Every parent knows that the best way to curb behavior is to be consistent and immediate with consequences. That leaves many wondering why an Exeter, New Hampshire man could be facing jail time long after the conditions were met to have his suspended sentence reinstated, but immediately after he published disparaging remarks about the local police department on a Facebook page. The action has left many wondering exactly which behavior the police were trying to curb.

Police Seemed to Go Light on Frese…

Robert Frese doesn’t claim to have the cleanest arrest record. He was charged and convicted by Exeter police for stalking in 2014, and criminal trespassing in 2017 for rummaging through a private dumpster. In September 2016, he pleaded guilty to criminal mischief for smashing the rear window of a neighbor’s SUV. He received a suspended 60-day jail sentence, a fine, and a two-year good behavior provision.

…Until He Tried to Get the Last Word on the Police Chief’s Retirement Page

When the Exeter police showed up on his doorstep on May 23, 2018, Frese thought they were there to impose his 2016 criminal mischief suspended sentence. Instead, Exeter police arrested Frese for criminal libel for something he posted on Facebook.

Criminal Libel Suit Against Frese Dropped

Criminal libel suits are rare, but they do happen, about twenty times per year, and almost always end with a guilty verdict. But some argue that there’s an issue with the way criminal libel suits are parsed out. They seem to only be placed on the poor. Normally a civil suit will be pressed by government officials in instances such as Frese’s. But knowing that you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip, and you can’t get money from an insolvent defendant, Frese claims they went after him for criminal libel in order to throw him in jail and silence him.

If you feel your freedom of speech is being suppressed, contact a local civil rights attorney. Don’t let intimidation be a factor in silencing you, whether it be coming from a friend, a foe, or a cop. 

Related Resources:

  • Find a Civil Rights Attorney Near You (FindLaw’s Lawyer Directory)
  • Suing Police and Prosecutors for Wrongful Arrest, Prosecution, Imprisonment (FindLaw Injured)
  • Central Park Jogger Settlement: $40M for 5 Wrongfully Convicted (FindLaw Injured)

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