The man charged with a felony for making a fake version of the Parma Police Department (Ohio) Facebook page in March was found not guilty.
Anthony Novak, who faced a felony after being arrested for creating a page mocking the department, walked out of the courtroom free after one day of testimony.
“Today I feel totally relieved,” Novak said Friday. “I didn’t realize how much stress this was creating in my life until it was over. I was pretty much nervous for five months.”
A jury unanimously found that Novak didn’t violate the state’s disrupting public services law. Police and prosecutors argued that the page led to public confusion that distracted 911 dispatchers who took calls from people confused by the page.
Novak said he intends to sue the police department and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office over the case, claiming they violated his First Amendment rights.
“I absolutely want them to pay for this,” Novak said. “The whole ordeal was absolutely ridiculous. They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with something like this.”