Impeachment Via Social Network Websites

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

NEWSLETTER

Field Operations Support Services,
VOLUME 09 NUMBER 07
DATE: May 27, 2009

IMPEACHMENT VIA SOCIAL NETWORK WEBSITES

DISCUSSION:

Can what you post on social network websites (such as Facebook and MySpace) be used to attack your credibility in a courtroom

SCENARIO

Recently, in a the New York State court, a NYPD officer was questioned by the defense regarding statements he had posted on his Facebook

webpage that portrayed him as a rogue cop.  At the conclusion of his testimony, what should have been a slam-dunk “ex-con with a gun” case, resulted in an acquittal for the defendant.  The verdict was a direct result of reasonable doubt that was created by the officer’s postings on Facebook and MySpace.  In other words, his own statements were used to impeach him.

Convictions ....