Vent on Facebook today, go to jail tomorrow ... unless you apologize, that is.
Cincinnati-based photographer Mark Byron discovered how what he wrote on Facebook came back to haunt him in an unusual way:
In June 2011, Byron was found guilty of civil domestic violence against his Elizabeth Byron, and the court gave her a temporary protection order.
In November, he posted a nasty note about his wife on his Facebook wall, which read: "If you are an evil, vindictive woman who wants to ruin your husband's life and take your son's father away from him completely -- all you need to do is say you're scared of your husband or domestic partner and they'll take him away!"
"I just went on Facebook to vent," Byron said in a televised interview with WLWT-TV. "I kind of likened it to having a drink with a friend at a bar and telling them about things."
Byron had blocked his wife from seeing his Facebook page, but she still learned about the post and proceeded to file a motion stating that the post violated the protection order, which prohibited her then husband "from causing the plaintiff or the child of the parties to suffer physical and/or mental abuse, harassment, annoyance or bodily injury."
On Jan. 25, magistrate Paul Meyers agreed that Byron had violated the protection order and offered him a choice: go to jail for 60 days and pay a $500 fine, or pay back child support and post an apology, penned by Meyers on his Facebook page for 30 days beginning in mid-February.
That said, I think the spouse should develop a thicker skin. Of course, we might not have all the facts.
"Why bother getting married when I could just find someone I hate and give them a house."
"Byron had blocked his wife from seeing his Facebook page..."
So he's getting punished for something that she did. Its like me taking a 100 yard restraining order against someone, then walking up to them to get them in trouble.