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DA's Hubby Tweet-Bashes Swartz Family

While a state rep pens law to lower penalties for terms of service violations

By Liam Carnahan,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 16, 2013 7:25 AM CST

(Newser) – Just three days after Internet prodigy Aaron Swartz committed suicide, the husband of a prosecutor who had sought to put the hacktivist behind bars slammed the deceased's family on Twitter, reports the Guardian. "Truly incredible that in their own son's obit they blame others for his death and make no mention of the 6 month offer," tweeter Tom Dolan, an IBM exec and husband to prosecutor Carmen Ortiz. It didn't take long for Swartz's supporters to cry foul, and Dolan's account has since been deleted. Dolan, who was likely referencing a tentative plea deal, probably wasn't too happy about a petition sent to the White House calling for his wife's removal from office for her role in the Swartz case.

Meanwhile, California state Rep. Zoe Lofgren took to Reddit—which Swartz helped create—to announce a new law she penned to "prevent a repeat of the abuses of power" Swartz experienced. She cites the vague wording of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the wire fraud statute as leading to the overzealous prosecution of Swartz, and wants to see certain terms of service violations removed from the laws' "broad scope." Some 12 hours after it went up last night, Lofgren's post has received almost 600 upvotes from the site's users.

This photo shows Aaron Swartz, a co-founder of Reddit, who hanged himself Friday, Jan. 11, 2013, in New York City.
This photo shows Aaron Swartz, a co-founder of Reddit, who hanged himself Friday, Jan. 11, 2013, in New York City.   (AP Photo/ThoughtWorks, Pernille Ironside)
Aaron Swartz's family was the target of ire from one of IBM's executives.
Aaron Swartz's family was the target of ire from one of IBM's executives.   (©)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 12 comments
bubbahotep
Jan 17, 2013 1:17 AM CST
Stay classy, Mr. Dolan.
04052063
Jan 16, 2013 3:13 PM CST
I love twitter.  I love it because its a great way to identify idiots.
Twiny
Jan 16, 2013 11:07 AM CST
Sounds like the DA doesn't know how to keep her big, stupid mouth shut. Just another reason to get rid of her. You can't have her blabbing everything to her hubby, now can you? Especially when he's demonstrated that he's too stupid to keep it to himself as well.
 

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