Man Was Arrested and Charged with Felony Terrorism For Covid Joke in 2020. It Was Protected Speech Under First Amendment, Court Rules
Waylon Bailey was arrested and charged with felony terrorism in March 2020 for posting a Covid joke to his Facebook page.
Bailey’s post was an obvious joke. He even referenced “World War Z,” a 2013 zombie apocalypse movie starring Brad Pitt.
“SHARE SHARE SHARE ! ! ! !” Bailey wrote in a Facebook post. “JUST IN: RAPIDES PARISH SHERIFFS OFFICE HAVE ISSUED THE ORDER, IF DEPUTIES COME INTO CONTACT WITH ‘THE INFECTED’ SHOOT ON SIGHT….Lord have mercy on us all. #Covid9teen #weneedyoubradpitt.” he wrote. (screenshot below)
Within hours, a dozen SWAT officers in bulletproof vests from the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office showed up to Bailey’s Alexandria, Lousiana home and arrested him without a warrant.
