Darrell Issa, in charge of the US house of representative's investigation of the Justice Department's prosecution of Swartz, told the Huffington Post that "overprosecution is a tool often used to get people to plead guilty rather than risk sentencing… If someone is genuinely guilty of something and you bring them up on charges, that's fine.
"I'll make a risky statement here: Overprosecution is a tool often used to get people to plead guilty rather than risk sentencing," Issa said.
Issa told HuffPost he had a staffer looking into the Swartz prosecution earlier this month, calling overprosecution "a tool often used to get people to plead guilty rather than risk sentencing".
If this legislation passes, however, many groups may stop registering voters rather than risk jail sentences or fines.
As a practical matter, defendants risk longer sentences if they protest their innocence or complain about the police behavior, including the infliction of torture.
In comments likely to enhance his reputation as one of the most liberal of popes, Francis went on to slam the risk of sentencing becoming disproportionately severe.
The clash over whether Mr. Mohamed poses a risk if sentenced to life imprisonment came on a day when prosecutors rested their case for execution and the defense began its efforts to win a life sentence.
The conservative daily Le Figaro published the lead headline, "Executive Life: The Infernal Scenario," and warned that French executives risked jail sentences and the French taxpayer the payment of billions of dollars in penalties in the event of a trial.
Even above ground, when talking to the chief executive of Crossrail, Andrew Wolstenholme, in his Canary Wharf office, I find he speaks in risk-managed sentences, their content differing not much from the organisation's press releases and website.
The activist group Rosa (for Reproductive rights, against Oppression, Sexism & Austerity) toured the island on an 'abortion pill bus', providing banned medication to those in need, risking prison sentences of up to 14 years.
