Bob Shell

[Arthurwg]

As many of you probably know, Bob Shell, widely published journalist and photographer is still in prison after 14 years. He was a staff writer for Shutterbug magazine and several others, and wrote several camera guides including one for Hasselblad. Well Bob is now on Facebook under Bob Shell Dispatches. You might like to read some of his story.

 

[wiltw]

I had to do a little research to recall what Bob Shell was in prison for. For anyone interested, here is Bob's side of the story behind his prison term, written in 2019.

https://tonyward.com/bob-shell-doing-time-in-virginia/

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I remember when all that went down. I used to subscribe to Shutterbug.

 

[wiltw]

The fact that Bob Shell is in for something like 35 years seems harsh considering the standard sentencing practice in Virginia is...

"Manslaughter in Virginia is a class 5 felony. ... According to Virginia Code Section 18.2-35, the penalties for voluntary manslaughter include one to ten years imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $2,500. The judges may extend some leniency on the offenders of manslaughter."​

Even possession of narcotics with intention to distribute has...

"This offense is a Class 6 felony pursuant to Virginia Code § 18.2-248(E2) that can result in a prison sentence of one to five years in prison, up to 12 months in jail, or a fine of up to $2,500."​

It makes you wonder about what else they nailed him for, and the motivations for him to not be paroled, even considering his current age putting him into a group that gets leniency consideration.

 

[AgX]

Concerning the long sentence I found the following, without source, thus take it with a grain of salt:
(I only did a short search, but maybe someone succeeds in finding the official verdict.)

"Shell faced a minimum of six years in prison and a maximum of 131 on the eight charges. Circuit Judge Joey Showalter will decide at a hearing Oct. 26 whether to accept the jury's recommendation of a total of 32 years and six months and a $5,000 fine.

The jury recommended Shell serve eight years for involuntary manslaughter, seven for attempted forcible sodomy, four each for two counts of attempted animate object sexual penetration, five years for one count of distributing morphine and six months on another, three years for possessing morphine and one year for distributing diazepam."

 

[AgX]

Here two photography related aspects of the case.

-) on use or misuse of EXIF data:
http://www.bobshelltruth.com/DigitalSLRCamera.php

-) on the possibility of copyright infringement by law enforcing authority
http://www.vawd.uscourts.gov/OPINIONS/CONRAD/SHELLGRANTINGMOTIONTODISMISS.PDF

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Jeezuz! If that's all true, then he can rot there.

 

[Pioneer]

Yep. There are people who have been treated badly by the judicial system. I'm not sure dear old Bob was one of those.

 

[BrianShaw]

Here we go again…

 

[guangong]

As I remember back then, the story described a pretty sleazy, viscous man. Of course, I am well aware that many people are of the mindset that everybody in jail is innocent.
Perhaps after 30+ years he will be of an age whereby he will no longer be able to engage in such behavior.
From my observations, while everybody on APUG has their peculiarities and eccentricities, they are pretty upstanding. But in general, the criminal element is equally distributed among all groups, photographers included.

 

[Arthurwg]

Clearly Bob made some mistakes. But I don't think his case was a slam-dunk guilty as charged. True, he did forsake the Hasselblad V-System for a Rolei SL66, and then he went digital. Now that really was a crime.

 

[BradS]

.... Of course, I am well aware that many people are of the mindset that everybody in jail is innocent.....

WTF?
Where and how do you come up with shit like this?

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

WTF?
Where and how do you come up with shit like this?

From Shawshank Redemption....

 

[BradS]

From Shawshank Redemption....

Great movie...but of course, in the movie, the convicts all say they are innocent (as does Bob Shell, apparently)...but clearly we, APUG members, are not convicts.

 

[mshchem]

The USA has a puritanical mindset. Prison terms are excessive, prisons are horrible, over crowded.

I don't know anything about this guy. But the simplest question is, is he a threat to society. The US needs to reduce prison populations, restore the vote to felons, come out of the "witch hunt" Era.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

The USA has a puritanical mindset. Prison terms are excessive, prisons are horrible, over crowded.

I don't know anything about this guy. But the simplest question is, is he a threat to society. The US needs to reduce prison populations, restore the vote to felons, come out of the "witch hunt" Era.

And we have the complete opposite in Canada. A creep who murdered a family of six back in '82...grandparents and kids...had his way sexually with the girls...torture, etc, was denied parole yesterday, but apparently he can put in for escorted day leave. My uncle is related to this family, and my youngest sister to school with one of the girls. Quite frankly, he should be locked up until the day he dies. NO parole, No escorted leave.

 

[removed account4]

I really have no interest in reading his dispatches.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I really have no interest in reading his dispatches.

I'm with you!

 

[mshchem]

I'm with you!

Me too. I'm just sick of people that are serving 20 years for selling pot. The US is a weird place.