By Cullen McCue
A federal appellate court has suspended the seven-month federal prison sentence that was handed down back in October to Douglass Mackey, who posted a satirical meme instructing people to vote for Hilary Clinton via text messaging in 2016.
âThe Second Circuit Court of Appeals just overruled the District Court in granting our motion for bond pending appeal,â Mackey announced in an X post Monday. âhis ruling is huge because it means that the appeals court decided that my appeal presents âsubstantialâ and âdebatableâ issues of law that, if resolved in my favor, will result in my conviction being vacated.â
Mackey posted the full motion order which reads âgranting motion for release pending appeal, at docket entry 16 Mackeyâs surrender date is stayed. The District Court is ordered to determine the appropriate terms of release, without prejudice to the governmentâs making a future request for detention, on behalf of Appellant Douglass Mackey.â
The order was signed by Judge Omar Williams of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. It gives Mackey until January 5, 2024, to file an initial brief. The government will have until February 5 to submit its reply, after which Mackeyâs response is due on February 20.
BREAKING NEWS: Second Circuit Court of Appeals grants bond pending appeal in the Douglass Mackey meme case
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals just overruled the District Court in granting our motion for bond pending appeal. This ruling is huge because it means that the appealsâŠ
— Douglass Mackey (@DougMackeyCase) December 4, 2023
Mackeyâs case has alarmed civil liberties advocates due to the potential free speech ramifications of the case. In 2016, Mackey posted a meme which read, âSave Time Avoid The Line⊠Vote from home.â
Federal prosecutors accused Mackey of deliberately âmisleadingâ voters by highlighting his conservative-leaning internet activities…
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