Posted on 11/01/2025 5:33:27 AM PDT by Libloather
The First Amendment won out this week in a court case over a man who repeatedly called for President Donald Trump’s assassination and openly fantasized about his violent demise.
A jury acquitted the man, Peter Stinson, of one charge of soliciting a crime of violence, raising questions about when speech is protected by the Constitution and when it becomes incriminating.
A former longtime Coast Guard officer, Stinson called for someone to "take the shot" in reference to Trump, according to court papers. "Realistically the only solution is violence," Stinson wrote.
Stinson said he "would twist the knife after sliding it into [Trump’s] fatty flesh" and that he "would be willing to pitch in" for a hitman contract.
"He wants us dead. I can say the same thing about him," Stinson wrote in another post during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A witness for the defense, Professor Jen Golbeck of the University of Maryland, said people "rooting for Trump to die online" is common.
"On one hand, I would not encourage anyone to post those thoughts on social media," Golbeck said, according to the Washington Post. "On the other hand, I can’t count the number of people who I saw post similar things. ... It’s a very common sentiment. There’s social media accounts dedicated to tracking whether Trump has died."
Brennen VanderVeen, program counsel with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said that one issue with the charges in Stinson’s case was that it was not clear whom Stinson was soliciting to carry out the crime.
"Solicitation is when it’s directly tied to the crime. So, if he contacts an actual hit man and tries to arrange some sort of hit contract, that’s solicitation," VanderVeen told Fox News Digital. "Without more … that probably does not meet the elements...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
So that makes it okay. Carry on.
One step closer...
On the other hand, I always have the feeling that if I were to “use the n-word”, some guy on the street could beat me half to death, and a court would tell me that I used “fighting words” and deserved my beating.
This result is total bullshit! Can I say this about Obama or Hillary? They would lock me up!
So, there are NO limits to “free speech”? Interesting What could go wrong ?
Where was the trial held? Maryland? NYC? DC?
So ... available for recall to duty by the C-in-C?
To quote a great Pirate joke, “Bring me my ‘brown’ pants!”
Most threats against Obama issued online
"Other sources, who because of the sensitivity of the matter asked to not be identified, said the president still receives more threats than previous presidents, although the number is lower than in the immediate aftermath of his first election."
I wonder...
Make the arrest process the punishment like the democrats do.
See #9.
Virginia.
And to top it all off, they are filled with murderous hatred towards anyone who doesn't believe as they do.
What could possibly go wrong?
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A federal jury in Alexandria has acquitted a man charged with making threats toward President Donald Trump.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/alexandria-man-acquitted-charges-threatening-055142099.html
The cobalt-blue portion of northern Virginia.
bkmk
Sounds like the n word and yelling fire in a crowded theater will be back in style.
I thought that threatening the life of the POTUS was a federal crime.
Juror: “Hey, I am getting threats now. They need to go to jail” /irony
“A federal jury in Alexandia”
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