As a result of that Facebook post, “a group of people began sending text messages, posting flyers” and reposting the claim that Jefferies was linked to at least three murders and several sexual assaults. The man finally called the police and sought to clear his name after an angry mob gathered around his home:
Afraid of the crowds surrounding his house, the man submitted to a DNA test and was cleared in the case. He told police that he thought somebody was “trying to mess with me.”
Police are investigating who was behind the false information.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey reiterated the man’s innocence at a press conference today.
“He is not a suspect, he is not connected with this,” Ramsey said.
There are still flyers and Facebook messages floating around accusing Jefferies of the crimes, but police are reminding folks to pay attention to official announcements from the local PD and not random Facebook postings. [ABC via Brisbane Times]
Nodeity
Friday, December 24, 2010 at 9:24 AMI friggin hate that “Face Book” and it’s ilk seem to think that this is free speech in action, this isn’t the first time shit like this has happened. This sort of thing leaves me wondering if we shouldn’t start culling of the mindless morons of this world!
olearymo
Friday, December 24, 2010 at 9:32 AMThis is why vigilante-ism is so dangerous.
I remember a while back, that australian pedophile got out of jail, and apparently he was spotted in a shopping centre and people were thinking of beating him up etc… turned out it wasn’t him. Completely different, totally innocent guy.
Freakin. Dangerous. Imagine getting ‘mistaken’ for a murderer or something, and getting lynched by a bunch of ‘well-meaning’ vigilantes? Idiots don’t realise they’re commiting crimes themselves.
Anton
Sunday, December 26, 2010 at 10:56 PMCan’t they sue for defamation?