Fighting criminal charges for free speech

Lane Myers has been charged with disorderly conduct, trespassing, and federal misdemeanors for exercising his First Amendment right to free speech. The criminalization of free speech sets a dangerous precedent for all U.S. citizens. Donate to help Lane defend his free speech rights and the free speech rights of all Americans. Every donation helps secure the rights for all the people.

What is happening to Lane should show all Americans that the criminal justice system is broken and must be held accountable. The right to free speech is guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Constitution. Yet, all over the country, local governments and police are criminalizing and prosecuting individuals who dare to exercise this most basic freedom. The loss of free speech for one person affects every one of us. Lane is a dedicated and tireless defender of his rights and, by extension, the rights of all Americans. Without individuals like Lane who are willing to stand up to government corruption and overreach, those in power will continue to infringe on the rights of everyday Americans. For Lane, the promise of the Constitution is more than just words on paper. It is a promise that must be kept every day. You can take action to stop this tyranny by supporting Lane today.

On November 6, 2024, Lane went to the federal courthouse in downtown Tucson to file paperwork. He was broadcasting on his live stream as he approached the front doors of the courthouse when a Court security officer stopped him, told him he could not enter the building, and told him to turn the camera off. Lane responded that he was a news reporter and that he was legally permitted to record and asked to see a supervisor. As Lane entered the courthouse, the Court security officer pushed him back against the wall. Lane believed he was authorized to film public spaces outside and inside of the courthouse, pursuant to Musumeci v. Department of Homeland Security, a 2010 federal case and the 2018 Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Service Order (HQ-ORO-002-2018) that authorized videotaping of public spaces inside and outside federal buildings. In the Musumeci case, the federal government agreed that no federal law bars recording of federal courthouses from publicly accessible property. On November 25, 2024, Lane learned that he was charged with “failing to comply with the lawful directive” of a Court security officer in violation of 41 C.F.R. Sections 102-74.385 and 102.74.450 (class C misdemeanors). The interaction is posted on Lane’s YouTube channel.

On May 20 2024, Lane Myers went to O’Reilly’s Auto Parts to purchase bolts for an exhaust system. In a matter of days, he was facing charges for disorderly conduct because store employees lied to the police about what happened. Lane videorecorded the conversations with O’Reilly’s employees. Despite the video recordings exonerating him, and the lack of any other evidence, the prosecutor continues to press the charges. One former O’Reilly’s employee is now potentially facing perjury charges for lying under oath about what Lane said. However, that does not undo the harm Lane has experienced as a result of a false police report and a prosecutor that has failed to adequately examine the evidence or assess the legal merits of the charges.

Lane then went to a Tucson City Council meeting to speak about what happened at O’Reilly’s. Before he even had a chance to speak, he was removed from the meeting and arrested for booing while other audience members clapped. Lane never disrupted the meeting or behaved in a disruptive way. Despite the police unlawfully removing him from the meeting, he left calmly and voluntarily. Nevertheless, he faces charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing simply for exercising his First Amendment right to free speech during a public meeting. The right to engage in political speech with respect to public officials is one of the most protected First Amendment rights. Yet Lane’s political speech was criminalized.

Prosecution of Lane’s free speech did not begin or end in Arizona. In July 2023, Lane was arrested and removed from a National Forest campsite by a New Mexico state trooper who used excessive force against him and his wife on their honeymoon. When Lane asserted his First Amendment right to camp on federal public land (not having violated any federal regulation), the officer forcefully detained and removed Lane from the campsite, calling him “one of those Constitutionalist guys.” Lane was under the impression that being a “Constitutionalist” was not only a good thing, but necessary in the United States. However, Officer Moreno and the State of New Mexico felt differently. Lane was charged with resisting arrest and trespassing, simply for being on public land where he was unequivocally allowed to be, and for asserting his First Amendment right to do so. The charges still have not been dropped.

The story does not end there. While mountain biking in a county park in western Michigan, Lane encountered a man riding an e-bike who crashed into him at 20mph in a blind corner. E-bikes are not allowed on that trail and the prohibition is clearly posted. Lane confronted the man riding the e-bike and told him it was not allowed. County administrators then banned Lane from the park by the county administrators without a hearing or any kind of due process. Lane filed a federal lawsuit in the Western District of Michigan. After years of litigation, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Lane that the county had violated his Fourteenth Amendment due process rights by banning him from a public park without proper notice or a hearing. The Sixth Circuit Court did not rule on Lane’s First Amendment argument, finding that he had not properly raised it in the lower court. However, one judge on the panel dissented, stating essentially that the court was biased against Lane because he was self-represented, and that their refusal to consider the First Amendment issue was erroneous. The County eventually was forced to change the Ordinance that purportedly authorized Lane’s removal. The case is still being litigated.

This will be updated with all the case numbers to follow in short order. People should research for themselves what is happening so they can see what it looks like, not just what it sounds like. There are videos of all these interactions posted on the Lane Myers Channel for Nonviolent Social Change YouTube channel where you can see speech being criminalized, how to fight it, and the retaliation if you do fight take place in real time.

All donations will be used towards legal expenses to fight the criminalization of free speech. When you are fighting the government, they have unlimited taxpayer money to use against you. Please support Lane in any way possible. Lane cannot fight for the rights of the people alone.

All of the money raised by this campaign will be used to directly fund costs and expenses related to Lane's legal defense (except 1% paid to givesendgo.com). Donations may be made anonymously if desired. ***The funds from this campaign will be received by Freedom Productions LLC, and used for the legal defense of Lane Myers.***