United States v. Moreland

207 F. Supp. 3d 1222, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 124732, 2016 WL 4919956
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 14, 2016
DocketCase No. 16-CR-69-JED
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 207 F. Supp. 3d 1222 (United States v. Moreland) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Moreland, 207 F. Supp. 3d 1222, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 124732, 2016 WL 4919956 (N.D. Okla. 2016).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

JOHN E. DOWDELL, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Before the Court are two motions to dismiss, filed by the defendant, Charles Jason Moreland. In the first motion (Doc. 22), Moreland asserts that 18 U.S.C. § 2261(A)(2)(B)—the cyberstalking statute under which he was indicted—is unconstitutional because it (1) violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, (2) is unconstitutionally vague in violation of the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, and (3) is unconstitutional [1225]*1225as applied. In his second motion (Doc. 44), which he first sought leave to file three months after the Indictment was unsealed, he argues that the Indictment is insufficient and lacks sufficient evidentiary support to the extent that it includes reference to the “immediate family” of the alleged victim, CP.

I. Background

In a single count Indictment returned in June 2016, Moreland was charged with cyberstalking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2)(B). (Doc. 2). The Indictment alleges that, from in or about May 2015 and continuing through the date of the Indictment, Moreland,

with the intent to injure, harass, and intimidate, used the mail, any interactive computer service, electronic communication service, electronic communication system of interstate commerce, and any other facility of interstate commerce, including e-mail, FedEx, and social media websites, to engage in a course of conduct that caused, attempted to cause, and would be reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress to CP, a person known to the Grand Jury, and CP’s immediate family.

(Doc. 2). The charging language largely tracks the statutory language found in 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2)(B).

The Indictment followed hundreds of communications from Moreland to CP, who is a journalist and author working in the Washington, DC area. Moreland’s communications to CP were through e-mails, social media, and deliveries to CP’s office. Although CP never responded to More-land, several of his communications to CP referenced violence, indicated that he believed that CP had threatened him or was trying to harm or kill him, stated that CP better make sure to kill him, and ultimately threatened that it was “time to just eliminate things” and that he was ready for a “fight to the death.” Moreland also advised CP that the federal government had raided his house.

In his first dismissal motion, Moreland glosses over the language in many of the communications directed at CP and attempts to characterize them as obviously harmless and non-threatening. To be clear, many of Moreland’s writings were merely nonsensical or strange (see, e.g. Plaintiffs Exhibit (PX) 17, 32 [volunteering, in a orie-sentence email, that “I’m not homosexual”) and many referenced political topics. But several other communications contained references to violence or perceived threats that were never made to Moreland, and his repeated contacts appear intended to convey dissociation with reality. He repeatedly represented that he would stop contacting CP, only to almost immediately contact her again. (E.g., PX 29, 30, 51, 52-60). His contacts, some of which initially touched on issues of arguable public concern, ultimately escalated, became personal in referencing CP and her family members, and directly referring to violence and a fight to the death.

Examples of Moreland’s writings— which, as noted, CP never responded to— included the following:

“I don’t think you understand. ... I don’t want anyone else!!!”
“I want you.”
“So, if I come to DC you will ignore me and say you have no idea who I am... ”
“so, you want to kill me”
“If you want to kill me... Or, if anyone wants to kill me they know exactly where I am!!! I welcome it!!!! however, they better make sure they do not miss!”
“I don’t like threats.”
“... if you have interest in harming me, please make sure you follow through on the implied.”
Two days after Moreland wrote to tell CP that he doesn’t “like threats,” he [1226]*1226wrote, “f-it!! time to just eliminate things!!”
“No one has won anything!! Feds raided my house again. So, the gloves are now off.!! Thus, a fight to the death now!!

In his briefing, Moreland asserts that “he consistently repeated that he is not a danger to anyone and intends no harm to anyone [and] repeatedly states he won’t continue to contact [CP] if his communications are unwanted,” and he then notes that CP “never told [him] to stop sending her emails, and never apparently asked any administrator, police, or agency to inform Moreland to stop contacting her.” (Doc. 22 at 2). Yet, he has cited no authority that would support a conclusion, as a matter of law, that an alleged victim has an obligation to advise a defendant to “stop” cyberstalking or that a defendant can absolve himself of criminal responsibility by merely claiming that he is not dangerous. Although Moreland did repeatedly indicate that he would not contact CP again and he repeatedly apologized to her, those representations were often immediately followed up with additional communications to CP.1

II. Discussion

A. Overbreadth Challenge

Moreland first argues that § 2261A(2)(B) is facially overbroad and unconstitutional because it “wrongfully infringes on protected speech.” (Doc, 22). The overbreadth doctrine authorizes “the facial invalidation of laws that inhibit the exercise of First Amendment rights if the impermissible applications of the law are substantial when judged in relation to the statute’s plainly legitimate sweep.” City of Chicago v. Morales, 527 U.S. 41, 52, 119 S.Ct. 1849, 144 L.Ed.2d 67 (1999). “Facial challenges, ... including those based on overbreadth, ‘are disfavored for several reasons,’ ” including concerns that such challenges counteract principles of judicial restraint and separation of powers. United States v. Brune, 767 F.3d 1009, 1018 (10th Cir. 2014), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 135 S.Ct. 1469, 191 L.Ed.2d 414 (2015) (quoting Washington State Grange v. Washington State Repub. Party, 552 U.S. 442, 450, 128 S.Ct. 1184, 170 L.Ed.2d 151 (2008)). As a result, the overbreadth doctrine “has been employed ... sparingly and only as a last resort.” Brune, 767 F.3d at 1019 (quoting Broadrick v. Oklahoma, 413 U.S. 601, 613, 93 S.Ct. 2908, 37 L.Ed.2d 830 (1973)).

“To succeed in an overbreadth challenge, thereby invalidating all

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
207 F. Supp. 3d 1222, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 124732, 2016 WL 4919956, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-moreland-oknd-2016.