Stolen Valor Act ruled unconstitutional
Case against Colorado man dropped
A federal judge has ruled that the Stolen Valor Act is unconstitutional. The law makes it illegal to lie about being a war hero, which the judge has ruled violates free speech.
The Associated Press is reporting that the judge dismissed a case against Rick Glen Strandlof of Colorado who claimed he was an ex-Marine who was wounded in Iraq and received the Purple Heart and Silver Star. The military had no record he ever served.
The AP said U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn dismissed the case and said the law is unconstitutional, ruling the government did not show it has a compelling reason to restrict Strandlof's statements.
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Denver said prosecutors are reviewing the decision and haven't decided whether to appeal. The spokesman said that decision would be made by the U.S. Justice Department in Washington and prosecutors in Denver.
The law has also been challenged in California and in a case now before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Read the complete AP article
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