Hi Joel,

I read your postings on your site and I wanted to correct some
inaccurate information as originally reported by some mainstream media.

The family is in no way taking legal action against anyone. I am very
awareof technical issues as related to the internet and there is no desire to
“blame” anyone for Brandon’s death. There were definitely contributing
factors which led to his death but ultimately he made the choices he did
that night.

I am looking for ways to make the internet a safer place, but I don’t
believe that includes clamping down from a legal perspective.

For further information: www.brandonvedas.com

Thanks,
Rich Vedas (his brother)

Many of us who feel strongly about taking steps against those who
egged Brandon on that night have either attempted or known close
friends or family who attempted suicide. I am one of those who suffers
from major depression, but has not attempted suicide. As I noted in
yesterday’s web log entry, there may be no relation between depression
and suicide, that they may be coincidental though not causative of each
other.

I’ve been on the net since 1988. I’ve run into my share of people who
have weird ideas about mental illness and [who] see people who suffer from it
as being fair game for taunts and personal attacks. Such people often
show no mercy. Some find inebriation funny. A few may be outright
sadists who enjoy driving people to kill themselves.

Like you, I am wary of legal action. As I said in my web log, the last
thing I want is to give someone like John Ashcroft a tool for hectoring
dissidents or, worse, closing down ISPs. On the other hand, I would
like to hold the individuals who, if the log is correct, egged Brandon on
accountable in some way. The best course of action, I think, might be
to see if current laws that cover “hazing” might apply.

As I see it, Brandon was not in a state where he was capable of making
an informed response. He was mentally ill. When I look at what
happened in that chat room (I spend much of my time at another one
specifically keyed to help people with emotional problems), I see the
exploitation of a mentally ill person. I look at some of my more
sensitive friends whom I have struggled with and see them in Brandon’s
place.

Somehow, I want to send a clear message: that you don’t do this to
people, that inebriation is not funny, that persuading others not to call
for emergency medical care is a criminal act. The hazing laws would be
a most suitable vehicle, I think, because they don’t carry the same
weight as murder, but make the point that to encourage another person
to endanger her or himself is illegal.

I thank you for your sanity and thoughtfulness. I thank you for hearing
me out on our difference in this. Maybe we can reach common ground:
we’re not all that far away.