Student found guilty of hacking Sarah Palin’s e-mail account

NASHVILLE - A U.S. court has convicted a 22-year-old college student for hacking former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s e-mail account in 2008.

The jury convicted David Kernell, a former University of Tennessee student, of a felony charge of obstructing an investigation and a misdemeanor charge of unlawful computer access.

He was found not guilty of wire fraud, and the jury failed to reach a verdict on identity theft.

The son of a Democratic lawmaker, Mike Kernell, who serves in the Tennessee House of Representatives, faces up to 20 years in prison for the first charge and one year for the charge of hacking.

Kernell was accused of hacking Palin’s Yahoo e-mail account during her 2008 Republican campaign for the US vice-presidency by answering her security questions and re-setting her password. He pleaded not guilty.

A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Meanwhile, Palin issued a statement on her Facebook page, thanking the jury and prosecutors and explaining the case’s importance.

“My family and I are thankful that the jury thoroughly and carefully weighed the evidence and issued a just verdict,” The New York Post quoted Palin, as having written on her Facebook page.

“As Watergate taught us, we rightfully reject illegally breaking into candidates’ private communications for political intrigue in an attempt to derail an election,” it added. (ANI)