Aaron Swartz Isn't The First Hacker To Commit Suicide In The Face of A Federal Investigation

Few people close to him doubt that an overzealous federal prosecution team contributed to Aaron Swartz's suicide last Saturday. And quite tragically, he wasn't the first to find himself in that position. On Monday night, BuzzFeed dug up the case of Jonathan James, a young hacker who was implicated in the largest personal identity hack in history. Not only was the same department involved in James's case as in Swartz's, but it was also the same prosecutor, Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Heymann, who pursued each of the young men. 

James left few questions about why he decided to killed himself. Two weeks after the Secret Service invaded James's home, the 24-year-old was found dead in his home of an apparent suicide. "I have no faith in the 'justice' system. Perhaps my actions today, and this letter, will send a stronger message to the public," he said in a suicide note. "Either way, I have lost control over this situation, and this is my only way to regain control. … Remember, it's not whether you win or lose, it's whether I win or lose, and sitting in jail for 20, 10, or even 5 years for a crime I didn't commit is not me winning. I die free."...