<p>A father facing criminal prosecution for a tweet accusing a far-left education activist of &#8220;grooming&#8221; got a reprieve Thursday when prosecutors told the judge they would not seek to move forward.</p>
<p>&#8220;After a review of the facts and evidence for the four claims brought by Mr. [Jorge] Torrico, the Commonwealth does not believe there is sufficient evidence to prosecute the above-mentioned charges,&#8221; Fairfax County, Virginia, assistant prosecutor Paul Vitale wrote in a court filing.</p>
<p>The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dad-facing-criminal-charges-for-accusing-woke-activist-of-grooming">reported</a> on Tuesday that Harry Jackson, a black dad with a child who attends a prestigious magnet school who opposed far-left activists&#8217; quest to abolish the school&#8217;s admissions exam in the name of &#8220;equity,&#8221; was facing four misdemeanors after Torrico, who wanted the test abolished, filed complaints against him.</p>
<p>Jackson fired off a tweet accusing Torrico of &#8220;grooming&#8221; behavior after Torrico attended an online PTSA meeting for the school, where he does not have a child, and interacted with a student leader.</p>
<p>Criminal charges for defamation are exceedingly rare in America, where purported defamation is almost always a civil matter. The threat of criminal sanctions has been hanging over Jackson&#8217;s head since a magistrate issued the first two of four criminal summons on September 22, 2021.</p>
<p>On February 23, 2022, Jackson appeared in court and his lawyer, Marina Medvin, asked for the charges to be dismissed, calling them unconstitutional. The Fairfax prosecutor&#8217;s office did not agree, instead asking for a postponement so it could &#8220;investigate,&#8221; Medvin <a href="https://medvinlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DEFENSE-OBJECTION-TO-NP.pdf">said</a> in court documents.</p>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-363740" src="https://editorial.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/harry-jackson-complaint.jpg" alt="" width="1650" height="1275" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/04/harry-jackson-complaint.jpg 1650w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/04/harry-jackson-complaint-300x232.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/04/harry-jackson-complaint-745x576.jpg 745w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/04/harry-jackson-complaint-768x593.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/04/harry-jackson-complaint-1536x1187.jpg 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1650px) 100vw, 1650px" /></div>
<p>The top prosecutor in Fairfax is Steve Descano, a progressive who narrowly won his primary election with the help of funding from George Soros and who has pledged not to prosecute minor crimes that “disproportionately hurt people of color,” and who routinely declines to pursue crimes he deems minor.</p>
<p>&#8220;It appears that the Commonwealth’s Attorney had done nothing during the five months that this case was pending and needed more time. The Commonwealth’s continuance request was granted over Defendant’s objection,&#8221; Medvin wrote.</p>
<p>On March 14, two more criminal summons were issued by a magistrate following more complaints from Torrico. Torrico noted that Jackson was suing the school system over the admissions change — in other words, calling attention to the authorities that he was on the opposite side of Fairfax Democrats in a matter of public controversy.</p>
<p>On April 1, Medvin again filed to have the case thrown out as the unconstitutional persecution of protected speech.</p>
<p>The summons said Jackson’s words could break the law by being insults that “tend to violence and breach of the peace,” but there was nothing about calling an activist&#8217;s behavior grooming that was a call for violence, she said. The summons invoked an obscure law enacted in 1950 making it illegal to impugn the chastity of a woman.</p>
<p>In a filing Thursday, Descano&#8217;s office moved to &#8220;nolle pros&#8221; the case, which means it is not seeking to move forward, but could re-file the charges. Medvin said that&#8217;s not enough.</p>
<p>&#8220;The government’s request is a constitutional copout. By seeking to nolle prosequi instead of joining Defendant in his Motion to Dismiss and securing dismissal on constitutional grounds, the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is opening the door to continued harassment of Harry Jackson and any other individual whom the Complainant and others like him find offensive,&#8221; she wrote in a court filing in response. &#8220;The Defendant is seeking enforcement of his constitutional right to free speech. The Defendant is seeking dismissal with prejudice, a true closure in a criminal case.&#8221;</p>
<p>Descano&#8217;s office did not immediately return a request for comment from The Daily Wire.</p>
<p>As The Daily Wire noted that last month, Descano’s office granted a &#8220;nolle pros&#8221; to a woman who allegedly violently abused an infant. On March 18, the office told the judge it would not pursue the woman because “there are no ACA’s [prosecutors] available for a four-day jury trial beginning on March 21, 2022.”</p>
<p>Descano <a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/overwhelmed-and-untrained-a-fairfax-co-prosecutors-plea-for-help">noted</a> that the nolle pros meant that the case could be brought again, and said it would be.</p>
<p><em>Luke Rosiak is the author of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Race-Bottom-Uncovering-Destroying-Education/dp/0063056720/">Race To the Bottom: Uncovering the Secret Forces Destroying American Public Education</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>The Daily Wire is building up its investigative reporting team to bring you the stories the legacy media refuse to cover. Support journalism that matters and join one of the fastest-growing conservative media companies in America by becoming a Daily Wire member <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">today</a>.</em></p>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Dad Will No Longer Face Criminal Charges For Calling Leftist Activist A Groomer

CONTINUE READING

Dr. Oz Drops Into Ohio To Crack Down On Medicaid Fraud Identified By Daily Wire

Ex-Top Foreign Aid Official Cries As He Is Sentenced To Prison For Bribes

Ohio Restores Medicaid Anti-Fraud Measures After Daily Wire Investigation

He Was Convicted For Defrauding The Government. Now Medicaid Pays His Wife Millions.

Ohio Says Safeguards Exist To Stop Medicaid Fraud, But Admits Massive Loophole

Meet The Convicted Fraudster Running A Million Dollar Medicaid Business

Investigation

Education

George Soros

Virginia

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— Investigation —

Dad Will No Longer Face Criminal Charges For Calling Leftist Activist A Groomer