In 2004 I became aware of the case of Nick Baker who, according to his supporters, had been falsely accused of drug smuggling. The story is fairly well known to residents of Japan: Baker, on the trip of a lifetime to Japan to tour world cup venues, and tired after a long flight, arrived at the baggage carousel to find his friend and traveling companion, James Prunier waiting. Telling Baker that he will follow in a few moments with Baker's bag, Prunier told Baker to go through with his bag. Baker did so, only to be caught with a record amount of ecstasy plus a kilo of cocaine in the suitcase. Baker was sentenced to 14 years.

I was drawn to the case because I thought Baker had a solid case for an appeal, and that Metropolis could help. I made internet advertising banners highlighting the injustice of Baker's sentence and promoted the case on my websites. I commissioned an article that was sympathetic to Baker (Trial and Error, November 7, 2003) and informed other webmasters about the case (resulting in at least one other article being written).

When I found out Baker had been to Japan two months before his arrest I realized that both myself and the readers of Metropolis had been misled by Baker's supporters. To set the record straight, I wrote an editorial in Metropolis, (We the Jury, September 4, 2004), commissioned a follow-up article about the case (True Crime, November 2005) and wrote a 30-page analysis of the case supporting my claims (available on request).

Baker's supporters were angry at this negative exposure and sought to attack me in various ways on the net, including a long battle over Baker's Wikipedia entry and other feeble attempts to discredit me. These efforts were self-defeating as they only brought more exposure to the inconsistencies in the case, leading to even less support.

After six years in Japanese prison, Nick Baker was transferred to the UK and was released in late 2008. He is in the process of rebuilding his life.