Man arrested for Facebook comment threatening Gov. Haley's life

WIS TV ^ | November 23, 2011 | Logan Smith

[Jet Jaguar]

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - A South Carolina man is accused of threatening the life of Gov. Nikki Haley on Facebook, but he claims he was only making a point about free speech.

When 26-year-old Nathan Shafer heard about the arrests of 19 Occupy Columbia members outside the State House last Wednesday, he did what lots of people do when they get angry -- he vented about it on the Internet. He saw Gov. Haley's Facebook post about the arrests and Haley's comment that she "appreciate[s] freedom of speech," and that's when authorities say Shafer crossed the line.

"I hope someone murders you before I do," Shafer said he commented on the post. "How's that for freedom of speech?"

The next day, Shafer says two State Law Enforcement Division agents visited him in Charlotte to discuss the comment. Shafer says he retracted and deleted his statement, promised he wasn't serious and apologized to the Haley family.

Still, Shafer says SLED agents called him again on Tuesday and told him he'll be prosecuted for the alleged threat. Shafer turned himself in at noon on Wednesday at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.

"I just think the whole situation is completely ridiculous and blown out of proportion," Shafer wrote shortly before his arrest.

Threats against public officials are naturally taken very seriously, even when a comment was supposedly made in jest. In July, however, a federal court ruled that a man who posted online statements calling for President Barack Obama's assassination was merely exercising his free speech rights.

At issue, according to the court, is whether a "reasonable person" would view the statement in question as a genuine threat. In Shafer's case, that remains to be seen.

[OnlyTurkeysHaveLeftWings]

At issue, according to the court, is whether a "reasonable person" would view the statement in question as a genuine threat. In Shafer's case, that remains to be seen.

Here's the rub. IN CONTEXT, a "reasonable" person could swing either way. I'm something of an absolutist when it comes to the first amendment, so seems to me he's making a point--an extreme point, a distasteful point, but a point nonetheless--about what he perceives to be Gov. Haley's disregard for free speech.

But.

I also think if you're stupid enough to say something like that in print and with your real name on it you can't expect nothing to happen.

So basically it comes down to which 12 people wind up in the box and I'll shed no tears nor celebrate either way.

[Lazamataz]

"I hope someone murders you before I do," Shafer said he commented on the post. "How's that for freedom of speech?"

Damn, dude. That was freakin' stupid.

[MinuteGal]

We have Constitutional Law and Obama Law.....and never the twain shall meet.

Obama Law trumps all.

Leni

[OldNavyVet]

We have Constitutional Law and Obama Law.....and never the twain shall meet.

Speaking of Twain, he wrote ...

It would not be possible for Noah to do in our day what he was permitted to do in his own ... The inspector would come and examine the Ark, and make all sorts of objections.

[Monorprise]

“I agree.
Laws that protect elected officials from the words of the electorate are just one more way that the political class have used their positions to enact statutes to coddle themselves.
The First Amendment was put there specifically to protect political speech. Our Founding Fathers, and other politicians of the day endured much more in the way of hate speech than our pampered minders of today.
I love Governor Haley, by the way, but she needs to call the dogs off on this one.”

I agree except the 1st amendment to the Federal Constitution Most explicitly does not apply here. What apples here is Article 1 section 2 of the South Carolina Constitution which as I quoted has very much the same restriction upon South Carolinian as the 1st Amendment to the Federal Constitution has on the Federal Goverment.

We need to be specific, Federal usurpation of incorporation MUST be overturned along with all other Federal usurpation. It is not authorized nor is it needed.

[Lancey Howard]

Throw the simple little twink in jail. Fine with me.

[Cindy]

You’re welcome Jet Jaguar.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

[BIGLOOK]

Since when are threats 'Freedom of Speech' rights, JJ? Or is this just a case that'll be passed over because it involves another Occupy movement?

Nothing like an apology before the arraignment.

[Jet Jaguar]

Actually, I posted the article to show the media bias. Remember when the TEA party was getting all sorts of bad press? I do not recall a single TEA party person calling for the death of liberals and getting arrested. This guy is a OWS nutter.