On Thursday, the charges were thrown out in a US appeals court’s 2-1 ruling.
"This is a case about the line between fantasy and criminal intent," Circuit Judge Barrington Parker wrote for the majority. "Fantasizing about committing a crime, even a crime of violence against a real person whom you know, is not a crime."
— bkCENTURIES Tabloids (@bkCenturies) August 16, 2015
The charge of illegally accessing a database was thrown out on the grounds that federal law does not consider it a crime for someone to use a computer system that they normally have access to, even if it is for improper use.
Valle did not have any alleged victims, but would use dark corners of the Internet to discuss his fantasies of abducting, torturing, cooking and eating women. The trial raised many questions as to when discussion of fantasies becomes intent.
Many Internet privacy groups rallied for Valle, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), citing that his conviction violates his constitutional right to free speech.
