[Free Speech?] Billboard claiming ex had an abortion

why is it distasteful?

 

Her name nor image appears on the billboard therefor I see nothing wrong with it.

It is a bit juvinille but unless his website violates her privacy it is free speech.

 

It seems as if the guy covered all of his bases (by not putting her name anywhere on the billboard, any literature or his site), she should theoretically remain anonymous. The problem is that we don't live in a vacuum and I'm sure that since the break-up, he's told his friends about it and they certainly know who she is, thus leading to the inevitable leak of a citizen's privacy. When he's recognized on the billboard, these people will probably point it out and the information would have gotten out all the same. She just made it faster by filing suit.

I can't judge intent, but it would seem that this guy put up the billboard with the knowledge that her identity would get out. Beyond making what he feels is a moral stand, he has to feel some sort of vindictiveness/desire for retribution in publicly shaming her.

 

Any what of it? This is no difference than TMZ reporting that such and such person is pregnant, got beat, etc.
I have more of a problem with the size of the shadow baby in the picture. No way is that baby 2 months old.

 

Why do you say he is doing it for retribution? Maybe he is doing it to try and convince other women not to make the same mistake the mother of his child did. If he wanted revenge he could just go take a dump on her doorstep.

 

As long as it's true it's legal.

If it's a lie than it could be a violation of the law (libel) which is not protected by the First Amendment.

 

I would say it is more a public disclosure of private facts case than one of libel, and thus truth would not be a defense. I think it would be hard to make out a prima facie case where her name was never used though.

 

The mother must have been a very very dark black lady because that baby is pitch black and that dude is pasty white.

 

go read this guy's tweets and come back and tell us he's not doing it for retribution. the dude is a misogynist.

 

The people on TMZ have voluntarily gone into public life and are public figures. The ex girlfriend has never volunteered for that.

 

Just curious, are you allow to post how much your ex makes, how much they have in bank, their child support amounts, etc on a bill board?

 

If he wanted to make a PSA about abortion, he wouldn't need to use either himself or his ex-girlfriend in the message.

This is a personal "f*** you" message to someone else, which is sad, given the subject matter.

I'm torn on the legality of this. I'm not sure that basically calling someone a murderer via a billboard would be considered protected "free speech".

 

absolutely agreed.

 

This guy is nuts... look at his twitter:

http://twitter.com/#!/prdpgn

His ex wife just started blasting him today lol.

 

Makes you wonder why she slept with him in the first place...

 

This billboard was up in Vidor for years. I think it still might be, but I haven't been through there in a while. And it accuses a man who was never found guilty of murder.

 

Good old Vidor.

 

I think the Vidor one would qualify for libel and not be free speech since it names the person but I think the New Mexico one is free speech.

While the woman in question friends might know who she is I think of this like a case where a crime is reported in the news but the reporters don't report the identity but they might tell everything else including where the person lives. In that case the people that know that person probably know who it is but the news isn't directly revealing that info.

 

TMZ hits anyone of interest, not just people who 'volunteered' for public life. If you had a brush with some celebrity or you were the sibling of some celebrity they'll track you down. Those people didn't volunteer a thing.
Either way, my point is it is legal.