May 29, 2017 marks the two-year anniversary of Ross Ulbricht's double life sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest for operating the Silk Road marketplace. Ulbricht's mother, Lyn Ulbricht, has spoken out about what she calls 'the worst day' of her life.
A Mother's Grief: 'A Life Sentence Is a Death Sentence'
'On that day our son, Ross Ulbricht, was given a double life sentence for all non-violent charges,' Mrs. Ulbricht explained. She emphasized that despite slander in the media, Ross was not charged at trial with murder-for-hire, and it has never been proven. 'No victims came forward in court to say Ross had harmed them in any way. Yet Judge Forrest considers Ross so dangerous that he needs to die in a cage.' After the sentencing, Ross told his mother: 'Mom, a life sentence is really a death sentence. It just takes longer.'
Legal Community Denounces Judge Forrest's Decision
The Ulbricht family believes the double life sentence was intended to send a message to others creating dark net markets (DNMs). However, since Ulbricht's arrest and the shutdown of Silk Road, DNM sales have actually doubled. The sentence has been denounced by legal experts including former federal judge Nancy Gertner, Just Leadership USA, the Drug Policy Alliance, and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. 'They gave Noriega 25 years, and they had to send the Marines in after him. All the great drug lords of the past didn't get double life sentences,' said Cody Wilson, creator of Dark Wallet and founder of Defense Distributed. 'That just shows you how afraid they are of what's coming.'
Awaiting the Appellate Court Ruling
Four months after the sentencing, Lyn Ulbricht nearly died from Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as broken heart syndrome. She noted that 2.9 million American children have incarcerated parents, and over two-thirds of these parents—like Ross—are non-violent, mostly drug offenders. 'I never dreamed I'd be hoping and praying for our son to have a chance at a 20-year prison sentence, but that's where this has brought me and my family. At least with that, Ross would have some life left.' As the appellate court ruling is awaited, the Ulbricht family continues to seek justice, supported by a growing chorus of voices in the cryptocurrency space who view the case as a pivotal battle for proportional justice and the future of decentralized networks.