By Richard Luthmann
In a strange and sudden overnight transfer, jailed blogger Paul Boyne was moved from MacDougall Correctional Facility to a holding cell in New Haven. His personal effects, including legal papers crucial to his ongoing fight against the Connecticut judicial establishment, were reportedly confiscated, raising concerns about his future in the hands of state authorities.
For over a year, Boyne, a Virginia-based blogger, has been held on cyberstalking charges for his posts on The Family Court Circus, where he accuses the Connecticut family court system of corruption. His online criticism of judges and family court practices has ruffled more than a few feathers in the state, which Boyne says is why he's been targeted.
With his transfer to New Haven, where the state’s psychiatric wards await, many wonder if this is a new phase in his legal struggle—one that could strip him of his voice for good. Rumors have circulated that Boyne may be committed to a psychiatric facility, which would allow officials to monitor and, some allege, silence him entirely.
“This isn’t about justice,” one Boyne, fearful of the Connecticut authorities, said. “It’s about silencing a critic.”
Boyne’s case represents the extreme edge of how those in power treat dissenters, and if he is placed in a psychiatric ward, the state’s message would be clear: Speak out, and you risk disappearing.
Federal Judge Denies Paul Boyne’s Dismissal, But Alleged Joette Katz Email Could Turn CT State Case Upside Down
Boyne’s sudden move marks a significant shift in his case and raises questions about the methods Connecticut is willing to employ to quiet a critic of its judiciary. Boyne’s supporters argue that, by denying him access to his legal papers, the state is attempting to disarm him before he even has a chance to make his case.
Is this “D-Day” for Paul Boyne, where “D” stands for Disappear?
As he awaits his next steps in the New Haven jail, Boyne’s fate—and the fate of free speech for critics of the powerful—remains uncertain.
Stay tuned.
Is it 'D-Day' For Paul Boyne in Connecticut?