The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is in the midst of an internal investigation following the death of Aaron Swartz, a computer programmer who was facing charges for allegedly hacking into the school's archives before committing suicide.
The 26-year-old Internet activist and advocate for free online content was accused of hacking into MIT's academic journals so they could be posted online for free. Swartz's body was found Friday in his Brooklyn apartment where he hanged himself, according to New York medical examiner Ellen Borakove.
But the big question now is how MIT handled the situation.
'It pains me to think that MIT played any role in a series of events that have ended in tragedy," MIT President Rafael Reif said in a statement. "Now is a time for everyone involved to reflect on their actions and that includes all of us at MIT."
Cambridge, Mass. police department arrested Swartz in 2011 after he allegedly broke into a MIT computer closet in an effort to download files illegally-something he had reportedly done on more than one occasion. Swartz was due to begin trial next month and could have faced 35 years in prison and sizable fines for federal data theft charges for downloading subscription-based articles from JSTOR, an academic search service.
Reif said that the investigation will attempt to look at the two years leading up to Swartz's suicide when MIT first saw unusual activity on their network in 2010.
"I have asked that this analysis describe the options MIT had and the decisions MIT made, in order to understand and to learn from the actions MIT took," Reif said.
Swartz's suicide led to a strong public response and has manifested as a petition advocating the removal of U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, the woman responsible for his prosecution. The petition needs 25,000 signatures to evoke an official response from the White House.
Swartz's family has come forward, blaming his death on an over aggressive prosecution.
"Aaron's death is not simply a personal tragedy. It is the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach," Swartz's family and partner said in a statement.
Their statement also said that they believe decisions made at MIT contributed to Swartz's death.
MIT professor Hal Abelson, founding director of Creative Commons and Free Software Foundation, has been chosen to lead the school's investigation.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
