MEDINA, Ohio – A controversial Facebook post landed him in hot water, but now prosecutors are dropping charges against Joseph Resovsky.
Resovsky, 20, of Columbia Station, went to Facebook on the day of the Sandy Hook school shooting.
According to police, Resovsky made an update on the day a gunman took the lives of 26 people. It read, “This dude is my idle [sic] im [sic] so happy some one [sic] shot up all those little [expletive deleted].” The post continued, “VIVA LA SCHOOL SHOOTINGS!!!!”
Resovsky faced charges for inducing public panic, which is a first-degree misdemeanor. If convicted, he would have faced 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The case, however, was ultimately dismissed.
Resovsky only spoke to Fox 8 during his public hearing.
“I’m glad it was dismissed,” he said. “I don’t feel like I did anything wrong. Yeah, it was mean and offensive, but it’s not like I can change it.”
American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Jeffrey Gamso said that his client did not break laws or pose a threat to community. While Resovsky’s words may have been insensitive, Gamso said he has a First Amendment right.
“What we see here is, in this case, is an example of fear and overzealous police and a public that is quick to say ‘Oh my God,’ and therefore what we see is not so much the danger of what people put on Facebook, but the danger of our lack of certainty,” Gamso said.
After the post, Resovsky said he received several threats online.
He also said Medina Police had pressured him into leaving Facebook.
Fox 8 contacted the Medina Police Department. They declined to comment on the case.
Resovsky since deleted his Facebook account. He does not plan to use it or any other social-media site in the future.
Yet, reflecting on all that’s happened, Resovsky said he would’ve done things differently.
“Yeah. I probably would have,” he said. “I don’t know how, but I probably would have. I don’t know exactly what I would have done. Maybe not post a status. Maybe post it a different way, but there’s no way of knowing.”