CELEBRITY CYBERSTALKING & POLITICAL THREATS

There has been a major increase in celebrity stalking and cyber stalking. The Tesla task force of the F B I is a response to one set of targeted attacks focused on using fear to advance a political agenda. but there is much more.

The shooting of father, husband and United Health care CEO Brian Thompson became a social media event. The publicity transcended the extreme depravity of the crime and the human tragedy. The news stories focused on the narcissistic killers nonsensical chatter and little on the fact that the killing of a father was part of the scourge of social media driving the beliefs and conduct of digital zombies.

Celebrities are often targeted with anonymously sent letters directed to their home and mentioned family members. These are threats. They are not protected by the first amendment.

Recently our client Michael Savage whose Sunday television show on Newsmax has a huge audience went public with his anger at mailed threats sent to his home. Rather than cower in fear, Michael Savage fought back and with our assistance there is now a major law enforcement investigation targeting the criminal who sent those threats.

The social media trolls look to create a buzz that leads to often pretend that they are protected by the 1st Amendment but the courts have not supported using the 1st amendment as a shield for stalkers.

In fact there are very strong California and federal laws that protect not just our celebrity and high profile clients but all people who are victims of these modern day crimes.

Let’s start with California’s laws. Penal Code Section 646.9 defines stalking as the willful, malicious, and repeated harassment of another person. The conduct is criminal if it makes the other person fear for their safety or the safety of their loved ones.

Federal statutes also draw a hard line. Under 18 U S C. Section t2261(a), the use of the mail or internet systems to make someone fear for their life or suffer deep emotional distress is a federal crime.