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A political prisoner is not usually granted bail. It isn't hard to see why. Murder is a genuine crime recognized by all nations. One accused of murder will fin
by asciilifeform 15y ago
A political prisoner is not usually granted bail. It isn't hard to see why.
Murder is a genuine crime recognized by all nations. One accused of murder will find few people who are automatically sympathetic.
On the other hand, the "crime" Mr. Swartz is accused of would be seen as an entirely moral act by a great many people around the world, myself included. It is quite possible that if he were to board a plane, he could find a place where he would not only be able to continue in his line of work, but would be respected as a hero who flipped the finger at the Evil Empire and its fat rent-seeking parasites.
The prosecutor would be quite foolish to grant bail.
- jrockway 15y agoThe prosecutor would be quite foolish to grant bail. This is what I'm saying. The prosecutor does not make bail decisions. That's a decision for a presumably-neutral judge.
- tptacek 15y agoHeading off a message board nerd response: the prosecutor does make influential bail recommendations. But don't you get the impression that this particular commenter would be disappointed if Swartz wasn't imprisoned immediately? That sure would cut down the drama and cost the commenter some opportunities to howl at the moon about political prisoners.