Wyoming woman faces trial for misdemeanor breach of peace charge

Melissa Harris of Campbell County, Wyoming, is facing a misdemeanor breach of peace charge after an incident on her own property in April. The charge stems from Harris telling a neighbor’s guest to “Get the f**k off my lawn.”

The Campbell County Attorney’s Office maintains that the use of profanity within earshot of others constitutes a breach of peace. However, Harris’s attorney, Robert Piper, has argued that the utterance of a single obscenity does not meet the legal threshold for a crime, citing state Supreme Court precedents that require an intent to incite.

Judge Paul S. Phillips recently rejected a motion to dismiss the case. Piper expressed disappointment in the prosecution, suggesting that if such speech were criminalized, many residents would face similar charges.