ReiserFS creator gets 15-to-life for murder

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Hans Reiser, creator of ReiserFS, a journaled computer file system used by Linux, was handed a prison sentence of 15-to-life Friday, putting a final capstone on a case that began as a murder mystery, and ended with Reiser leading police to a makeshift grave a short distance from where he strangled his wife.

"I wish to humbly apologize to society for my crime," Reiser said in a statement before his sentence was pronounced. "Every human life is sacred. I took the life of a human being and I'm very sorry for that."

Hans Reiser killed his wife, Nina, at about 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 3, 2006, according to the belated confession Reiser wrote as part of his deal, said prosecutor Paul Hora after the sentencing. He first punched her in the mouth, cutting his hand, then strangled her to death. He briefly stored the body in the bathroom, then moved it to his car, where it stayed for two days while he searched for a place to bury her.

Reiser vowed to try to make up to society for what he had done. He said he was putting Namesys (the company behind ReiserFS) and ReiserFS into a trust fund his children, and that he hoped to earn money while in prison to make their lives a little more comfortable, "assuming I'm able to get access to a computer and the internet."

Video: Video from Reiser's sentencing (YouTube)

View: Wired

#1 EduardValencia on 30 Aug 2008 - 16:40

Heh

#2 cRuNcHiE on 30 Aug 2008 - 16:43

I find it rather weird how the lawyers were laughing when one of them said he forgot to thank his lawyer? Not exactly a laughing matter is it.

(1 reply) #3 +DrCheese on 30 Aug 2008 - 16:55

This guy is... twisted.. It's just something about him. Not just in this video but on previous ones like
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa3SbqPv-Ms&NR=1 < Interview with him before they found her body but whist he was in jail

#3.1 TC17 on 30 Aug 2008 - 18:10

(DrCheese said @ #3)

I can tell the guy has mental problems just by the ridiculous wedding ceremony they showed. Totally wacko. (3m50sec into the video)

(1 reply) #4 Ash on 30 Aug 2008 - 17:08

Well if they make a Movie about this guy they can use the actor Silas Weir Mitchell who played Haywire on Prison Break and was also on My Name Is Earl and Dexter.

#4.1 Deadpool2k on 30 Aug 2008 - 19:43

The resemblance is so dead on.

#5 aStRaLgOd on 30 Aug 2008 - 17:24

He has done a terrible wrong, and he is paying for it.

(3 replies) #6 jwjw1 on 30 Aug 2008 - 17:34

I hope the only so called 'computer' access he gets is when Bubba upgrades him with some RAM.

#6.1 ThaCrip on 30 Aug 2008 - 20:35

LOL, good one.

#6.2 RAID 0 on 31 Aug 2008 - 09:20

No no! Bubba is gonna RAM his GUI.

#6.3 darkpuma on 31 Aug 2008 - 12:43

(RAID 0 said @ #6.2)

lol oh man

#7 toadeater on 30 Aug 2008 - 17:44

Idea: don't kill your wife.

#8 markjensen on 30 Aug 2008 - 18:01

Glad he got convicted.

I think it was terribly arrogant of him, and reflects extremely negatively to have denied it for so long only to finally admit after he was convicted.

I hope he rots in jail.

#9 Mike Frett on 30 Aug 2008 - 18:43

Prison is nothing but a school to learn how to be a better criminal.

(1 reply) #10 funkymunky on 30 Aug 2008 - 19:54

Linux fanboys are the worst

lol

#10.1 miguel_montes on 30 Aug 2008 - 21:55

(funkymunky said @ #10)

Do you think his wife was a Windows user?

(1 reply) #11 nhozemphtekh on 30 Aug 2008 - 20:00

murderFS

#11.1 atari800 on 02 Sep 2008 - 22:10

Thats classic

(1 reply) #12 fabriciom on 30 Aug 2008 - 22:06

Not smart enough to get away with murder. Inside I feel good about that but sad that he did what he did. I still use ReiserFS in all my linux systems, the day zfs is implanted in linux I will change untill then I'll keep using ReiserFS.

P.S. Saw the interview of 2020 and I don't believe the last statement he made that she sleep with his best friend. I figured the guy is a control freak and she allowed it in the beginning of the relationship until she got to the US and saw how things where "really" like. He didn't like it and the rest is history.

#12.1 Mathiasdm on 30 Aug 2008 - 23:08

To go a bit off-topic here, there's a filesystem in development (called btrfs) for Linux that has a lot of the features zfs does. Since zfs will probably not get into Linux any time soon because the licensing (except in FUSE), you might want to check that out.

#13 :: Lyon :: on 30 Aug 2008 - 22:46

That's sad

I learnt about ReiserFS when I was in the uni (on my Master of I.T course)

#14 Andre on 30 Aug 2008 - 23:28

It's awkward how all of a sudden he is such a major subject because he created this particular file system. Could it have been someone else, no one would have cared and/or made such a fuss about it. Understandable however.

Nevertheless, kudos to him for creating whatever he created. But humans are humans and emotions are emotions. What he did is certainly wrong and I hope he understood and accepted that and hopefully he will learn his lesson after 15+ years in prison.

#15 +-Vivicidal- on 30 Aug 2008 - 23:41

Meh.

#16 HW-Anonymous on 31 Aug 2008 - 08:20

What the...

OBJECTION! There are contradictions in his testimony !

#17 Sawyer12 on 31 Aug 2008 - 15:28

Ive never heard of him before or ReiserFS however personally I don't like the fact that he will have access to the internet in prison to help him continue his business. Although its good its for his family.

(1 reply) #18 michealm on 31 Aug 2008 - 22:10

perfect punishment, make him work for Microsoft for 15 to Life LMFAO

#18.1 EduardValencia on 02 Sep 2008 - 03:34

Nahh that's like being in heaven...

#19 Shiranui on 01 Sep 2008 - 02:58

About time too - this trial has been going on for quite some time.

I'm glad they finally CHROOTed the bugger.

#20 HalcyonX12 on 02 Sep 2008 - 16:31

This whole thing is disgusting and makes me want to vomit. That said, his crime didn't involve computers, and computers are the area where he is clearly productive, so it would be counter-productive to discourage that when he was in prison. Spending time trying to make his children's lives more comfortable sounds like something worthwhile.

#21 warwagon on 19 Oct 2008 - 16:30

never mind. I guess someone bumped it.

#22 Tin Man on 01 Dec 2008 - 21:02

With all respect, sympathy and condolences to Ms. Reiser's family.

I wonder what will happen to ReiserFS?

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