Gerritsen Convicted on All Counts in Radio Jamming Case
A US District Court jury has found Jack Gerritsen of Bell, California, guilty on six counts that included transmitting without a license and willful and malicious interference with radio transmissions. Gerritsen, 69, who briefly held the amateur call sign KG6IRO, will face sentencing March 6, according to the office of Debra W. Yang, US Attorney for the Central District of California. He could receive up to 15 years in federal prison.
"The Federal Communication Commission investigated illegal radio transmissions linked to Gerritsen for four years," said a statement from Yang's office after the verdict. "According to court documents filed in this case, the FCC investigation revealed that Gerritsen transmitted his prerecorded messages, as well as real-time harassment and profanity, for hours at a time, often making it impossible for licensed radio operators to use the public frequencies." A federal grand jury indicted Gerritsen last spring.
Gerritsen had earlier turned down the offer of a public defender and served as his own attorney in the federal court trial. The government's case, presented by Assistant US Attorney Lamar Baker, went to the jury December 8, and the jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning its verdict today. US District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner revoked Gerritsen's bail, and the defendant was taken into custody following the verdict.
Gerritsen was found guilty of interfering with a Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) communication last March and interfering with American Red Cross communications last January--both misdemeanors--and of interfering with US Coast Guard communications in October 2004, a felony.
Those familiar with the court proceedings, which got under way December 6, said Gerritsen tended to focus on freedom of speech issues and sometimes confused those giving testimony. Among those testifying at length on behalf of the government was FCC Senior Agent Steven Pierce, who discussed his use of mobile direction-finding equipment and techniques used in tracking the source of the illegal and interfering transmissions.
Just days before the trial began, the FCC affirmed a total of $42,000 in additional fines it had levied on Gerritsen, releasing two $21,000 Forfeiture Orders (NOFs). In affirming the fines, the FCC rebuffed every argument Gerritsen had offered in responding to each Notice of Apparent Liability (NAL), including his insistent "freedom of speech" claim.
Honda robot serves tea, pushes mail carts
The walking, childlike robot from Honda Motor can now serve tea, push a mail cart and gallop along at twice
its previous pace -- the latest in the Japanese automaker's quest to replicate human movement. The
51-inch talk, bubble-headed robot named Asimo has already shown it can jog, walk up stairs, wave, avoid
obstacles and carry on simple conversations. But in a demonstration Monday at Honda's Tokyo head
office, a new version of the robot showed off new skills its maker hopes will make the robot more handy
around the office. Honda illustrated how Asimo might serve as a receptionist of the future. Equipped with
a sensor that can read microchips in identification cards, the robot recognized a woman approaching from
behind, and turned to greet her by name. It then demonstrated further potential as a host by taking a tray of
coffee cups from the woman with its own hands and carrying it to a nearby table where it set the tray down
for imaginary guests. It also pushed a four-wheeled cart around on stage. Later, Asimo -- whose name is
a play on the Japanese word for "leg" or "ashi" -- sprinted back and forth for reporters at 4 miles per hour,
double its previous gait of 2 mph. The new technique demonstrates improved balancing technology
because both the robot's feet are airborne at the same time in mid-stride, Honda said. Honda began
dabbling with humanoid robots in 1987 and now has 40 Asimos worldwide. The company plans to start
using Asimo's new receptionist functions at Honda offices early next year. The new robot is also available
for lease for 20 million yen ($170,000) a year.
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