It would seem that almost anyone could agree on the need to criminalize and punish Massachusetts sex offenders who deliberately send obscene messages electronically to minors, wouldn’t it? Well, make that “anyone could agree on the need” to accomplish these goals – but hardly the method.
This reality has been on full display in the recent past, as the legal and legislative system in Massachusetts twist and turns its way to consensus and legal enforceability of measures to accomplish this goal. Exhibit A in that effort has been the case of Commonwealth v. Zubiel, 921 N.E.2d 78 (Mass. 2010.) This defendant was convicted in Massachusetts Superior Court of electronically sending sexually graphic instant messages to a recipient that had identified herself via the instant messages as a 13 year-old girl named “Melissa QT 1995”. Unbeknownst to Zubiel, “Melissa QT 1995” was an undercover state police officer. Zubiel texted “Melissa” that he was 25 years old, and the two agreed on a time and place where they would meet. Zubiel asked “Melissa” for nude photographs, questioned her about her sexual experience, and finally set up an in-person meeting with her. Zubiel was apprehended and arrested as he was walking toward an apartment building address which the undercover officer said “Melissa” lived at. The Commonwealth won convictions on four charges of attempting to disseminate matter harmful to minors under Massachusetts General Laws C. 272, § 28. Zubiel appealed those convictions, and the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) reviewed the case on its own motion.
In a decision that enraged a lot of people, on Feb. 5, 2010, the SJC overturned Zubiel’s conviction. The justices agreed with Zubiel’s argument that “harmful material” banned under M.G.L. C. 272, § 28, the law in effect at the time, didn’t include instant messages or other forms of electronic communication. The reasoning: C. 272, § 28 provides: “Whoever disseminates to a minor any matter harmful to minors, as defined in section thirty-one, knowing it to be harmful to minors, or has in his possession any such matter with the intent to disseminate the same to minors, shall be punished. . . .” “Matter” is defined in G.L. C. 272, § 31, for purposes of § 28, as “any handwritten or printed material, visual representation, live performance or sound recording including but not limited to, books, magazines, motion picture films, pamphlets, phonographic records, pictures, photographs, figures, statues, plays, dances.” The court ruled that instant messaging and online conversations do not specifically fall under the definition of “matter” under § 31.