'Homeless hacker' allowed back online

A federal judge has released Adrian Lamo, the so-called homeless hacker, on bail with only limited restrictions on his computer use until his next court date in October.

US Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman kept Lamo's bail at the earlier amount of $250,000 but lifted the restrictions that barred him from using a computer at all. Instead, Freeman said, the 22-year-old California resident accused of breaking into The New York Times' network can use a computer for email and to apply for a job or a college program.

Lamo's computer access also "may be monitored in the discretion of pretrial services", Freeman said during an afternoon hearing. Other restrictions she imposed require Lamo to live with his parents in the Sacramento area - they have posted their home to secure their son's bail - and to notify the court if he plans to be away from home for more than 24 hours.

Both the assistant US attorney and Lamo's court-appointed public defender agreed to those conditions. Prosecutor Joseph DeMarco added that Lamo would be able to use a PC "not just to seek school [but also] to continue in school or continue in employment".

Freeman also read Lamo his rights, reviewed a financial affidavit that showed he was essentially penniless, and said the conditions of his release were "reasonable based on the allegations of the complaint and pretrial report".

Lamo's attorney, Sean Hecker, declined to comment after the hearing. Neither would Lamo, except to say that "it's a beautiful day".

Declan McCullagh writes for News.com