A man imprisoned for stalking has had his conviction overturned after North Carolina's Court of Appeals ruled the social media posts underpinning the charges were protected by free speech rights. Court documents say Shackelford repeatedly called her his "soul mate" and future wife in Google Plus posts. He also sent handwritten letters and cupcakes, despite her turning down a dinner invitation, according to court documents. The ruling says Shackelford's conviction was primarily based on social media posts, and thus violated his First Amendment rights. The attorney general's office didn't immediately respond to a message asking if it will appeal to keep Shackelford imprisoned.

Source: Fox News March 19, 2019 16:43 UTC