Husband regularly publishes on Facebook, among other things, threats against Wife, often violent and graphic.

Husband is convicted under federal law and sentenced to forty-four months in prison.

Husband appeals his conviction, ultimately to the US Supreme Court. Which reverses his conviction.

But narrows its holding in this case to rejecting negligence as the basis of a conviction.

The case raises complex issues regarding requirements of “evil” intent and consideration of possibly unintended readers. The high court drew a distinction between “true threats” targeting a specific victim and more diluted threats intended to entertain a broader audience.

Free speech activists embrace this ruling but domestic violence organizations underscored that the higher bar would make it more difficult to deter and to convict domestic abusers.

Read more in this Huffington Post article: Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Man Convicted Of Threatening Wife On Facebook