[bsder]

> I don't understand why we're supposed to feel bad for someone like this?

Did we learn nothing from Aaron Schwartz? It could be easily be YOU in his shoes at some point.

The US justice system is a very scary place and does not operate on terribly sane rules sometimes. "Innocent until proven broke" is a reality. Probation is basically a recipe for failure.

Finally, a lot of his problems stem from the fact that when he got in trouble HE WAS POOR. Had he been able to afford a lawyer (even a mediocre one) at that point, he very likely wouldn't have landed with the felony.

Rhetorical question: How many of us have done something stupid at 16-21 that could have gotten us a criminal record? For example, pot still isn't legal, you know.

> Maybe I'm alone in this, but I don't think rich people deserve sympathy the same way normal people do.

Everybody deserves justice and fairness, even those whom you don't like or sympathize with.

[tw04]

You're making an awful lot of assumptions without knowing even a little bit about what he actually did. Comparing Aaron Schwartz (trying to liberate information he thought should be free) to someone who, at best, committed credit card fraud is ridiculous. And quite frankly is offensive to his legacy.