Texas Law Banning Sexual Online Speech Involving Minors Overturned

Ruled overly broad and infringing of free speech rights

A Texas law banning sexually explicit online conversations with minors is unconstitutionally overbroad and infringes on protected speech, the state's highest criminal court ruled.

In a unanimous decision, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that the subsection of the 2005 law "is not narrowly drawn to achieve only the legitimate objective of protecting children from sexual abuse."

The appeals court dismissed a pending indictment against John Christopher Lo, of Harris County. He was charged with a third-degree felony for communicating in a sexually explicit manner with a person he believed to be a minor with an intent to arouse or gratify his sexual desire.