Yes, it does. Things that make you seem like you are being a criminal hurt. The hard thing is that sometimes either option looks bad. For instance, IIRC, Weev

Yes, it does. Things that make you seem like you are being a criminal hurt. The hard thing is that sometimes either option looks bad. For instance, IIRC, Weev deleted the download script that pulled data from AT&T and the data itself, once publicity had been gotten. That was construed at trial as deleting evidence. But part of the prosecutors' case was that Weev et. al. planned to exploit the data. In that case, keeping the data would have been used against them as well.