"How so? How would these "anonymous" message board posts fall into the evidenciary pipeline after a justifiable shooting? I can't see during deposition one volunteering information such as:"
I'll tell you how so. Its actually quite easy. Who do you think I am? I am a police officer, looking to retire fairly soon. Right now, as a "side job," I testify as an expert witness in court for officer involved shootings. What do you think I am going to do when I retire? Still need to make the house payment, kids braces, etc.
Please don't think I am the only one like this. There are THOUSANDS of people, all across the country, doing the samething I am. I know about these boards and, you can be GURANTEED Johnnie Cocharan and his law firm know about them. His law firm and OTHERS, routinely send out partners, etc to Gunsite, Blackwater Lodge, and all of other shooting schools out there. Not to mention, they log on and read these message boards too. Like him and the others or not, they aint stupid.
So its simple. Mr Jones is involved in a shooting. As a criminal investigator, I will write a search warrant for your house. In my search warrant I will request your computer, hard drive, floppy disks, CD's, DVD's, et al. Those will be ALL looked through by the FBI's crime lab. Your "anonymous" name will come up (don't believe that Cleanwash BS, doesn't work, they can still find it) and the fact of ALL of the nice gun sights you belong too.
Oh, did I forget to tell you, I will take a picture of, "Insured By Smith and Wesson" on the front of your house? Oh, and don't forget the nice, "Better tried by 12, then carried by 6" bumper sticker. And, when I collect all of your nice SWAT Magazines (your not a SWAT Team Member are you?), your James Bond Bible and all the other cute books from Paladin Press, etc and then all the nice posts on the internet how your going to give the bad guy "a mouth full of Glock." Yep, paints a pretty bad picture for your in court, now doesn't it? I've only scratched the surface of how nasty it can get.
I've suggested it before, so I will again: don't come up with fancy screen names and be careful about what you post and to whom. No warning stickers, no bumper stickers, no cute t-shirts, none of that junk. One thing, in and of itself, means nothing. But start getting it ALL and it paints a picture of a wannabe, psycho, who is out to kill someone. And that sir, is how I just made 5 grand in about 40 hrs worth of work...