Feds Threaten Blogger
David Codrea says US Marshal Judicial Security Inspector David A. Meyer threatened him with arrest for his blog. More specifically, he told Ryan from Red’s Trading Post to pass along a message. Essentially, the agent has asserted that if David threatens or incites, he’ll be arrested. Now, David and I don’t see eye to eye on the best way to further our cause but to state that he’s threatened anyone or that he’s inciting others is ridiculous. To threaten David’s right to speak freely under color of law is a crime. I expect better of government employees.
I guess they had words for Ryan too since he hasn’t updated his blog since the trial started.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:11 am
It’s probably best to keep quiet during the trial. I would imagine his attorneys have probably advised him to do that rather than the feds issuing a threat. Ryan doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who’s easily intimidated.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Ditto what Sebastion says. There was a case some months (year or two?) back where a doctor was “anonymously” blogging his malpractice trial, and his attorneys didn’t know. The Doc had made some disparaging comments about various participants in the trial. Things didn’t go well for him on once the opposing side found out during the trial. I believe an unfavorable to him settlement ensued. And I expect every trial lawyer now has a “no blogging” rule for his clients.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:06 am
And yes, what the marshall did was intimidation, pure and simple.
March 11th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I was pleasantly unaware of this restraint on free speech statute that was passed last year.
I hope that someone is prosecuted, so a Federal District Court can decide its (un)Constitutionality.
If you ignore the 2A, it follows that ignoring the 1A should also come easily.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
It appears there are plenty of Feds who still don’t understand how this newfangled internet thingy works.
March 12th, 2008 at 9:31 am
It pretty much follows federal court rulings on the anti abortion groups posting doctors home addresses and photos. I believe it would be upheld onder extremely limited circumstances sush as crosshairs superimposed over his head or somthing along those lines.