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MIT Review Says School Didn't Target Aaron Swartz
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology says an internal review of its actions in the investigation of free-information activist Aaron Swartz had found no wrongdoing on the school's part.
The 26-year-old hanged himself in January as he faced federal prosecution for surreptitiously using MIT's network to download millions of articles from a scholarly archive with the goal of making information free.
He was facing decades behind bars. Prosecutors said they offered a deal of four to six months in prison.
MIT says the investigation raises concerns about policies and procedures, but says the school didn't target Swartz, seek his prosecution, or oppose a plea.
MIT President L. Rafael Reif says the school's decisions were "made in good faith."
Swartz's girlfriend, Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, calls MIT's report a "whitewash" and says its behavior was "reprehensible."
This article was originally published on July 30, 2013.
This program aired on July 30, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.