Sorry, but no, they weren't "just doing their jobs". They were operating way outside the parameters of their jobs, which - as extensions of the Executive Branch

Sorry, but no, they weren't "just doing their jobs". They were operating way outside the parameters of their jobs, which - as extensions of the Executive Branch - are subject to oversight by the Judicial branch which, in turn, is subject to direct popular oversight in the form of trial by jury. The critical fact is that the Prosecutors were doing everything in their power secure guilty pleas without going in front of a jury, where they were very likely to lose. That's why they were offering a mere 6-8 months in jail on multiple felony confessions vs. 35 years in prison, a $1mm fine and a trial process designed to be financially ruinous. In other words, their "offer" hinged on their ability to place an insurmountable wall between Aaron and a jury. In doing so, they avoided a key provision of the Constitution. The breath-taking abusiveness with which they pursued him only underscores why that provision was made in the first place. http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424127887324581504578238692048200404-lMyQjAxMTAzMDEwMzExNDMyWj.html http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB1000142412788732458150... Faced with power this unchecked and malicious, most people simply cave, which is why fewer than 10% of Federal crimes end up before a jury. But apparently, Aaron considered life as a convicted felon to be a fate worse than death. As with so many other things, he simply wasn't like most people. While his suicide brought an unusual amount of attention to the abuse that's going on, the abuse itself is far from unusual. Indeed, it's become par for the course. That's the issue. That's why the response is about people regaining control over a terrifyingly out-of-control system. Extending this to the specific individuals is essential, because that - and only that - can reflect the moral dimension of the situation. After all, we're not talking about a busted sewer pipe here, or a faulty traffic light leading to an especially bad traffic accident. The DOJ's standard operating procedure represents a calculated erosion of democratic safeguards. That's what makes their conduct a violation of their oaths and crime against the people. So yes, the public's reassertion of its moral authority over its government should absolutely involve severe punishment for those who have so egregiously betrayed the public trust. Given the context, "career ending" is hardly too high a price for the specific individuals to pay. As any prosecutor will tell you, the law is about deterrence as much as it is about punishment.