Feds raid off-campus apartment of accused hacker
Feds raid off-campus apartment of accused hacker Save Email Print
Posted: 1:11 AM Sep 22, 2008
Last Updated: 7:44 AM Sep 22, 2008
Reporter: Lauren Davis
Email Address: Lauren.Davis@wvlt-tv.com


A | A | A

KNOXVILLE (WVLT) -- The federal government is pursuing their investigation into the University of Tennessee student accused of hacking into the personal Yahoo! email account of Alaskan Governor and Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

Witnesses said agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation searched David Kernell’s apartment on Saturday around midnight.

"He is a good guy,” said Ashley Menner, who has been Kernell’s neighbor since classes began in August. “He seems like a really nice guy and I’ve talked to him a few times."

Menner was nearby when the FBI searched Kernell’s Fort Sanders Apartment, and had seen the accused hacker in passing a few times since the raid.

“He seemed rattled and shaken,” said Menner. “I would be too and he obviously knows what he did was wrong."

According to witnesses, the raid came while several neighbors were partying after the University of Tennessee verse Florida football game

“This black SUV came up, and all these guys got out with equipment and they had a big black bag with high tech stuff in it,” said Jarrett Mooneyham, who was at the apartment. “It was just a big ordeal and everybody was drunk, so it was really chaotic."

Mooneyham said the agents were looking for Kernell, but never found him because he was hiding out on the second floor of the complex with some of his friends.

"Everybody thinks it's funny, and we are all kind of laughing about it," he said.

The justice department confirmed that there was a search late Saturday night, but they would not reveal what property was seized.

They also said that no public documents were filed in relation to the case.

"I don't think there was any malicious intent behind what he did,” said Menner, “I just think that he wasn't thinking"

More Stories
WVLT, CBS announce programming changes due to Michael Jackson memorial

SC cops say serial killer suspect slain in NC

14 named in Morgan County drug ring indictment

SOURCE: 1 dead after two workers trapped by concrete in Loudon County

Clinton police chief fired over single incident

Mastercraft recalling workers

Steve McNair merchandise sales, value expected to rise

Holiday weekend provides boom for some businesses

Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
By posting this comment I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy:
You must agree to the Terms of Service to continue.
Read Comments
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
Posted by: Paul Location: Knoxville on Sep 22, 2008 at 09:39 AM
Carole. What on EARTH are you talking about?? I assume he is for Obama too because he felt like cracking Palin's email address. Why do you assume a scumbag would by default vote for Obama?? Anyways, I say shame on Palin as well for using a free and poorly protected email account! If she can't be trusted to use a secure password and a safe email provider, how can we trust he with any private knowledged. It will probably get Fwd'd out of the White House and around the globe.

Posted by: carole Location: Ky on Sep 22, 2008 at 01:44 AM
Really upstanding citizen you have there at UT. Scumbag is more like it. Why did his father not have him face the music like a man. This is the type of young person who is for Obama.

Currently
Local Radar
Radar