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Thursday, Jan 17, 2013 4:30 AM UTC

Mass. US attorney says Swartz case handled well

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Topics: From the Wires,

BOSTON (AP) — A federal prosecutor criticized over criminal charges against an Internet activist who killed himself in New York says her office’s handling of the case was “appropriate.”

Boston-based U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz says she wants to extend her “heartfelt sympathy” to everyone who loved Reddit creator Aaron Swartz. But she said Wednesday in an emailed statement the prosecutors handling Swartz’s case enforced the law “reasonably.”

Swartz was charged with 13 felonies in 2011 after he was accused of using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s computer network to illegally download nearly 5 million academic articles.

Friends say he was a shy young man who felt government and big business had hijacked the Web.

Swartz’s death has touched off a backlash against prosecutors. He has been eulogized as a martyred hero since his suicide last week.

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AP National Writer Allen G. Breed reported from Raleigh, N.C.

By Denise Lavoie And Allen G. Breed

More By Denise Lavoie And Allen G. Breed.

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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