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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCharlottesville judge awards Unite the Right organizer Jason Kessler $5 for activist cursing at him
CHARLOTTESVILLE A Charlottesville judge decided Friday that a local activist violated Virginias anti-dueling statute when she screamed curses at Jason Kessler.
Kessler cited the statute in his $500 lawsuit against Donna Gasapo, whom he said used insulting language that tended toward violence and a breach of the peace. Kessler said he sued for a small amount of money based on the principle of the matter and a desire to preserve public civility.
With dozens of supporters seated behind her in Charlottesville General District Court on Friday, Gasapo never denied yelling curse words at Kessler on March 16 outside of DeAndre Harris assault trial in the same courthouse.
But her attorney said she was protected by the First Amendment to express rhetorical hyperbole and make exaggerated statements.
Representing himself, Kessler argued that Gasapos words F--- you ... f--- you, a------ ... crybaby Kessler were fighting words and could have incited violence. In the video that Kessler played as evidence, Gasapo also can be heard calling Kessler a murderer. Kessler said Gasapo was falsely assigning him blame for the death of Heather Heyer, who was killed in a car attack on the day of the Unite the Right rally, which Kessler organized.
https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/charlottesville-judge-awards-unite-the-right-organizer-jason-kessler-for/article_8b934487-14dd-535a-8499-fda7b9a682a2.html
Kessler cited the statute in his $500 lawsuit against Donna Gasapo, whom he said used insulting language that tended toward violence and a breach of the peace. Kessler said he sued for a small amount of money based on the principle of the matter and a desire to preserve public civility.
With dozens of supporters seated behind her in Charlottesville General District Court on Friday, Gasapo never denied yelling curse words at Kessler on March 16 outside of DeAndre Harris assault trial in the same courthouse.
But her attorney said she was protected by the First Amendment to express rhetorical hyperbole and make exaggerated statements.
Representing himself, Kessler argued that Gasapos words F--- you ... f--- you, a------ ... crybaby Kessler were fighting words and could have incited violence. In the video that Kessler played as evidence, Gasapo also can be heard calling Kessler a murderer. Kessler said Gasapo was falsely assigning him blame for the death of Heather Heyer, who was killed in a car attack on the day of the Unite the Right rally, which Kessler organized.
https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/charlottesville-judge-awards-unite-the-right-organizer-jason-kessler-for/article_8b934487-14dd-535a-8499-fda7b9a682a2.html
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Charlottesville judge awards Unite the Right organizer Jason Kessler $5 for activist cursing at him (Original Post)
demmiblue
Jul 2018
OP
TheRealNorth
(9,500 posts)1. What a F'n snowflake these alt-fighters are
Lee-Lee
(6,324 posts)2. They are teetering on the edge of the Sovereign Citizens tactic of using the legal system to harass
Im sure this wasnt about civility or anything else. It was about baiting the person into any actions they can then go to court against.
Its how the Westboro Baptist Church has financed all their actions- lawsuits, settlements and judgements from people they are able to bait into crossing the line, and against governments who they push into overreacting and violating their civil rights.
This lawsuit was all about dragging her into court as a means of harassment and nothing more.