A charge against white-rights provocateur Jason Kessler for posting online the address of activist Emily Gorcenski was dismissed January 18.
“The victim brought information to us that made her believe Mr. Kessler was not the person who posted information about her,” said Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Nina Antony. She said the case remains under investigation.
Outside the courthouse, Kessler said, “This is just the latest in a series of unsubstantiated political prosecutions meant to drag my name through the mud.”
Gorcenski said she’d experienced “an extreme amount of internet harassment from white nationalists,” including doxing, death threats and a swatting incident in which police were called to her home with a false report that someone was brandishing a gun. Kansas resident Andrew Finch, 28, was killed December 28 when a call about a fake hostage situation was made to police in Wichita.
“The fact some of these perpetrators are willing to participate in violent harassment without concealing their identities shows how brazen these white supremacists are in continuing to terrorize Charlottesville,” said Gorcenski.
“Online harassment is not mere trolling,” she continued. “It is not harmless, but a serious and potentially violent concern that affects all people in the community.”
Kessler will be back in court January 30 with a motion to move his perjury trial on the basis he’s unable to get a fair trial in Albemarle County.