Liam Stacey, a 21 year old British college student, was sentenced to 56 days in jail after a series of racially offensive tweets. The tweets, which Stacey said were posted while he was drunk, were directed at soccer player Fabrice Muamba, who had collapsed on the field shortly before during a game. This is just another example of how social media can lead to negative things when not used appropriately.
Stacey was arrested for a "racially-aggravated public order offense" the day after posting the tweets. Police in the U.K. routinely take action against such offenses on Twitter. Posting offensive tweets is not against the law in the United States, however, it's still not unusual for people to find themselves in hot water for saying the wrong thing via social media. Jim Brisbane, the prosecutor in the case, highlighted the racism as the reason for the harsh sentencing. "Racist language is inappropriate in any setting and through any media. We hope this case will serve as a warning to anyone who may think that the comments made online are somehow beyond the law."
Link to original article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2121003/Liam-Stacey-jail-tweeting-abuse-Fabrice-Muamba.html
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