WMTV.com

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The son of a Democratic Tennessee state lawmaker pleaded not guilty Wednesday to hacking the e-mail account of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

David Kernell, 20, of Knoxville, Tenn. entered the plea in federal court in Knoxville, the same day prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging him with intentionally accessing Palin’s e-mail account without authorization.

David Kernell was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Knoxville and faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Trial is set for Dec. 16.

Not guilty? Who are you, kid? O.J. Simpson?

The evidence against David Kernell is overwhelming. Changing Governor Palin’s password to “popcorn” is also damning. Kernell? Popcorn? Please do not insult my intelligence.

I also want to point out that Governor Palin DID NOT USE HER PERSONAL EMAIL FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES! I just want to make that absolutely clear.

Check out the video of David Kernell walking out of the courtroom at WBIR.com

Read the indictment at Knox News.com (PDF file).

Previous Scoop This entries regarding this issue:

Sarah Palin’s email account hacked!

Tennesee Democratic State Representative’s son is the Sarah Palin email hacker!

FBI serves search warrant against Sarah Palin’s email hacker!

Hat Tips: Gateway Pundit and Scoop This reader E.J.

wbir.com

A person who identified himself as a witness tells 10 News that agents with the FBI served a federal search warrant at the Fort Sanders residence of David Kernell early Sunday morning. Kernell lives in the Commons apartment complex at 1115 Highland Avenue.

A Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed there has been “investigatory activity” in Knoxville regarding the Palin case, but she said there are no publicly available search warrants, and no charges have been filed.

A separate law enforcement source confirmed to 10 News that a search warrant was served on Kernell’s apartment.

According to the witness, several agents arrived at The Commons of Knoxville around midnight.

They presented their badges upon entering Kernell’s apartment, where several students were having a party, and took down their names.

The witness tells us they asked him and those who did not live in the unit to go outside. He believes the investigators took about 1.5 to 2 hours taking pictures of everything inside the apartment.

He says Kernell’s three roommates were also subpoenaed, and must testify this week in Chattanooga.

The FBI served the search warrant during Kernell’s party!

Was he drinking underage, too?

Hat Tips: Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, and The Jawa Report

UPDATE 1: I want to give some shout-outs to other websites blogging about this FBI search, especially since the mainstream liberal media have decided to drop this story from their coverage.

ACE OF SPADES HQ

JammieWearingFool

Proof Positive

Say Anything Blog

Also, David Kernell changed Sarah Palin’s email password to “popcorn”. Kernell? Popcorn? It is ingenious.

This is David Kernell.

His email, , is the same email address as the hacker’s email address! Plus, David Kernell’s father is Tennessee Democrat House Representative Mike Kernell!

The Tennessean is reporting that David Kernell has been contacted by the FBI!

State Rep. Mike Kernell confirmed Thursday that his son, a University of Tennessee-Knoxville student, is at the center of heated Internet discussion into the hacking of the personal e-mail of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Kernell, a Memphis Democrat, confirmed that it is his 20-year-old son, David, who is being widely named on Internet blogs and chatrooms in connection with an unfolding story about Palin’s hacked e-mail accounts.

The FBI and the Secret Service started a formal investigation on Wednesday into the hacking.

David Kernell is a student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Mike Kernell said he spoke to his son on Thursday, as he does on a regular basis.

Kernell otherwise declined to comment, or discuss his son’s whereabouts.

Has Mike Kernell endorsed Barack Obama for President, yet?

Hat Tips: Gateway Pundit, Michelle Malkin, and Right Voices