David Kernell (20) was finally indicted by a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tennessee for admittedly hacking into Sarah Palin’s email account at Yahoo. Palin is currently governor of Alaska and a Vice Presidential candidate.

Kernell, who posted Palin’s email on the Internet, faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine, for breaking federal law. His trial is set for December 16.

David’s father is a longtime state Rep. Mike Kernell of Memphis, and chairman of Tennessee’s House Government Operations Committee, so it’s likely David will get off with only a slap on the wrist. Mike denies any involvement in his son’s crime.

Although David Kernell, an economics student at the University of Tennessee, was brought into court wearing handcuffs and shackles on his ankles, he was released without posting bond. The court did limit his computer use to checking his own e-mail and doing class work. How the court will monitor David’s computer use is a mystery.

It seems obvious David would have done a lot more to harm Sarah Palin if he had the ability, but only managed to release harmless emails on the Internet. Federal laws are in place to prevent this kind of crime for good reason. It would be a mockery of the justice system if this high profile case isn’t used to set an example. Maximum penalties are meant to deter maximum crimes such as this one.

Admitted hacker David Kernell broke into Sarah Palin’s personal Yahoo email account, and posted those private messages on the Internet. David, who is the son of Democratic Tennessee state representative Mike Kernell, will get away with his federal crime against a United States Governor, since the grand jury has decided not to charge him with the crime he admits to committing. Here’s more about the story:

Federal authorities are ramping up an investigation of a 20-year-old college student for allegedly hacking into Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s e-mail account.

The FBI searched the apartment of hacker David Kernell on Sunday morning, and three of Kernell’s roommates could testify this week about the case before a grand jury in Chattanooga, according to local news reports.

After it was discovered that the Republican vice presidential candidate’s personal Yahoo e-mail account was hacked into, reports began circulating that the hack could be traced back to Kernell, a University of Tennessee student and son of Democratic Tennessee state representative Mike Kernell.

Witnesses told a local television station that the FBI served a search warrant at Kernell’s Knoxville, Tenn., apartment early Sunday morning, interrupting a party, and spent more than an hour taking pictures of the apartment. Kernell’s three roommates were subpoenaed to testify this week, a witness also said.

The hacker gained access to Palin’s account by guessing certain personal details about the governor’s life and then resetting her password to "popcorn." ZIP files with content from Palin’s account were posted on the Internet.

Laura Sweeney, a Justice Department public-affairs specialist, confirmed that there was investigatory activity relating to the Palin hack in Knoxville over the weekend but said no criminal charges have been filed against anyone.

David is over 18 years-old, and he should have to answer for his crime like all other United States citizens who break the law. Daddy must be proud of his Sarah hating son.