NEW HAMPSHIRE
Berlin Daily Sun
Judge denies motion to dismiss in LaFerriere’s harassment case
Published Date Friday, 08 November 2013
There are three complaints of harassment (by phone) against LaFerriere. The complaints allege that he called the cell phone of William Donohue, President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, in New York City in January and February of this year leaving, in Donohue’ words, “abusive, annoying and threatening” messages.
At hearing on the charges October 1, tapes of some of the messages left on Donohue’s cell phone were played. At the end of the state’s case, LaFerriere’s attorney, Jay Duguay, filed a motion to dismiss. He argued that although Laferriere’s language on the tapes was offensive, his messages all did have a “legitimate communicative purpose”, something he said the U.S. Supreme Court has held up as freedom of speech.
Berlin Police Prosecutor Dan Buteau argued that LaFerriere’s purpose was solely to alarm, which, Buteau said he does not have an unlimited right to do.
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