Salon.com > cyber crime http://www.salon.com Sat, 18 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Federal justice and Aaron Swartz’s death http://www.salon.com/2013/01/16/federal_justice_and_aaron_swartzs_death/ http://www.salon.com/2013/01/16/federal_justice_and_aaron_swartzs_death/#comments Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:45:00 +0000 http://www.origin.railrode.net/?p=13171826 Aaron Swartz was not the first brilliant young technologist to commit suicide while facing prosecution by the U.S. government for cybercrimes. In 2008, a young hacker named Jonathan James killed himself when he was named as a suspect in a case brought by the very same prosecutor who zealously pursued Swartz -- Massachusetts Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Heymann.

Unlike Swartz, James left a note. "I have no faith in the 'justice' system. Perhaps my actions today, and this letter, will send a stronger message to the public. Either way, I have lost control over this situation, and this is my only way to regain control." He had been incarcerated for cybercrimes as a teenager. Meanwhile Swartz's family and partner directed some blame for his suicide last week at "a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach."

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