State v. Long

Citations

• 176 N.E.3d 334
• 2021 Ohio 2202

Syllabus

Under appropriate circumstances, a court has inherent power to order specified people not to threaten jurors, witnesses, or other trial participants. And because true threats in this context are not constitutionally protected speech, both appellant and appellee are incorrect in arguing that the trial court could not issue its order without a hearing. But the trial court erred in finding contempt where the manifest weight of the evidence did not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that appellant had violated the order. Judgment reversed cause remanded.