

Ilya Zhitomirskiy - dayaz36
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilya_Zhitomirskiy

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jchonphoenix
Ilya and Aaron's situations are very different.

Aaron was harassed and harangued by an overzealous attorney. His suicide is,
in a sense, a direct consequence of another's actions. The actions that led to
his trial also are laced with strong moral beliefs that seem to conflict with
the law, leading me to believe that perhaps he knew his actions would cause
him to become a martyr.

Ilya on the other hand, is a textbook suicide case. That's not to diminish the
significance of his death, but to point to the fact that there are two factors
at play here. One is the tragedy of young aspiring minds who take their own
lives. The other, of an uncalibrated and overreaching legal system.

I believe Aaron would wish his legacy and his death to help impact and reform
the latter.

~~~
Permit
This kind of post pisses me off because of how obvious it that you're talking
out of your ass.

Aaron was depressed for a considerably long time, as pointed out by his
lawyer. His previous coworkers had sent the police to his house six years ago
after a suicide scare[1].

I don't understand how you've come to the conclusion that he's a martyr for
his cause because he killed himself. I understand emotions are fresh in
everyone's mind, but it's bizarre that he's being portrayed as an 'American
Hero'. I suppose after things have calmed down, then we'll finally be able to
have a rational discussion about all this instead of an emotionally-charged
one.

[1]<http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/dying> (Note: He edited the name to Alex
from Aaron after the event).

~~~
veemjeem
What about the post today where it was revealed that the US Attorney chided
Aaron on the day of his death? In the memorandum, it stated that they were
ready to take his laptop and peripheral devices.

~~~
Permit
She said "The e-mail that Defendant Swartz's supplemental memorandum (pdf)
cites as paramount to his fifth motion to suppress [evidence against him] is
relevant, but not nearly as important as he tries to make it out to be".

If the US gov't bullied Aaron to death, I doubt it was because of that
statement. Surely, harsher words have been spoken to defendants.

I don't even understand how that thread reached the front-page of HN
considering how devoid of substance it is.

------
Alex3917
I realize it's an apples and oranges comparison, but the number of Y
Combinator founders who have committed suicide is now greater than the number
of Y Combinator companies that have achieved billion dollar valuations.

~~~
dayaz36
Can you name some?

