Twitter ban and jail time for party harassing judge in custody case

Woman Banned From Twitter After Harrasing and Stalking Judge

A 34-year-old woman has been banned from using Twitter as part of her sentence for stalking and harassing Pennsylvania Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy. Sadiyyah F. Young was sentenced to 11 ½ to 23 months in the county jail, to be followed by three years’ probation, after she pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of stalking, forgery, and identity theft. In addition, she was ordered to have no contact with Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy and several social workers as a condition of her release. The sentence was part of a negotiated guilty plea agreement accepted by Judge William Carpenter of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Young, who was represented by defense lawyer Peter Amuso, will be under court supervision for a total of about five years.

Targeted Judge After Ruling on Children

According to authorities, Young engaged in a harassment campaign from December 2011 to July 2012, targeting Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy (plus other lawyers and social workers) after the jurist ruled against her six years ago in a hearing over Young’s ability to care for her children. The children were placed in foster care.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Quigg told The Mercury newspaper, “We specifically asked that she be banned from Twitter, and it’s a condition of her release from prison. If she’s found on Twitter at any point in time, she violates her parole and probation.”

“Certainly, social media provides a forum and when used properly is good for expressing people’s opinions and beliefs but when you start to target people, when you start to make veiled threats against people, social media becomes a dangerous thing,” Quigg added.

“She was putting out false allegations against people . . . relating to their professional conduct, personal conduct… The tweets crossed the line when they listed the judge’s home address and telephone number, along with “veiled threats,” Quigg said.

Defense attorney Peter Amuso said his client agreed to the terms of the sentence and will not fight the Twitter ban. “At this point in time . . . she understands the judicial system and respects the decisions of the judges,” he said.

Take a Moment to Think

Divorce can be hard at times, and that’s when emotions take charge. It is always best to take a moment to think and not react immediately, nor post details about your case on social networking sites. While parties can get frustrated with the courts when the case does not go the way they desire, it is important to remember that verbally attacking the courts or a judge online is not helpful to a custody case. This is one of those times when you are better to remain silent. If your frustration is at a level where you are having difficulty dealing with it, counseling can help in many instances.

If you are facing a divorce or any other family law issue, for that matter, you may contact the Stange Law Firm, PC to schedule a consultation with a family law attorney either by phone at 855-805-0595 or online.

Source: Pottstown woman sentenced for Twitter tirade targeting Montco judge, by Carl Hessler Jr., The Mercury, November 7, 2013.