It’s been two weeks since I requested answers to these questions:

1. Is it the position of the State’s Attorney that operation of a blog allows one unlimited license to contact another person without regard to Maryland Criminal Statutes 3-803 and/or 3-805?

2. Does Mr. Broccilino believe that a public person such as himself may not seek to demand that someone cease contacting him as provided by Maryland Criminal Statutes 3-803 and/or 3-805?

3. Is it the policy of State’s Attorney that non-residents of Maryland must or should avoid entering the state if they are being stalked by a Maryland resident?

I have not yet received a response from either State’s Attorney Dario J. Broccolino or a member of his staff.

I was prompted to ask these questions because of his office’s handling of harassment complaints filed by families from Texas and Virginia that were not prosecuted. Of course, it is possible that a complaint can be filed without sufficient supporting evidence. However, it appears that all of the evidence necessary to establish that harassment occurred and who did it was well documented. The State’s Attorney’s Office’s response was

Stay off the Internet if you don’t want to be harassed.

The Virginia family has also be stalked by a convicted violent felon for the past year. After the wife was stalked by that individual in a Howard County courthouse parking lot, she was told

If you’re so concerned for your safety, stay out of Maryland.

Moreover Jim Brewer, the Assistant State’s Attorney who handled both cases, had no interest in hearing from the complainants. He told them up front that his decision not to prosecute had been made.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve encouraged others to contact the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office to see what they could find out about these questions and suggested that today should be a date to report their findings. I look forward to their reports.

UPDATE—One theme that seems to be emerging in the early posts for Everyone Blog About the Howard County States’ Attorney’s Office Day is that most blogger’s requests for information have been ignored. In fact, the only response published as of 6:30 am ET was this one, received by the anonymous blogger who uses the nom de cyber of R. M. Nixon (Deceased):

The ONLY response I have received, as a private citizen is an email requesting my real identity, driver’s license information, social security number as a requirement for a response to Maryland residents only.

Why would driver’s license and social security information be required in order for a State’s Attorney to give an answer about how laws are interpreted? Why can’t an out-of-state person inquire about how Maryland’s law might affect him or his travel plans?

Hmmmm.

UPDATE 2—Here is a list of participating bloggers.