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Article: Court rules speech can constitute disorderly conduct
- Article from:
- Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque)
- Article date:
- May 17, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2001 Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque). Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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MADISON (AP) - Disorderly conduct statutes can be used to
prosecute speech, even if the words don't cause an actual
disturbance, the state Supreme Court ruled in two cases Wednesday.
It was the first time the court has ruled that speech not
protected by the First Amendment can be prosecuted under the
disorderly conduct statutes.
The court ruled in one case that a boy's fictitious story was
protected by the First Amendment and overturned his conviction on a
disorderly conduct charge. In the other, the justices found a boy's
threat to kill everyone at his middle school, made six days after
the Colombine High School shootings, was not protected speech and
could be prosecuted.
"It's one of these ...