Comments on: Aaron Swartz didn't face prison until Feds, led by Ortiz, jumped on case

By: Michael Holloway

Michael Holloway — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:36:00 +0000

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By: Paul Shuster

Paul Shuster — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 15:30:00 +0000

It was always a really bad idea and a perverse way to motivate law enforcement to bring Roman style proscription into it. I’m reminded of “I Claudius” when Caligula had informers accusing people of treason so he could seize their property.

Still, at least the proscribed people are just ruined financially and not decapitated, as in Rome, though I suspect some end up taking their own lives.

By: Paul Shuster

Paul Shuster — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 15:26:00 +0000

I’m not surprised she’s still in office, I’m surprised she hasn’t gotten a promotion.

I’m… somewhat cynical about the American political system.

By: Nell Anvoid

Nell Anvoid — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:26:00 +0000

Yep. Doesn’t seem to have the decency to step down either.

By: Lemoutan

Lemoutan — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 09:03:00 +0000

Hang on a sec. I know I’m not from around there, but, Ortiz is still in office?

By: Marilyn Terrell

Marilyn Terrell — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 06:48:00 +0000

There may be something else you can do: Protesters outside federal courthouse in Boston today were calling for resignation of Carmen Ortiz: http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/01/protesters_blame_us_attorney_death_internet_whiz

By: spacedoggy

spacedoggy — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 03:07:00 +0000

As an individual, not much. As people we can donate time, money and effort to the the good guys, ACLU, EFF in the U.S. and the EDRI E.U. look also for digital rights organisations in your specific country for legal help. Publicity also plays a big part. If you of someone you know is being persecuted unfairly. inform the media and any interested groups online.

By: Funk Daddy

Funk Daddy — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 02:51:00 +0000

Give more voice to its collective opposition is the safest and most effective thing an individual can do.

Also if you break laws that are commonly associated with the problem, marijuana laws for instance, then keep at it civilly but don’t get caught. When people can look left and right then realize that a law is meaningless, they also know it is a harmful law and it must change to accommodate society rather than society accommodating the law.

I guess the average person should live free or die for best results, but in a civil manner not the manner most often associated with the phrase.

By: tempo

tempo — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 02:31:00 +0000

What can the average person do to fight against prosecutorial overreach?

By: thomas vesely

thomas vesely — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 23:41:00 +0000

when whistleblowers go to jail instead of torturers the law is no longer to be respected…..

By: Nell Anvoid

Nell Anvoid — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Well, that’s because the seized property is then auctioned off and the proceeds go…guess where…! It’s a budget builder for the prosecutors office.

Lovely.

By: Fantome_NR

Fantome_NR — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:44:00 +0000

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I wonder if there was a little bit of political suppression involved in the manner in which they decided to prosecute him.

By: bzishi

bzishi — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:33:00 +0000

Also breaking today is Carmen Ortiz's attempt to steal a family's hotel using the BS drug seizure laws (because apparently if there are a couple of drug crimes around the hotel, the government can take it).

By: Funk Daddy

Funk Daddy — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:09:00 +0000

Making an example of a person via law is misfeasance when a disproportionate outcome is sought as a means of raising public awareness or any other objective outside the scope of the treatment of the individual in question under the law.

Someone needs to go ahead and take legal action if Ortiz admitted, acknowledged or allowed this in reference to Aaron Swartz.

Win or lose, it may check this behaviour in a person who clearly is willing to abuse power even to outcomes now witnessed.

If she wanted to make an example, she had the responsibility to find an appropriate one.