Internet harassment

Long story with a person who has turned my life upside down for over 5 years!

She posted a very slanderous comment on Myspace and I found it. Of course I got very upsset and went overboard and posted everything I had been through with her in 5 years under her post as a comment. 26  posts according to the police. Ok, I admit I let my temper and built up frustrations with this person get the best of me....I DID NOT THREATEN HER IN ANY WAY..I stated the absolute truth of what we had been through with her and said dont get involved with her she lies. Now she went to our local police and filed a harassment complaint against me. OK..I want to know why you can go on a public website that millions of people visit daily and write something about someone that is less than flattering and when someone comments (even 26 times) that knows different or the truth then I post to defend it and I am charged with criminal harassment??????????? I dont understand it........I admit my posting was obsessive but I didnt threaten her at all. I wouldnt do that. I though if I posted bad stuff she would simply remove the page and the problem would be solved.......

The job of the police is to take reports of possible crimes and investigate. It is the job of the DA to prosecute citizens if the investigative reports of the police suggest that such should occur.

Therefore, there is no law that would stop her from making any report of harassment, etc. to the police or alleging that what you did was criminal. Presumably, the police looked at what you posted and at least thought there was enough to investigate further. Not a good fact pattern from your point of view.

If you do get charged with any crime, you retain counsel (or ask for public defender) and defend at that point.

Now, if she has requested a restraining order (RO) against you, that is a different issue. Obviously, I cannot see what you posted, but a judge probably will and, I am guessing that she will get her RO. The evidence needed for an RO is considerably less than that needed to convict you of a crime.

My advice to you is this. If the relationship is over, it's over. Don't stoke the fires afterwards. Nothing good ever comes of from such "stoking" as you have apparently found out the hard way.

Consult local counsel.

I dont know what she is asking for. I know the police came to my house and asked for a statement. When I called the police officer in charge of the case he said it could very well go to court. I didnt threaten her I simply stated what had happened to us with her lies, manipulation, durg use and child abuse we had experienced with her. I feel like the bad people always win against the good people. You can post anything you want about anyone and that is ok but when someone posts in reply to it then its harassment. The internet is not a tool to bash people and their lives. Why is it ok for her and not me...I admit what I did was wrong but I though she would read it and remove the comments and her comment and that would be it. I didnt know what I was doing was criminal...America the little Russia...............Im sick of the system that is to protect people only protects the bad guys out there..The good guys are at the mercy of the court literally..its sad for me. I try to always be kind and never say things against others and when I do Im charged with criminal harassment for sticking up for people I love..I never learn!  Just let people stomp on you and say nothing ..if you post on a public forum that gets 30 million hits a day and anyone can read it and anyone can comment on what you write then why is it a crime for me to comment no matter how many times I comment . What happend to the freedom of speech act?? why doesnt it apply on both sides? Im so confused here and have talked to 3 lawyers all who say its nonsense that they are even bothering with this but they are..................I just wanted her to stop saying bad things about our family.

She did it one time and it wasn't directed specifically at you if you had to go find it.  You did it 26 times on her page, directly to her.

She went to the cops, you did not.

Malicious harassment normally doesn't require a threat.  It usually requires an intent to harass the person, and possibly actual, reasonable annoyance or harassment of the target.

bjgates:

I though if I posted bad stuff she would simply remove the page and the problem would be solved.......

Didn't work out very well, eh?  The normal remedy for Internet stuff like this is to ignore it. It would have fallen off her page or something eventually.

She has stolen money from me, stolen a rosery that was in our family for 5 generations, she has slandered me and my family all over town and she gets away with it.......I just dont understand why she is right and I am wrong! I cant even go out for ice cream and someone comes up to me and says do you know what this girl is saying about you..? I go for pizza and the same thing..shes everywhere but quiet!

He'd turn the other cheek.  You didn't do that.

Two wrongs don't make it right.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Prosecutors get paid to prosecute, and it isn't nonsense to them.  Police act on the complaining party's issues, usually.

Free Speech isn't absolute.  Time, place and manner of speech can be regulated.  Speech that is intended to harass, delivered on a medium that can be regulated by the government, can be limited.

>The internet is not a tool to bash people and their lives

You sent how many responses?

I realize ignoring it would have been best but too late for that now..better judgement always comes after the mistake is made.

I have gotten a lawyer. All I can do is say Im sorry and that is it. otherwise if Im charged well then Im charged...nothing I can do to undo it now.

No one sets out to harass her..I just wanted the truth to be known..yeppers I overstated it all. we do that when we are upset... life always goes on the best it can regardless. live and learn.

Nope it didnt work out too well at all but then when I was doing it I didnt think of the consiquences like many dont when doing something stupid!

I realize I got carried away. I didnt intend to harass her but I guess I did. Maybe if you had dealt with her in your life for the past 5 years you would feel different.

Im not going to bother with this anymore. I saught counsil and Im just going to let it run its course. Im sorry that I harassed her, I didnt mean it to be harassing, I just wanted the truth told and her to stop harassing us..so Im as bad as she is..oh well. I always try to stick up for my family, friends and loved ones no matter what..Guess I should rethink how faithful I am to people and just let things happen and stay quiet...........

Regretting my actions.................. to say the least....

I think many if not most of us here, have had our share of problems. 

I do not disagree that you probably wanted to even reply more times.  Many of us would have wanted to also.

It's just not a good idea.

And now you are paying the price.

I mean no disrespect.

Now you deal with the consequences that's all.