There are definitely cases where suicide for a cause has been an effective strategy. It's still tragic. I don't think it's a justifiable strategy (particularly in Aaron's case -- he could have WON his court case. Even if he lost, and spent a year or a few years in jail (potentially out on appeal), he wouldn't have been dead, and could have continued the fight.
However:
Mohammed Bouazizi in Tunisia potentially kicked off the entire Arab Spring.
There are ~500 self immolations by Buddhist monks in Asia who were part of getting the US to withdraw from the Vietnam war, etc.
Maybe a hundred Tibetans in protesting China.
> Even if he lost, and spent a year or a few years in jail (potentially out on appeal), he wouldn't have been dead, and could have continued the fight.
How optimistic of you. The chargest totaled over 50+ years in prison[0][1].
[0] http://lessig.tumblr.com/post/40347463044/prosecutor-as-bull... [1] http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120917/17393320412/us-gov...
Not saying that he killed himself for the cause but ironically he may have helped it