COMMONWEALTH v. WALTERS

SJC-11799.

472 Mass. 680 (2015)

37 N.E.3d 980

COMMONWEALTH v. MICHAEL WALTERS.

Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Bristol.

September 18, 2015.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Ethan C. Stiles , for the defendant.

David B. Mark , Assistant District Attorney ( Shoshana Stern , Assistant District Attorney, with him) for the Commonwealth.

The following submitted briefs for amici curiae:

Claire Laporte , Marco J. Quina , Rebecca M. Cazabon , Stephen T. Bychowski , & Bendan T. Jarboe , for Domestic & Sexual Violence Council, Inc., & others.

Helen Gerostathos Gotten , Sandra J. Badin , Lyzzette M. Bullock , & John Nucci , for Jane Doe Inc. & others.

Steven M. Freeman , Lauren A. Jones , & Melissa Garlick , of New York, & Joseph Berman for Anti-Defamation League.

Kirsten V. Mayer , Kavitha A. Mecozzi , Jennifer S. Pantina , Alexandra L. Roth , Matthew R. Segal , Jessie J. Rossman , & Mason Kortz , for American Liberties Union of Massachusetts.

Present: GANTS, C.J., SPINA, CORDY, BOTSFORD, DUFFLY, LENK, & HINES, JJ.


This case raises the question whether a posting to the Web site Facebook may constitute a threat within the meaning of the stalking statute, G. L. c. 265, § 43 (a) (§ 43 [a]). We conclude that although content posted to Facebook may qualify as a threat as defined in the statute, in this particular case, a reasonable...

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