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Former Marine detained over anti-government Facebook posts

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    Civil rights groups say police violated vet's First Amendment rights

  • Duration 6:01
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-- -- new outrage after a former marine is arrested and involuntarily.

Detained in a psychiatric ward.

For posting some anti government messages on FaceBook.

Several civil rights groups in Virginia are now saying that the police violated the first amendment rights of this 26 year old veteran.

According to the police he posted the following message earlier this month.

Sharp in my acts I'm here to sever heads.

I'm glad -- this whole story so I'm joined now master panic she's soft and civil trial attorney and -- TC is a former federal prosecutor -- -- Since then that's what we know about the post that he that he wrote sharpening my -- I'm here to sever hats.

Then there's a state law.

That allows the emergency temporary.

Psychiatric commitment upon the recommendation of a mental health for a bit professional.

In the state.

And that's what they acted on it they do anything wrong -- Now you know -- -- sign -- I don't think they gave.

You know let's not forget that within the last four weeks of military veteran shot and killed bunch of seek pacifists and police officer.

We -- the worst act of domestic terrorism our country by an active military guy.

And we've had all these recriminations about what happened in Colorado about people saying that there may have been evidence that this guy was gonna do something so he hasn't been arrested.

And quite frankly -- law enforcement doesn't have the luxury of waiting to find out -- not this guy's really serious and he does have some issues including his theory.

That our government was involved in the -- and terrorist -- so I think you know it hasn't been arrested.

He's been sent down for a valuation no one's ever gone to jail for an evaluation.

Could raises the question -- -- I mean -- you know where's the line of free speech.

He wrote this on a FaceBook page she did not target any specific individuals as far as as far as I -- talent in taking a look at this story.

You know what -- you allowed to say what do you not -- -- This we've entered the Arabs but police -- -- -- can now coming -- time.

What you are expressing as is your First Amendment right under our constitution which by the way if something -- veteran fought for for all of us.

Then we head now there is no line between.

Your ability to add to.

Criticized the government and now going to jail.

And -- he was arrested this may not be a criminal case but when you want -- teens and not afraid of me and sent to a hospital involuntarily.

You are being detained let's not make any mistake about it if he was frequently and I would agree he's not being detained.

But he is not and in fact he was placed -- hot.

He was placed in the back of a car outlawed party has he would not go yeah yeah hospital.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- Now -- -- out is mother says that his free speech has been violated.

And that you know she's he saw a lot in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And -- you know that that he feels that the US government toe was complicit in the September 11 attacks isn't something that you mentioned.

Spread so -- all of these things are things that many people would find obviously very very objectionable.

But the question is whether or not you're you're allowed to put them on FaceBook and is the government allowed to serve look at what your putting but FaceBook and taken into custody.

First of all that's on FaceBook is public secondly look best defense is great lady and or she's a phenomenal criminal defense solar.

And we're lucky to have people like -- looking out for our rights but there are limits on the First Amendment every eighth grader knows you can't yell fire in a crowded movie house this guy has made comments that make people concerned that he's gonna commit tremendous acts of violence.

Which we've seen far too much of over the last 24 months so guess what unless -- can guarantee that this -- not gonna go out and chop somebody's head off.

Law enforcement active recently enacted in the only way they could under the circumstance.

It is -- a judge ordered it row but I detained for another month.

And in order to arrest him and they had to have.

This support.

Of a mental health professional so you've got those two things the doctor.

The mental health professionals say yes I believe he should be arrested and now the judge looking at this whole case says you know we need to hold him for a month.

So they must be seeing something here I would I would assume based on -- actions that is of great concern to them.

Well Martha from what I understand how I'm concerned about -- timeline of all of -- my understanding is that the Secret Service and FBI went to its home to speak to him.

Not -- there was a mental health professional there.

My understanding is that he is transport it to a mental health facility where some wine examined him presumably at the behest of the FBI.

And Secret Service so my question -- at what point that mental health and really get involved because normally what if action is used for.

It's for people who go to the doctor and start battling I've had clients who are involuntarily detained.

Because they make no sense the fact that he is merely criticizing the government.

And nothing more out and I don't know it is -- Criticizing the government to say sharpen my accent here to -- heads and -- spread aptly points out you know.

What if you look at these other situations in the Colorado movie theater -- other places.

You know then they go back and look at what people have written and they look at folks who are around them and say how could you not enacted on this when he was right things like that that's the that's their concern.

And market if there aren't specific threats I'm going to -- ever severed head of XY and Z is upon or I don't know -- you know -- Sunday's game.

That is an actual actionable threat just like issue.

-- and just -- fragments that.

Currently they don't even yell fire in crowded theater because that's an imminent threat but what this means that did without more.

It's not in the room and not actionable quick last -- and I don't know.

-- you know wanted to balancing act act does not wrong but in the end of the day.

It I'd rather -- this guy's inconvenience for thirty days and quite like and that's what it is.

Over making sure it's often -- doesn't happen that's not a single a minus -- Fred asked her thank you won't -- that enhance.

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