This seems like a rather unjustified and wanton punishment to me. I can't see anything in his history that is worthy of such treatment. I scan around other areas of HN and see people who are blatant trolls appearing everywhere and they aren't hallbanned. Yet someone, like josephcooney, who appears to have a brain and attempts to be actively involved in moderate and reasonable discussion is axed?

Just goes to show that HN is becoming a ghetto, that's if it isn't already one.

Poor form if you ask me.

I can't see how it's justified, his comment history isn't so bad: http://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=josephcooney

A hellban should be a last resort - it's rather a cruel punishment.

What does that/do you mean?

How do you know?