Supreme Court Needs to Clarify True Threat Exception; Case Out of Colorado Could Be the Vehicle
Today in this age of increased political polarization and the ubiquity of social media communications, the need for a clear definition of what exactly constitutes a true threat is even more important.
Updated: Resident Sues Minnesota City For Prohibitions On Filming In Public Parks
On September 2nd, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota ruled that a Bloomington, MN city ordinance banning photography and video recording in a public park violates the First Amendment.
Texas Appeals Court Rejects Alex Jones’ Motion to Dismiss Heslin Defamation Suit
The judge has ordered Jones to pay Heslin $22,250 in attorney fees, making the total amount Jones now owes Neil Heslin just under $150,000.
Man Who “Trolled” Parkland Shooting Victims’ Families Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison
Fleury’s lawyers tried to dismiss the case ahead of his trial in October 2019, arguing that his comments, though noxious, were protected under the First Amendment. But U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz rejected their motion, writing that Fleury’s expression fell under a category of unprotected speech called true threats.
Jury Awards Sandy Hook Father $450,000 in Defamation Suit against Conspiracy Theorist
“We went in thinking we had to prove that the death certificate was real. We ended up having to prove not only that, but that a little baby was born to these two parents,” Pozner’s attorney, Jacob Zimmerman, told First Amendment Watch.
Neo-Nazi Publisher, Andrew Anglin, Found Liable for Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
A federal judge ordered Andrew Anglin, the publisher of the neo-Nazi site, the Daily Stormer, and one of his followers to pay over $700,000 to Taylor Dumpson, a black student […]
Lawsuit Against Neo-Nazi Cannot Be Dismissed on 1st Amendment Grounds
Chief Judge Dana L. Christensen See also: Neo-Nazi Publisher, Andrew Anglin, Found Liable for International Infliction of Emotional Distress U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen will allow a lawsuit to proceed against […]
What is the State of Academic Freedom As More Professors Face Increasing Backlash?
An NPR report finds that “across the country, in the past year and a half, at least 250 university professors…have been targeted via online campaigns because of their research, their […]