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Poor bastard. He did something that is unquestionably highly unethical and illegal, but he was also an awkward, messed-up nerdy guy who arguably just needed some real friends and a chance.

http://www.gq.com/news-politics/newsmakers/201205/chris-chan...

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Wait, can't the same argument be applied to certain sociopaths?

Are you implying that sociopaths should just be thrown in prison and left to rot?

Does anyone in the US pretend that prison should be rehabilitative? I'm sure that this guy serving 10 years in prison is going to be a net-positive for our society. /not

Given the amount of publicity this is getting, I would argue it will be a net positive. It will provide a strong deterrent to people hacking celebrities in the future.

Harsh sentences don't "set an example" and deter crime.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deterrence_(legal)#Effectivene...

As a US citizen, the culture here is one of retributive justice. Most couldn't care less if the indicted person was reformed, what they care about is that they suffer. Watch any highly emotional event that takes precedence in American media like this weeks shootings. Look at how the public responded by calling the person the devil and that he should rot in hell for eternity. They don't even realize that their mentality is partly to blame for what is happening.

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