Stella Case No. 080, Originally Published: 27 October 2004
Brad Graves and Ronald Hicks are both life-long residents of Etna, Maine, population 1,000. Using his computer, Hicks made a joke “wanted poster” featuring a photo of Graves; it identified him as “Abdul Graves, suspected leader of the outlaw organization Extreme Activist Terrorism Militia of Etna” (or “EATME”) and posted it on the cash register at the Country Corner Variety store for one day. Rather than laugh, Graves tore it down — and called his lawyer.
Attorney Brett Baber said Graves was “mortified” by being called a terrorist. “In this day and age, anytime one is alleged to be a terrorist and part of a terrorist group, it does inherent damage to one’s reputation,” Baber says, helping justify his filing a lawsuit against Hicks in Penobscot County Superior Court. The suit seeks “reasonable” compensatory and punitive damages, plus costs.
“Reasonable”? Like, maybe, two bits?
Sources
- “Etna Man Sues over Fake Wanted Poster,” Bangor Daily News, 16 July 2004.
Case Status
The case was featured in the ABA Journal (a publication of the American Bar Assn.) It quoted Hicks’ attorney: “This is the kind of case that gives lawyers a bad name,” attorney Terrence Harrigan said. “It was a joke gone bad.” He noted Graves was asking for $10,000. Reasonable?
But, again, I found no update on the case.
My 2021 Thoughts on the Case
Wikipedia notes that by 2010, Etna had grown significantly — nearly 25 percent! — to 1,246. But the U.S. Census 2020 estimate is down to 1,194. It’s almost like some people don’t feel welcome there.
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The Correct response would be to tear the poster down and kick the shit out if the moron that posted it. Keep it personable.
And then go to jail for 6-12 months for assault & battery if your victim goes through the legal system about it.
Even that would be a many-orders-of-magnitude over-reaction. A facile little tongue-in cheek poke does not merit physical violence. If you really have to retaliate (and an argument could be made for simply ignoring the joke), put up something in similar vein and *then* drop it.
Would that be a one-horse town, or a two-jackasses town?
But seriously, with friends like that, Graves doesn’t need enemies.