Sam Bankman-Fried living on bread and water because jail won't abide vegan diet, lawyer says
nbcnews.com
The co-founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX pleaded not guilty to a seven count indictment charging him with wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering.
An attorney for FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried said in federal court Tuesday his client has to subsist on bread, water and peanut butter because the jail he's in isn't accommodating his vegan diet.
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So let him buy his food from the commissary. The prison doesn't serve potatoes? You can live off potatoes alone for a long time. Is there juice, cereal, rice, or beans? I find it hard to believe there isn't. He's clearly exaggerating the limits of his diet.
It's jail. You don't get to go where you want, do what you want, wear what you want, or eat what you want. You don't get to make choices about your life. That is part of the punishment.
You should look at what prisoners get to eat in France. Here in Spain prisoners wear their own clothes, only guards wear uniforms.
I believe the idea of prison should be that you are punished by you're freedom of movement being taken away. Not by being forced to eat inedible food or food that goes against your moral code.
If he had a moral code he wouldn't have harmed so many people. He doesn't. He's just a brat who wants to do whatever he pleases.
Yes it is. Which is where you go before being sentenced. So maybe don't punish people so harshly.
I'm not saying he deserves a gourmet vegan diet, but a few accommodations wouldn't be beyond the pale.
Therein lies the philosophical question, is prison about punishment or rehabilitation? Dehumanising these people and telling them their beliefs and practices don't matter isn't going to make them want to return as a reformed member of society.
Prison is both punishment and rehabilitation. The essence of it is to teach the prisoner to follow rules. Eating what you are told to eat is child-level rules following and he still can't do it.
So you'd have the same opinion of an islamic or Jewish prisoner forced to eat pork then?
It's a lot easier to avoid eating one specific meat than all meats and animal products. Those are also religious restrictions which are protected. His veganism is an arbitrary choice he made, not an external religious mandate. You might as well expect the jail to give him nothing but chocolate cake because that is what he chooses.
Ethical Veganism is a recognised belief system and has the same protections as religious beliefs where I live.
From a quick search, it appears SBF is being held in New York and that state does not recognize ethical veganism in jails/prisons that I could find.
I’m not sure the commissary accepts crypto …
Exactly. While he might have to find alternative sources of protein by forgoing meat there is obviously going to be ample stuff on the menu he can eat. If he claims he's living off bread and water, he is either an extraordinarily picky eater, or more likely just a liar out for some sympathy.
You haven’t been proven guilty of anything when you’re in jail. it should not be punitive. Innocent until proven guilty.
When he gets to prison, by all means go ahead (I mean I believe in rehabilitation not retribution but that's personal); until then why not treat him like a human?