Pubdate: Mon, 23 Aug 2004
Source: Boston Herald (MA)
Copyright: 2004 The Boston Herald, Inc
Contact:  http://www.bostonherald.com/news.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/53
Author: Tom  Farmer and Jennifer Rosinski
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

COPS SMELL RODENT AT 'RAT'-OUTING WEB SITE

A North Shore man's Web site that encourages the posting of informants' 
identities and personal information about law enforcement officers is 
drawing criticism from authorities in Oklahoma.

The "Who's A  Rat" site (http://www.whosarat.com) was not put on the 
Internet last week to endanger  law officers or informants, said founder 
Sean Bucci. Instead, it was posted to  assist defense attorneys and 
defendants with limited resources prepare for  trial, he said.

"It's  something that's been needed for a long time. I'm trying to level 
the playing  field," said Bucci, 31, who is fighting marijuana dealing 
charges that landed  him in jail for almost a year thanks to a "heroin 
junkie and crack addict"  snitch, whose stories led the DEA to mount 
cameras on a pole in front of his  house for nine months.

"From that I  got a deep, deep hate for the system for the way they handle 
informants. It's  sick. They take these big fish to catch minnows," said 
Bucci, a North Shore  resident. "The site was designed as just a tool to 
help people." But  authorities in Oklahoma are among those questioning the 
site's accuracy and  calling it irresponsible. Oklahoma City police Capt. 
Jeffrey Becker says the site could jeopardize undercover officers and 
informants. The service, which is free, also offers listings for defense 
attorneys. Bucci warns he has  the right to edit or delete any material 
that goes beyond free speech. The site  boasts it is the first of its kind 
and legal based on case law Bucci has posted.

"Keep up the  fight and never give in," Bucci tells browsers.
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