Log In | Register
JACKSONVILLE — A Florida man charged with hacking into email accounts of celebrities including actress Scarlett Johansson was ordered Friday to appear in a Los Angeles courtroom Nov. 1.
A federal magistrate judge in Jacksonville, Fla., issued the order at a hearing for Christopher Chaney, 35. He faces a 26-count indictment in California that includes charges of identity theft, unauthorized computer access and wiretapping.
At a news conference several hours later, Chaney said he regretted what happened.
"I'm very sorry for all of this," Chaney said outside his attorney's Jacksonville office. "What I am most sorry about is I had to direct my mom into this."
Chaney's parents, Cathy and Jerry, agreed to supervise their son while he is free on $10,000 bail. At the direction of his attorney, Chaney didn't say much more at the news conference.
Chaney has not yet entered a plea, but his attorney told The Associated Press earlier Friday that he deeply regretted what had happened. Authorities say there were more than 50 victims, including actresses Mila Kunis and Renee Olstead and singer Christina Aguilera.
"At this point, he is extremely remorseful and sympathetic to the plight of the stars," said attorney Christopher Chestnut. "He is sorry that all of this is happening."
Chestnut said he wanted Chaney to undergo a psychological evaluation but he wouldn't comment on whether Chaney's psychological condition will play a role in his defense.
"Some of the facts vary," Chestnut said. "We have to get in and see what all the facts are. We can't really speak to all the facts since we don't know them. It's very early in the case."
Chaney has been ordered to stay away from computers and the Internet. He also must live with his parents until the case is resolved.
Chestnut described his client as a "quiet guy, a shy guy," who did clerical work in Jacksonville.
"This isn't a guy that Bill Gates would hire or that Google would recruit out to Silicon Valley," he said. "He's not an extremely sophisticated computer whiz."
