An Ohio blogger known as "The Rooster" has been found guilty of telecommunications harassment for sending explicit memes of the character Shrek to a state senator. The verdict was delivered swiftly by a Lake County jury after a two-day trial.
D.J. Byrnes was convicted of taunting Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) with two text messages depicting Shrek with exposed genitals. While Byrnes faced a potential six-month jail sentence and a $1,000 fine, the judge ultimately sentenced him to court costs and a $200 fine.
The harassment reportedly occurred following a failed bid for Senate president. Senator Cirino stated in a previous interview that while professional disagreements are normal, "There is a line that shouldn’t be crossed."
During the trial, the prosecution presented an image of the texts, which appeared censored but showed a naked Shrek accompanied by a message that read, “Good to see you finally made your final humiliation public, Young Mussolini! The Patriots Caucus sends its regards!!!!!!!!!!”
Byrnes' defense team attempted to argue for free speech protections. One witness called by the defense was lobbyist Bobby Ina, who testified that Cirino had texted him during the trial. Cirino admitted to the communication, explaining to Cleveland News 5 that he "thought he was a friend… it was just an expression of my surprise."