Anthony Elonis was prosecuted under a law banning illegal threats after he posted Facebook rants in the form of rap lyrics about killing his estranged wife, harming law enforcement officials and shooting up a school. The Associated Press is reporting that:
- The Supreme Court today threw out the conviction of a Pennsylvania man
convicted of making threats on Facebook, but dodged the free speech
issues that had made the case intriguing to First Amendment advocates.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for seven justices, said it was not
enough for prosecutors to show that the comments of Anthony Elonis would
make a reasonable person feel threatened.
But the court did not specify to lower courts exactly what the standard
of proof should be.
More from
Associated Press/Hattiesburg American
