Mom, 33, arrested on terrorism charges and banned from social media for Facebook rant that called for 'Death to all white cops nationwide' as Baltimore protests erupted into riots
- Ebony Dickens made the posts on her Facebook page under the alias Tiffany Milan on Monday night as the Freddie Gray protests descended into riots
- The Atlanta area mom was arrested at her home on Tuesday as cops worried her threats meant people were in imminent danger
- Her defense argued that she had made a horrible mistake and had simply been venting
- The prosecution countered that with her advanced legal degree she should have known better
- The Judge also disagreed with her claims of first amendment protection, saying she has no right to threaten or terrorize others
- A $10,000 bond was set and Dickens has been banned from social media
A 33-year-old mother has been charged with making 'terroristic threats' after she called for 'death to all white cops nationwide' in a post on Facebook.
Ebony Dickens of East Point, Georgia, posted the rant under the alias Tiffany Milan on Monday as protests in Baltimore about the death of Freddie Gray descended into rioting.
Atlanta police were alerted to the post and informed local police in East Point, six miles southwest of the city once they had correctly identified her.
The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, the District Attorney's office and even the New York Police Department assisted East Point police Channel 2 reported.
Ebony Dickens posted the Facebook rant on Monday evening as protests in Baltimore over the unexplained death of Freddie Gray descended into riots
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She was taken into custody at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening and charged with dissemination of information related to terroristic threats.
Officers confiscated three computers and a loaded gun from the property.
Some hours before her arrest Dickens had deleted her Facebook account.
The full post read: 'All Black ppl should rise up and shoot at every white cop in the nation starting NOW.'
'I condone black on white killings. Hell they condone crimes against us.'
'I've thought about shooting every white cop I see in the head until I'm either caught by the police or killed by them. Ha!!!! I think I can pull it off. Might kill at least fifteen tomorrow. I'm plotting now. They reading this sh** too right now. Freedom of speech tho. So when you can absolutely show me the 1st amendment where it explicitly says you can't say 'kill all cops,' then I'll delete my status. Other than that...NOPE!'
'Death to all white cops nationwide.'
Her words suggested imminent lawless action and that spurred officers into action.
East Point Police Lieutentant Cliff Chandler was clear that they take all such threats seriously: 'That's 15 people that she's talking about killing within a day or so, so whether she is serious or not that's something that we have to take seriously.'
Police made it clear that they take posts like this very seriously, particularly where there are specifics involved. Dickens' alleged threats to kill 'at least fifteen tomorrow' meant police had to act quickly
During her bond hearing at East Point Magistrate Court on Wednesday it was revealed that Dickens had a Masters degree in Legal Services.
City Solicitor Antavious Weemes argued that Dickens should have therefore known better, Channel 11 reported.
In Dickens' defense, public defender Tracey Moran told the court: 'My client was simply venting... it was a horrible mistake. The chance of her doing this again is highly improbable.'
Her online boast: 'show me the 1st amendment where it explicitly says you can't say 'kill all cops,' then I'll delete my status,' did not sit well with the Judge.
She disagreed saying that the first amendment to the Constitution does not give you the right to threaten and terrorize others.
A $10,000 bond was set and Dickens was banned from all social media.
Dickens will appear before a judge on Thursday at Fulton County Jail, where she is being held.
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