Student convicted in Palin e-mail hacking

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal jury has convicted a former Tennessee college student of two charges in the hacking of Sarah Palin’s e-mail account.

The jury convicted 22-year-old David Kernell of unauthorized access to a computer and obstruction of justice. He was found not guilty of wire fraud and the jury failed to reach a verdict on identity theft.

Kernell was charged with breaking into Mrs. Palin’s e-mail while she was the Republican vice presidential candidate in 2008.

Defense attorney Wade Davies has said it was a prank, but prosecutors claimed he was trying to damage Mrs. Palin’s campaign.

The conviction for obstructing an investigation can carry a maximum 20-year prison sentence.