Aaron Swartz, a 26-year-old American computer programmer and activist, was at the center of a highly publicized federal criminal case in 2013. Although initially filed in 2018, the charges in the case date back to 2011. Swartz was indicted on January 4, 2012, by a federal grand jury in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. However, his case was transferred to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and then later transferred to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and later to the Vermont federal court, specifically the VTD Federal District, where the trial was finally held.
Swartz was accused of violating federal law by downloading millions of academic articles from the online archive JSTOR without permission. The indictment charged Swartz with two counts of computer fraud and abuse, one count of recklessly damaging computer systems, and one count of intentionally exceeding authorized access to a protected computer.
Swartz pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his trial began on October 15, 2013. However, the trial was halted on October 10, 2013, as Swartz faced up to 35 years in prison and a $1 million fine if convicted.
Aaron Swartz died on January 11, 2013, by hanging himself in his Brooklyn apartment, before a final verdict was reached. The charges were eventually dropped in 2013. His case drew significant attention to the issue of internet freedom and the need for greater access to knowledge.
Key Facts
- Case: Swartz
- Court: VTD Federal District
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Federal Court Records
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