[BSMedia]

Originally Posted by Arsh

Here's the story. We run a community-based forum and have a chit chat about daily news, current affairs etc. Back in 2008, we posted a story and had a chat about a guy who killed his wife. This story was in the media too. The alleged killer was later released on bail and the case is still in the court. So basically, the alleged killer hasn't been cleared of the crime yet - he's just out on bail

Now the lawyer of the alleged killer has contacted us and asked us to remove the topic claiming it has caused his client severe trauma and all that bullshit. He has given us one week to remove the notice otherwise he's going to take the matter up.

Even though removing the content won't make much difference to us, I'm peeved that a lawyer can come and tell us what to do. The website is hosted and run in US so we should be safe under free speech. I don't want to take the thread down. What do you guys think?

They can't, and he has no legal right to make or tell you to remove the content from your site. Leave it there, call his BS bluff and when he attempts to have you take it down, counter sue and profit.

He'll have to file the complaint in your home city court system, so even if he does you can just go show up answer his questions, tell the judge that the posts on your site belong to the users and not you, and they fall under freedom of press (not speech).

I wouldn't remove it, I'd leave it there and continue to operate as normal.