Republican lawmakers are stepping in to call for changes to Michigan’s anti-terrorism law after a student at Lake Superior State University was arrested and jailed for nearly three months over a constitutionally protected Snapchat post.
State Reps. John Reilly and Beau LaFave held a press conference Tuesday with Michigan Open Carry President Tom Lambert and the student involved, 20-year-old Lucas Gerhard, who now stands accused of making a terrorist threat over the August 2019 post, WWMT reports.
Lucas spent 83 days in jail, his dad said.
Here’s a print out of the photo Lucas posted on Snapchat.
Lucas is scheduled to go to trial in Chippewa County on March 18. pic.twitter.com/CISv4lSlWz
— Mikenzie Frost (@MikenzieFrost) February 11, 2020
The lawmakers are promoting legislation to narrow the scope of Michigan’s criminal code to hone in on actual terrorist threats by considering the context of conversations.
“We can’t rely on common sense anymore,” Reilly said.
Gerhard’s ordeal started with a post to a private Snapchat group ahead of his return to LSSU for his junior year. The post included an image of Gerhard’s newly purchased AR-15 with a bayonet attached to the barrel. – READ MORE
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