The DOJ case involving Aaron Swartz is just one of dozens of recent cases of government agents overreaching. We believe the issue to be systemic in nature. The current system rewards big winners and encourages prosecutors to focus on cases that will garner notoriety first and actual criminal activity second.
In a case similar to that of Aaron Swartz, Jeremy Johnson has been charged with a single count of mail fraud and was on the verge of signing an 11 year plea deal ONLY because U.S. Attorney Brent Ward threatened to arrest family members including his mother and father despite admitting that they had committed no crime.
These types of actions are unacceptable. Unfortunately change will not come as long as these prosecutors remain free from outside, independent investigation.