Social media can be used for lots of different things. We use it here at the firm to promote ourselves as well as to keep in touch with those in both our professional and personal lives. Well as of this week, Facebook has taken its benefits to a new level by doing its best Monopoly impression and being used effectively as a “get out of jail free” card.
A New York teen, Rodney Bradford, was arrested back in the middle of October for two different crimes. His father and stepmother offered an alibi stating he could not have been involved because he was home with them in their Harlem apartment at the time the crimes were committed. Despite their official statements the charges were not officially dropped against the teen until his attorney presented some very interesting evidence.
According to The New York Times, Rodney’s case continued to move forward until his defense attorney, Robert Reuland, offered a Facebook status update to confirm his alibi. The district attorney subpoenaed Facebook to confirm the update was made from a computer in the Bradford home at the time the crimes took place. Once Facebook made the confirmation the charges were dropped and Rodney was a free man.
Although this is reportedly the first time social media has provided verifiable evidence of an alibi we are likely to see more of it as social networking becomes increasingly popular. And for those who are curious, Rodney was merely looking forward to breakfast, wondering, “Where’s my pancakes?” at the time of the incidents.
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