CRIMINAL CASE: U.S. v. White, Crim. No. 08-851 (N.D. Ill. 2008).
Status: Charges dismissed (N.D. Ill. July 21, 2009).

William White was charged under 18 U.S.C. § 373, "Solicitation to commit a crime of violence," after he posted on his website (www.overthrow.com; now defunct) the name, home address, phone numbers, and other personal information of the foreperson of the jury that convicted white supremacist leader Matthew Hale for soliciting the murder of a federal judge.

While the postings about the jury foreperson did not explicitly call for violence, the indictment also cited other postings to the site giving detailed personal information about other individuals involved in civil rights disputes and cases which did explicitly called for violence against the individuals named.

The court granted White's motion to dismiss the charges, ruling that because his postings did not advocate harm to the jury foreperson, prosecution under the statute would violate the First Amendment.

Separate charges against White in federal court in Virginia were not affected by this ruling.

Links and Court Documents:
Charge against Roanoke neo-Nazi leader Bill White dismissed, Roanoke Times, July 22, 2009
>> Ruling dismissing charges