Today, a Virginia judge ordered the release of Brandon J. Raub, the 26-year-old former Marine who was detained for psychiatric evaluation last week based on his conspiracy-minded, anti-government Facebook posts. Following a one-hour hearing, Prince George County Circuit Judge W. Allan Sharrett declared that the petition seeking to commit Raub for a month “is so devoid of any factual allegations that it could not be reasonably expected to give rise to a case or controversy.” As Nick Gillespie noted yesterday, local police and federal agents came and took Raub away last Thursday in response to complaints about his Facebook posts, which mix laments about lost liberty and condemnations of tyranny with dark music lyrics, quotations from famous people (e.g., Napoleon: “Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily”), predictions of impending revolution (e.g., “the revolution is upon us,” “a new beginning is coming”), and loony but sadly familiar allegations about the government’s involvement in 9/11, along with less familiar (to me, anyway) claims about clandestine chemical drops and “a secret Castle in Colorado where they have been raping and sacrificing children for many years.” The scariest statement cited so far: “Sharpen up my axe; I’m here to sever heads.” Not rainbows and unicorns by any means, but not exactly a true threat either.
The Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties group based in Charlottesville, Virginia, helped Raub win his freedom. Its executive director, John Whitehead, comments:
This is a great victory for the First Amendment and the rule of law. Brandon Raub was arrested with no warning, targeted for doing nothing more than speaking out against the government, detained against his will, and isolated from his family, friends and attorneys. These are the kinds of things that take place in totalitarian societies. Today, at least, Judge Allan Sharrett proved that justice can still prevail in America.
Read more at Reason. By Jacob Sullum.
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Raub’s lawyer says more than 20,000 people are “committed” under similar circumstances each year — in Virginia alone. “That means a lot of people are disappearing,” accused of having a so-called mental illness.
God I hope not I live here too, and I will lock my doors from here until we rid the White House of OBAMA in Nov.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
What happened to the first amendment?
As the totalitarian freaks gain power, our civil rights are being erased, period.
obama and his Chicago thugs, mainly holder have taken these away and the libbers think we are being over the top to think that we think the way that this guy feels and says he feels….What happsened to the Ft Hood shooter, no one did any thing against him and he talked about Muslims for years…..We have so many people that are so ingrained in their being a Democrat, that they think they have to be, and don’t realize that they are helping obama destroy our nation. What is happening on unsealing of the Barry Soetoro aka Bh obama’s public records? Any thing we can do to get them released?
If they can arrest this young marine that quick then why is it taking so long to arrest Holder and Obama both of these worms have really hurt America and Americans!
I agree with you and Nobama and his thugs will do any and everything to stay in power and this was so wrong to arrest this young man for saying what he feels. I am surprised I have not been arrested through the years for what I have to say about our government and the crooks running it. I love my country and I am proud to be an American but no way do I think our Government is honest of doing what is right for the people (citizens). Everything they do is for them and the rich people that support them. Most of the Congress are too old to be making decisions and the only thing they should be making is the decision on what nursing home to go to and that includes Nancy P and Harry R. All it takes to get elected is be the biggest LIAR and the biggest CROOK and Nobama fits both
They are black ‘kings’. You can’t hold them accountable for their tyranny.
Sloegin, I think they will do something but since he is UGH, President, again UGH that wasy they can strip him of all the goodies HE thinks he has coming, in other words they are getting all the ammo they can on him is the right order that way he will ROT IN JAIL.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Brandon Raub was detained under the pre-text that he was a danger to either himself or the whole of society. Look at the British Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC) and see a Dr David James listed as an “expert” on “stalking”. This British medical criminal, has been advising the American government in how to round up and ‘capture’ citizens. There is another one called Professor Simon Wessily – he specialises in “military personnel”. He is all of 4′ 10″ tall, so you can imagine that when he sees, tall, strong healthy straight soldiers, he is consumed with jealousy. So he wants to abuse his powers, and “capture” his (sexual) “enemies” and “rivals”. These people are sick!
Oh WOW!!! a judge who actually believes in the Constitution!!!!!! God Bless Judge Allan Sharrett