How Gmail Server Evidence Led to a Jury Verdict of $23.2 Million For Wrongful Death (andrewwatters.com)
- Reference: 0178424540
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/07/20/1559242/how-gmail-server-evidence-led-to-a-jury-verdict-of-232-million-for-wrongful-death
- Source link: https://www.andrewwatters.com/investigations/alice-ku/
Today [3]wattersa brings this update:
> The case finally went to trial in July 2025, where I testified about the investigation along with an expert witness on computer networking. The jury took three hours to return a verdict against the victim's husband for wrongful death in the amount of $23.2 million, with a special finding that he caused the death of his wife.
>
> The defendant is a successful mechanical engineer at an energy company, but is walking as a free man because he is Canadian and no one can prosecute him in the U.S., since Taiwan and the U.S. don't have extradition with each other.
>
> It was an interesting case and I look forward to using it as a model in other missing person cases.
[1] https://www.slashdot.org/~wattersa
[2] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/22/12/18/0326253/how-an-unlikely-subpoena-to-google-helped-solve-a-complex-international-missing-person-case
[3] https://www.slashdot.org/~wattersa
He killed his wife. (Score:2)
He is not "successful". He is just an asshole. The defendant is a successful mechanical engineer at an energy company, but is walking as a free man because he is Canadian and no one can prosecute him in the U.S., since Taiwan and the U.S. don't have extradition with each other.
Re: (Score:2)
In my opinion of what is moral, yes, murderers can not be successful at anything. They have no sense of ethics. They lie, steal, cheat, and murder. In my universe, they are not successful.
Re: (Score:2)
Dexter seems to be an exception.
Alice Ku was murdered in Taiwan. Lawsuit in US. (Score:4, Informative)
[1]https://padailypost.com/2025/0... [padailypost.com]
She disappeared after sightseeing with Herchen at Taroko National Park on Nov. 29, 2019.
[1] https://padailypost.com/2025/07/19/jury-orders-husband-to-pay-23-6-million-over-suspected-death-of-his-wife/
Wurds are hard (Score:2)
'Exonate'?
Re: (Score:2)
Fixed! (Thanks for spotting that.)
Well ... (Score:2)
> Although Google does not include the originating IP address in the email headers, it turns out that they retain the IP address for some unknown length of time...
Undisclosed anyway. I imagine Google knows. Then again... :-)
Taiwan is Part of Canada? (Score:3)
"because he is Canadian and no one can prosecute him in the U.S., since Taiwan and the U.S. don't have extradition with each other."
If he's Canadian, what does Taiwan have to do with it? Did someone leave out the part where he fled to Taiwan?
Re:Taiwan is Part of Canada? (Score:5, Informative)
I was referring to the overseas murder statute in the U.S., 18 U.S.C. sec 1119. It prohibits murder of a U.S. citizen overseas, but only applies to U.S. nationals, i.e., citizens. Because the defendant is Canadian, he cannot be prosecuted in the U.S. for killing a U.S. citizen overseas. He is a free man unless and until they can prove he planned or covered up the crime in the U.S.
Re: (Score:2)
Absolutely fascinating. It succinctly shows what is wrong with America and its justice system.
> This is a rare case in which the family can afford an expensive, lengthy, attorney-led private investigation.
> Taiwan trip in November 2019 started on November 23, 2019. The parties landed on November 24, 2019 around 8 p.m.
If so, why isn't Taiwan prosecuting him for murder?
> But Taiwanese officials can’t extradite him because the U.S. doesn’t have formal diplomatic relations with the country, and therefore has no extradition treaty. Herchen remains free and lives in Los Altos.
There is no international Dog, the bounty hunter?
I assume that the civil penalty is unenforceable also?
> his second wife, Melissa Yu. She died from cardiac arrest due to obstructive sleep apnea in June 2017, according to a Santa Clara County Medical Examiner report. The medical examiner noted multiple bruises on Yu’s body but didn’t conclude what their cause was.
Another one of his wives died somewhat mysteriously. I'd recommend you tell his current girlfriend in Taiwan that dating Dr. Herchen usually leads to unexpected death.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
The Slashdot story from 2022 linked in the summary has more info.
[1]https://yro.slashdot.org/story... [slashdot.org]
[1] https://yro.slashdot.org/story/22/12/18/0326253/how-an-unlikely-subpoena-to-google-helped-solve-a-complex-international-missing-person-case