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An Internet law designed to protect the stealing of trade secrets and identities is being used to levy a felony charge against a Michigan man after he logged onto his then-wife's Gmail account and found out she was cheating.

Leon Walker, 33, of Rochester Hills, Mich., is being charged with felony computer misuse, and faces up to five years in prison after logging into the email account of now ex-wife Clara Walker on a shared laptop using her password, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Man Charged in Reading Cheating Wife's Email - CBS News

Do you think Walker overstepped his bounds?

If it was on her personal computer yes In reality you can logon to GMAIL from any PC, Laptop and sign in as someone as long as you know their password. It seems obvious that at some point she gave, or he found out her password that is the real issue and used it against her. If he thought she was cheating he should have just confronted her face to face. Should he get five years in prison I guess the law is the law you break it you do the time.

CARLA;1348549 wrote: If it was on her personal computer yes In reality you can logon to GMAIL from any PC, Laptop and sign in as someone as long as you know their password. It seem obvious that at some point she gave or he found out her password that is the real issue and used it against her. If he thought she was cheating he should have just confronted her face to face. Should he get five years in prison I guess the law is the law you break it you do the time.


He found her password in her address book that was sitting next to the PC.

Seriously? If it was a woman who found out their husband was cheating by reading their e-mail everyone would want to fry the guy. Stupid to say the least.

I don't think anyone has the right to read another's person's email unless you have permission or under investigation by a law enforcement investigator.

This is a prime example of wasting taxpayer money on crap.

I don't see the difference in hiring a PI or doing the work yourself. He suspected something was up, looked for proof and found it.

I bet there are thousands of people guilty of reading others personal emails :-3

Betty Boop;1348567 wrote: I bet there are thousands of people guilty of reading others personal emails :-3


Probably true.

Do you think in this case, they are just trying to make a public example of him for doing what he did? 5 years in jail, if found guilty? Little excessive, IMO.

flopstock;1348559 wrote: This is a prime example of wasting taxpayer money on crap.


Yep, I agree!

Mustang;1348569 wrote: Probably true.

Do you think in this case, they are just trying to make a public example of him for doing what he did? 5 years in jail, if found guilty? Little excessive, IMO.


And do you think the prosecutor has considered that if the man is found to have acted illegally, the kids father may not be able to use those emails for evidence in the custody issue?

flopstock;1348573 wrote: And do you think the prosecutor has considered that if the man is found to have acted illegally, the kids father may not be able to use those emails for evidence in the custody issue?


It depends on who is prosecuting the husband if they'll accept it as evidence or not.

Wow!!! How overboard can you get? My Ex has hacked into my stuff .........It makes him a prick not a criminal.

And going by this understanding of a law it' means that I would have been a criminal for opening mail for the electricity and phone bills that were in my ex's name. He could've said I was interferring with a business transaction...........This is just too silly .

The woman got caught.....big deal.

^ Many correct answers.

Mustang;1348569 wrote: Probably true.

Do you think in this case, they are just trying to make a public example of him for doing what he did? 5 years in jail, if found guilty? Little excessive, IMO.


It does seem incredibly extreme! Especially as he accessed it through a shared laptop, she could easily have forgotten to log herself out.

Personally, I have to think that if you are in a situation where you feel the need to check up on your partner then evidently there's no trust. Generally those that end up looking and snooping do actually find something they didn't really want to see. If you feel the need to look maybe you should just get out before you start the snooping.

I haven't read the story, but I'm amazed he didn't just tell the authorities she had given him the password and is denying it. He could tell them she does have a tendency to fib.

Very extreme sentence, the worst they should give him is some alimony payments to make. What a waste of taxpayer money for this to be in the courts.

Clara, who was married twice previously, was having an affair with her second husband, as Walker found in her email, according to the Free Press. The second husband had been arrested earlier for beating her in front of her young son from her first husband.

Walker was worried about more domestic violence from husband No. 2, so he handed the e-mails over to the child's father, the Free Press reports. He promptly filed an emergency motion to obtain custody.




He suspected she was cheating and he was right. I think she is mad that he found out for sure. Whether he really handed over the emails out of concern or revenge, I don't know. I think the charges are ridiculous.