Saturday, April 09, 2005
The 9th Circuit Says: Calling for the Assassination of the President is now Protected Speech
When Bill Clinton was President, some rightwing nutties called for his assassination - and the FBI came down on them like a ton of bricks, as they should. No matter who is President, or whether you like them or hate them - we must NEVER call for the assassination of the President of the United States, especially in the times of terrorism that we are living in.
That is what makes this decision from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, known as the "Lunatic Court" because it is stocked with some of the most ridiculous lunatic liberals in the history of America to sit on a court, so outrageous. Some lowlife wrote in a letter that George W. Bush should "die" - and he was punished for this. But the 9th Circuit whackjobs said that this loon's threats are now protected speech and cannot be punished:
Man's Conviction for Threatening Bush Nixe
Based on this decision, it is now "free speech" to threaten the President. I bet that Downies are cheering this decision. I only hope they see how foolish they are that such "free speech" should be allowed in a country such as ours, especially in a time of war.
When Bill Clinton was President, some rightwing nutties called for his assassination - and the FBI came down on them like a ton of bricks, as they should. No matter who is President, or whether you like them or hate them - we must NEVER call for the assassination of the President of the United States, especially in the times of terrorism that we are living in.
That is what makes this decision from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, known as the "Lunatic Court" because it is stocked with some of the most ridiculous lunatic liberals in the history of America to sit on a court, so outrageous. Some lowlife wrote in a letter that George W. Bush should "die" - and he was punished for this. But the 9th Circuit whackjobs said that this loon's threats are now protected speech and cannot be punished:
Man's Conviction for Threatening Bush Nixe
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court Friday overturned an inmate's conviction for writing a crude, rambling letter endorsing President Bush's death at the hands of terrorists — two weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The letter from Oregon State Penitentiary prisoner Jonathan Lincoln, who was charged with threatening the president and given an 18-month sentence last year, read, in part: "You will die too George W Bush real Soon they Promised That you would Long Live Bin Laden."
Corrections officials intercepted the letter; Lincoln had been serving a 46-month sentence for robbery.
A unanimous three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the letter was protected under the First Amendment, calling it "Lincoln's crude and offensive method of stating a political opposition to the president." The court noted "such political hyperbole does not constitute a 'threat."'
The decision reversed a ruling by Judge James A. Redden, who tried the case without a jury. Redden ruled the letter constituted a "true threat" when combined with statements Lincoln made six months earlier to a Secret Service agent that he wanted to assassinate the president.
Lincoln's attorney, Michael Levine, said his client was mentally disabled. He was released from prison last month and lives in a Portland, Ore., halfway house.
Frank Noonan, the Justice Department attorney who prosecuted Lincoln, did not immediately return calls for comment.
Based on this decision, it is now "free speech" to threaten the President. I bet that Downies are cheering this decision. I only hope they see how foolish they are that such "free speech" should be allowed in a country such as ours, especially in a time of war.
