Asserting the Right to Trial is a Felony Punishable by 95-Year Imprisonment

According to Stephen Heymann's actions as a U.S. attorney in Massachusetts, and as approved by the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, a crime that might be punishable with 3 - 4 months in jail bears with it up to a 95-year imprisonment for asserting one's individual right to a jury trial.  These are the choices given Aaron Swartz for the possible illegal downloading of academic papers.  Rather than plead guilty to a felony and serve 3 - 4 months in prison or fight conviction and a 95-year imprisonment by asserting his right to trial, Aaron Swartz committed suicide.  Aaron Swartz was a highly regarded programmer who help create Reddit, RSS, and Creative Commons.

Alexander Cohen has written more about this miscarriage of justice in an interesting article here.  Alexander Cohen is also setting up a new non-profit called the Center for the Individual.