4 ms·

Even if it's just a 'day on the job' for the prosecutors it's not for the people they accuse and prosecute. Although I understand that that the prosecution in A

by SCHiM 12y ago

Even if it's just a 'day on the job' for the prosecutors it's not for the people they accuse and prosecute. Although I understand that that the prosecution in America seems more like bargaining than real justice and that you should always ask for more than you can reasonably achieve in bargaining, I think that the threat of years of your life wasted in prison is not acceptable. I agree with your point about better mental health-care, but the fact that Aaron needed, and did not receive, care does not redeem the prosecutor who drove him over the edge in my opinion. Saying that it's unfair to challenge the prosecutors behavior because the case never went to court does not seem relevant in light of the consequences the threats have had.

jlarocco 12y ago
If the system or process needs to change, why not change it directly? The prosecutor is irrelevant if the whole process is broken.
codingdave 12y ago
It is unfair to act like this was a singular effort against one man. This happens every day in every court case. I think we agree on that. I'm not condoning it, I'm saying cherry picking one case to fight is missing the point. His real story is one of a failure in our mental health system. This focus on the prosecution is twisting the story into areas that are harder to change, and had a smaller impact on the end result. This is not the story of a good guy being pursued by a bad prosecutor. This is a story of someone who did commit criminal acts, did get caught and prosecuted, and then did not have the personal capabilities to deal with the consequences. Yes, the story includes a bad legal system. But focusing on the prosecutor diminishes the actual problems in our legal system, diminishes the problems with our mental health system, and diminishes Mr. Swartz own responsibilities in his own story.
- marcosdumay 12y ago
  May I ask you what criminal acts he commited?
  - FireBeyond 12y ago
    Apropos of your thoughts on copyright infringement, he at the very least committed trespass. Even if MIT had no interest in prosecution. That is undisputed.
    - toomuchtodo 12y ago
      > he at the very least committed trespass. Which is typically a $100-500 fine, and classified as a misdemeanor.
      - FireBeyond 12y ago
        Certainly. But the question was "May I ask you what criminal acts he committed?" which, in the context of this discussion, seems likely spurred by a belief that his offenses were purely civil in nature, or should not have been offenses at all. I place no judgment. But misdemeanor, felony or otherwise, it's a correct and accurate answer.

by SCHiM 12y ago

jlarocco 12y ago

If the system or process needs to change, why not change it directly? The prosecutor is irrelevant if the whole process is broken.

codingdave 12y ago

It is unfair to act like this was a singular effort against one man. This happens every day in every court case. I think we agree on that. I'm not condoning it, I'm saying cherry picking one case to fight is missing the point. His real story is one of a failure in our mental health system. This focus on the prosecution is twisting the story into areas that are harder to change, and had a smaller impact on the end result. This is not the story of a good guy being pursued by a bad prosecutor. This is a story of someone who did commit criminal acts, did get caught and prosecuted, and then did not have the personal capabilities to deal with the consequences. Yes, the story includes a bad legal system. But focusing on the prosecutor diminishes the actual problems in our legal system, diminishes the problems with our mental health system, and diminishes Mr. Swartz own responsibilities in his own story.

marcosdumay 12y ago
May I ask you what criminal acts he commited?
- FireBeyond 12y ago
  Apropos of your thoughts on copyright infringement, he at the very least committed trespass. Even if MIT had no interest in prosecution. That is undisputed.
  - toomuchtodo 12y ago
    > he at the very least committed trespass. Which is typically a $100-500 fine, and classified as a misdemeanor.
    - FireBeyond 12y ago
      Certainly. But the question was "May I ask you what criminal acts he committed?" which, in the context of this discussion, seems likely spurred by a belief that his offenses were purely civil in nature, or should not have been offenses at all. I place no judgment. But misdemeanor, felony or otherwise, it's a correct and accurate answer.