- cross-posted to:
- news@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- news@lemmy.world
Joe Biggs, a Proud Boys leader convicted of seditious conspiracy who the government says “served as an instigator and leader” during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison on Thursday.
It is among the longest sentences in Capitol riot cases. The record is the 18-year sentence given to Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, also convicted of seditious conspiracy, after prosecutors sought 25 years in federal prison in his case.
— Biggs’ lawyer, Norm Pattis
got it! gonna find the nearest crowded movie theatre and yell “FIRE!” at the top of my lungs. thanks, norm!
It’s not the same thing and you know it. Yelling fire is actually illegal.
so is a conspiracy, incitement, etc… we are talking about the freedom of speech vs freedom of concequence from that speech. that is what I take issue with. inciting panic in closed confines has immediate consequences - this is clear and therefore typically prohibited.
political speech fomenting real-world violence (or panic) should result in the same level of legal consequence when action is taken based on that speech. imho, you can not separate the speech from the act once the act has taken place.
Yes but my original response is condemning the speech. I fully agree that speech and an action added to it can be criminal. But speech alone cannot be.
I am merely stating above that saying something, no matter what anyone thinks about it, is not the same as yelling “fire” in a crowded theatre.
It actually isn’t.
It’s not as cut and dry as that-
“The falsely shouted warning, while technically speech, could potentially violate a state’s criminal laws against disturbing the peace or disorderly conduct, whether or not it provokes a stampede, for instance."
-Nashwa Gewaily, a media and First Amendment lawyer
I stand corrected, today I learned, but my point still stands. Speech is not illegal.