Something tells me that this won't work out the way he expected.
He claims everyone is on the 35 years federal prison maximum sentence train and that he sees no mention of the 6 months plea offer. Besides the fact that if you are not guilty (I'm not american) I would simply not plea guilty I think that the persecutor scare tactics is enough to be asking for her resignation as it is the very definition of bullying which too often heads people into suicide, by leaving them a worst alternative (i.e. costing family and friends lots of money). Offer or no offer.
Bullying: Use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force him or her to do what one wants.
Basically going to federal prison 6 months, ruining you financially and having a criminal record for breaking some TOS/EULA for freeing _state_funded_ research which should have been free in first place is the fabulous offer ? How about thank you but no thank you ?
If he is guilty, i.e. trespassing, I would say the sentence should maybe be something like a month worth of social works. Or just see the context and give him a medal, he has done more _social_ work than most people already.
But frankly, I'm disappointed the coverage has stopped being about suicide prevention. Nobody should ever take their own life, and if you are feeling like life is not worth living please immediately call 1-800-273-8255. Thanks.
p.s.: I'd appreciate responses for downvotes, as I know this isn't popular, but would enjoy a real discussion.
I guess I personally disagree with this, at least for my own personal utility function. I would prefer suicide over a lengthy prison term, and I think that's the rational choice, at least with the inhumane conditions in American prisons. And you have to make that decision before sentencing, unfortunately, because courts often order suicide watches around the time of sentencing, precisely because many people share that preference.
I agree with you in cases where you have an option of continuing to live as a free man, however. In those cases seeming dead ends are usually irrational, borne of depressive pessimism. And treatment can make the situation improve and make it clear that there are ways out. But a lengthy prison term is an actual dead end, and treatment can't produce ways out of it. When someone kills themselves to avoid torture, it's the fault of the torturer.
Should we, as people who are not currently in prison, not try to make prison living conditions better instead? Some things that come to mind are:
1. Nobody should gain monetarily from someone being sentenced to prison.
2. Nobody should gain monetarily from someone being sentenced to prison for a longer time.
3. We should ensure full physical security for prisoners. I am willing to entertain the idea of making common lunch / shower areas optional. A prisoner ought to have the option to not be in physical proximity of other prisoners if necessary.
4. There should be a way to report bad behavior / torture by other prisoners or by guards.
I think the question to ask here is not whether death is better than prison... What can we do to make our prisons better?
I agree with your sentiment, but... are you aware of the fact that a large part of the US prison system is run by private corporations that have clear profit motives, and even seek contractually guaranteed occupancy levels?
Edit, link: http://annarbor.com/news/opinion/passing-house-bill-will-wor...
Money quote: "In 2012, [the Corrections Corporations of America] sent a letter to 'prison officials in 48 states offering to buy prisons from these states in exchange for a 20-year management contract and a guaranteed occupancy rate of 90%.'"
With all due respect, sir, this is simply not true. Oftentimes, choosing nonexistence to loss of freedom, prison rape, and in general the hollow, empty existence of a caged animal is NOT an irrational choice.
Probably not necessary for the threat of 6 months at Club Fed. Martha Stewart managed five months.
I'm not defending anyone here and I believe there was prosecutorial overreach in this case, but I disagreed with the family's use of their son's obituary to make a political statement.
He was obviously a troubled man if he believed suicide was his only option. He needed assistance (and reading through his posts, it seems obvious in retrospect) and I think a better statement would have pushed for improved mental health awareness and assistance in the US.
Easy: they hired a "Social Business Development" executive who doesn't understand social media in the first place (i.e. when an internet mob is out, you ain't gonna stop it with one puny twitter account).
Also, we now know that they hired the husband of a well-connected US Attorney prosecutor with political ambitions. Of course they did it because of his qualifications, nobody is saying otherwise, but y'know, people talk and stuff.