By Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press
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Rhode Island has repealed a bizarre law that made fibbing online a crime punishable by a $500 fine or a year behind bars.
The law covered all manner of white lies - from telling your mom how you love that ugly new sweater to emailing your spouse saying you were somewhere you weren't.
But the state's General Assembly has now voted to repeal the law, which has been in place since 1989.
'I'm working hard, honest': Rhode Island has repealed a law that made lying online a crime punishable by up to a year behind bars
'This law made virtually the entire population of Rhode Island a criminal,' Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island American Civil Liberties Union, told The AP.
'When this bill was enacted nobody had any idea what its ramifications were. Telling fibs may be wrong, but it shouldn't be criminal activity.'
The law intended to stop fraud, con artists and scammers online.
But it was broader than that in other states, and outlawed the 'transmission of false data' whether or not people stood to profit from their lies.
The repeal of the law was partly prompted by a case in 2010, when a former prison guard set up a Facebook page in his boss's name.
Matthew LaCroix, 27, was suspended with pay, pleaded guilty to a charge of 'use of fraudulent information', and was fined $500.
Lawmakers: The state's General Assembly voted to throw out the law, which has been in place since 1989 and was intended to stop fraudsters
The charges were later dropped, but LaCroix lost his job.
His attorney, John Grasso, said his client's alleged actions 'may not be bright, but it shouldn't be illegal'.
'Everybody lies online,' Grasso said. 'You shouldn't be dragged into court and told that you can't tell people you're 6 feet tall when you're not.'
A handful of people have been prosecuted for lying online, but legislators said it made no sense to keep a law that is violated so often.
Rep. Chris Blazejewski, who proposed eliminating the law, said lying shouldn't make you a criminal unless you're trying to commit fraud or another offense.
Outdated: Lawmakers said the rule made everyone in the state a criminal
'There are a lot of things we don't condone in our society that aren't crimes,' Blazejewski said. 'We take freedom of speech very seriously in this country and we should be concerned about the real and serious possibility of further erosion to our First Amendment civil liberties.'
But Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, added that it was human nature to embellish and lie.
He went on: 'When you give the government the power to criminalize lies, you give it the power to determine what is true and what is false, and which lies to prosecute. That's a dangerous tool.'
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Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Sussex metal thefts quadruple in two years - BBC News
Metal thefts in Sussex have almost quadrupled in two years, according to new figures released by police.
There were 1,748 cases reported in 2011 compared to 472 in 2009.
Now the majority of scrap metal dealers in the county have signed up to Operation Tornado, a national initiative to combat the problem.
Insp Martin Pattenden said: "Operation Tornado is one of a number of measures currently being explored to restrict the sale and movement of stolen metal."
He added: "It has been designed not to inhibit those dealers that operate legitimate businesses, but to remove unscrupulous dealers who operate outside the law."
Police said historically many thefts were from the railway system.
However, throughout 2011 criminals have been diversifying and targeting metal from other areas, including power cables, utilities pipe work, telecommunications cabling, residential properties, businesses and catalytic converters from vehicles.
'More difficult'Under the new scheme, people will be required to provide proof of their identity including their current address and a photograph when trying to sell scrap metal to dealers.
The dealers will keep copies of all records for up to 12 months and make them available for inspection by police.
There are currently 47 licensed scrap metal dealers in Sussex, and more than 30 have so far signed up to Operation Tornado.
Insp Pattenden said: "We are hoping all registered scrap metal dealers will sign up to be involved to help fight the stolen metal trade and make it more difficult for thieves to make money by targeting our communities for metal.
"Those who do not sign up may now begin to find that they are receiving more attention from law enforcement."
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Matt Lauer's wife 'will divorce him if Ann Curry's Today replacement is Natalie Morales' - Daily Mail
- Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb said to be next in line for top job
- Ms Morales is reportedly 'not happy' at the likelihood that she may be passed over again
By Emma Reynolds and Rachel Quigley
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It may come down to which he values more - his marriage or the future of the Today show.
NBC host Matt Lauer's wife is said to have threatened him with divorce if newsreader Natalie Morales - who he is rumored to have had an affair with - takes Ann Curry's seat when her departure is announced at the end of the week.
Though Savannah Guthrie is the front-runner to replace Ann, it was reported today that Ms Morales said she will quit the Today show if she is bypassed as Lauer's co-anchor again.
'Walk-out': Natalie Morales on the Today show, left, is rumored to be threatening to quit if she doesn't get Ann's job, while Matt Lauer's wife Annette, both right, has threatened him with divorce if this happens
A source close to Lauer's wife Annette Roque told the The National Enquirer: 'When she heard about Ann getting the boot, the first thing she told Matt was that she didn't want him cozying up any closer to Natalie.
'In fact, Annette drew a line in the sand and said if he pushed show bosses to make Natalie his new co-host, she'd divorce him.
'Annette knows Matt is the key to the Today franchise and his bosses will put whoever he wants in the co-host chair.'
Ms Morales has been with Today since 2006 and was mentioned as a possible replacement for Meredith Vieira when she stepped down from her co-anchor post last year.
A source told the New York Post: 'This will be the second time [Ms Morales] has been passed over for the top job. And she’s not happy.'
A NBC Universal representative had no comment on Ms Curry or her replacement, but said the talk of Ms Morales, 40, being disgruntled was 'totally untrue'.
Coveted role: NBC's Hoda Kotb, right, is said to one of the frontrunners to take over from Ann Curry, left
Not working: Matt Lauer, right, allegedly claimed he and Ann Curry, left, have no chemistry since she took on Meredith Viera's role a year ago
Lauer, who is said to have signed a $25million deal earlier this year to stay with Today, was accused of having an affair with Ms Morales when they were covering the Winter Olympics in Italy in 2006.
Though he denied claims, they were enough to prompt a then-pregnant Annette to file for divorce - which she later withdrew.
However two years later, rumors abound that Lauer was the father of one of Ms Morales' children. She is married to Joe Rhodes and the couple have two children together.
Annette lives in the couple's $3.5million house in the Hamptons with their three children. Lauer only sees them at weekends.
Ms Curry, meanwhile, is expected to leave Today imminently, after a year on the job.
During her time as co-anchor, the programme’s ratings have dropped - falling below those of ABC rival Good Morning America at times.
NBC bosses are currently said to be locked in round-the-clock talks over the final details of Ms Curry’s exit.
The network has been negotiating with her over a severance package from her $10million-a-year contract.
Some insiders said the news could come as soon as today.
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Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
omg workplace drama!!!
- Eva, USA, 27/6/2012 20:48
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