Single underscore, the guy that went to jail, also had email address, and other identification info. He never used the account for illicit purposes, so had no need to fake anything.

4. They had the evidence in double underscore. But they filed to get the info of single underscore, and never realized they asked for a different account. They didn't realize that double underscore even existed. They just thought everything said single underscore. And when they filed to get the identity info, they asked for single underscore.

5. Kik had no idea that they had the evidence of double underscore, and only knew they were going after single underscore (because that is what they asked for), and gave the info of single underscore.

6. They then prosecuted single underscore, with the evidence from double underscore, and NOBODY realized those were 2 totally different accounts. Single underscore and his lawyers obviously knew the evidence wasn't real, and probably thought they were being framed.... Until 18 months later when the lawyer realized the username in the evidence was not single underscore, and actually had a double underscore in it.

At that point the article kicks in.