Minnesota’s “Revenge Porn” Law Declared Unconstitutional

Minnesota’s “Revenge Porn” law has been declared unconstitutional after defendant Michael Anthony Casillas claimed that the statute violated his First Amendment rights.

According to a report from the Minnesota Court of Appeals, in 2017 the State of Minnesota charged Casillas with a felony for non-consensual distribution of private sexual images of his ex-girlfriend after the relationship ended. After obtaining passwords from her wireless accounts, Cassilas gained access to private photos and videos. He sent the victim screen shots of a video he sent to 44 recipients and posted online.

Casillas claimed that the law is unconstitutionally overbroad and vague in violation of his First Amendment rights.

A Dakota County judge rejected Casillas’ First Amendment defense and sentenced him to 23 months in prison, after Casillas was found guilty for non-consensual distribution of the private images that he sent intentionally to cause harm.