Man Who Posted Anti-Trump Threats Found Not Guilty in Free Speech Test Case
 

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Alexandria man acquitted on charges of threatening President Trump

By Shomari Stone

The Brief

An Alexandria man was acquitted after being charged with making threats toward President Donald Trump.

A jury unanimously acquitted Peter Stinson after a two-day trial.

Legal scholars nationwide followed this case, which brought into light the limits and protections of the First Amendment.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A federal jury in Alexandria has acquitted a man charged with making threats toward President Donald Trump.

What we know:

The jury unanimously acquitted Peter Stinson after a two-day trial, and it only took them two hours to return with the verdict.

Legal scholars nationwide followed this case as it serves as a bellwether in the battle over the First Amendment right to free speech.

The backstory:

Stinson, 63, was arrested last June after he made comments wishing for President Donald Trump's death.

Investigators say Stinson used both X and BlueSky to "encourage violence" against the president.

In one posting, he wrote, "I'd pull the trigger. But I'm not a good enough shot."

In January 2021 on Twitter, he said, "Let's just shoot the orange and put him out of his misery."

In a post this past February on X, he said, "Sure. This is war. Sides will be drawn. Antifa always wins in the end. Violence is inherently necessary."

The judge told prosecutors he had concerns about the adequacy of the case.

In his own words:

"I'm absolutely thrilled that the jury acquitted me and found me not guilty of soliciting for the murder of the President, and I'm very thankful for my attorneys from the Federal Defender's Office," Peter Stinson said.

"As our experts said I did a lot of s**t posting. Yeah, I posted a lot of stuff. Do I regret it? No, I don't think so," he went to say.

Stinson, who was a longtime Coast Auard and FEMA instructor, says he’ll continue to protest against Trump.