[Amy]

(J.R. Oppenheim/Alamogordo Daily News) An anti-abortion billboard is shown along White Sands Boulevard near First

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man's decision to lash out with a billboard ad saying his ex-girlfriend had an abortion against his wishes has touched off a legal debate over free speech and privacy rights.

The sign on Alamogordo's main thoroughfare shows 35-year-old Greg Fultz holding the outline of an infant. The text reads, "This Would Have Been A Picture Of My 2-Month Old Baby If The Mother Had Decided To Not KILL Our Child!"

Fultz's ex-girlfriend has taken him to court for harassment and violation of privacy. A domestic court official has recommended the billboard be removed.

But Fultz's attorney argues the order violates his client's free speech rights.

"As distasteful and offensive as the sign may be to some, for over 200 years in this country the First Amendment protects distasteful and offensive speech," Todd Holmes said.

The woman's friends say she had a miscarriage, not an abortion, according to a report in the Albuquerque Journal.

Holmes disputes that, saying his case is based on the accuracy of his client's statement.

"My argument is: What Fultz said is the truth," Holmes said.

The woman's lawyer said she had not discussed the pregnancy with her client. But for Ellen Jessen, whether her client had a miscarriage or an abortion is not the point. The central issue is her client's privacy and the fact that the billboard has caused severe emotional distress, Jessen said.

"Her private life is not a matter of public interest," she told the Alamogordo Daily News.
Jessen says her client's ex-boyfriend has crossed the line.

"Nobody is stopping him from talking about father's rights. ... but a person can't invade someone's private life."

For his part, Holmes invoked the U.S. Supreme Court decision from earlier this year concerning the Westboro Baptist Church, which is known for its anti-gay protests at military funerals and other high-profile events. He believes the high court's decision to allow the protests, as hurtful as they are, is grounds for his client to put up the abortion billboard.

"Very unpopular offensive speech," he told the Alamogordo Daily News. "The Supreme Court, in an 8 to 1 decision, said that is protected speech."
Holmes says he is going to fight the order to remove the billboard through a District Court appeal.

http://beta.news.yahoo.com/jilted-ex...194142831.html

[candymosh]

I would imagine that only people that knew the couple would know who he was talking about. I don't see how she is suffering from stress when he didn't put her name on the thing.

People don't ever really think of the father's rights.

[Faline]

He was jilted so doesn't surprise me if she did indeed have a miscarriage and he's trying to get his own back by being a cunt.

[Amy]

Yeah, I guess time will tell. If she did have a miscarriage I imagine he is toast.

[candymosh]

He may have a misconception on what abortion covers. Medical terms, miscarriage falls under abortion because the body spontaneously aborts the fetus.

[Faline]

Originally Posted by candymosh2 ↗

He may have a misconception on what abortion covers. Medical terms, miscarriage falls under abortion because the body spontaneously aborts the fetus.

Hmm maybe so. That's awful though as it's two entirely different things imo. I imagine most women who've had a miscarriage would hate to be compared to it being an abortion.

[Faline]

I'd love to do one of them billboards on someone i hate btw

[candymosh]

yeah...when I was on the ambulance, some of those chicks would get pissed when we would ask their history. I had to explain it to them.

[Amy]

Uh yeah. Miscarriages are heartbreaking, been there. Spontaneous abortion and forced are two different things and not put in that wording. I think the reference to the mother killing the child will be the nail in the coffin if she did miscarry.

[candymosh]

* explain when they would wonder why we were marking down on the abortion part.