A WOMAN STALKED FOR YEARS,
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, HACKED.
TO THE POINT SHE WAS FORCED TO
MOVE.
HE WOULD TELL ME THAT I WILL
STOP WHEN I WANT TO STOP AND
THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO
ABOUT IT.
SHE FOUGHT BACK.
NORTH CAROLINA STALKING LAWS
AND LEARNING WHY THEY ARE
MAKING IT HARD FOR VICTIMS TO
GET HELP.
Reporter: MELANIE JOHNSON
KEEPS A FILE HUNDREDS OF PAGES
THICK.
THESE ARE E-MAILS.
Reporter: TRIED TO HACK HER
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM
ACCOUNTS.
THERE IS A FACEBOOK
CONVERSATION.
Reporter: TAUNTED HER ON
SOCIAL MEDIA AND WROTE TO HER
FRIENDS USING FAKE PROFILES TO
EMBAR -- EMBARRASS HER.
HE WANTED CONTROL OF MY LIFE
AND MY MIND.
Reporter: AFRAID FOR HER
SAFETY SHE UPROOTED HER FAMILY
FROM THEIR HOME R. EVERY STEP
OF THE WAY FROM GETTING A
PROTECTION ORDER TO A
MISDEMEANOR STALKING CONVICTION
WAS A BATTLE.
I KNEW THAT I HAD TO MAKE MY
STORY PUBLIC AND TELL MY
FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHAT WAS
GOING ON BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING
TO DESTROY ME.
WHAT THEY FIND WHEN THEY GET TO
COURT IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM IS A SYSTEM THAT IS NOT
REALLY SET UP.
Reporter: REPRESENTING
STALKING VICTIMS AND WORKING
WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA
COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE.
SHE IS TRYING TO HELP CHANGE
STALKING LAWS SHE SAYS ARE OUT
DATED AND IN LARGE PART BECAUSE
OF SOCIAL PLEADIA.
WE DON'T HAVE LAWS -- MEDIA.
WE DON'T HAVE LAWS THAT ARE
EQUIPPED TO PROSECUTE STALKING
ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE.
Reporter: IT PROVED TRUE IN
THIS CASE.
AFTER SERVING TIME IN VIRGINIA
FOR STALKING HE WAS CONVICTED
HERE IN CHARLOTTE RECEIVE
STALKING A WOMAN HE MET ONCE IN
2015 AT A CHURCH.
COURT DOCUMENTS INCLUDED PUBLIC
POSTS FROM HIM ON GOOGLE PLUS
ABOUT THE WOMAN HE SAID GOD
CHOSE TO BE HIS SOUL MATE.
SEVERAL POSTS HE REFERRED TO
HER AS HIS FUTURE WIFE.
HE WAS SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR
FELONY STALKING.
THE COURT OF APPEALS RULED HIS
CONVICTION VIOLATED HIS
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT FOR FREE
SPEECH.
TWO MONTHS AND FIVE DAYS AFTER
HIS RELEASE FROM PRISON HE WAS
ARRESTED AGAIN, ACCUSED OF
STALKING HIS NEIGHBOR IN WEST
CHARLOTTE.
WE QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT IT.
I WILL NOT SPEAK TO YOU.
Reporter: HIS APPEAL IS NOW
CLOSELY WATCHED BY LEGAL
SCHOLARS.
IT IS EASIER TO REGULATE ONE
TO ONE COMMUNICATION.
Reporter: UNC CHAPEL HILL
WHO WROTE ABOUT THE CASE.
TO THE EXTENT YOU ARE
REGULATING SPEECH AND SPEECH
ALONE THAT IS ALWAYS GOING TO
BE AN UPHILL BATTLE.
Reporter: TO PREVENT
CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES, LAWS
NEED TO BE UPDATED.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS AN
IMPORTANT PROTECTION FOR ALL OF
US, JUST AS THE RIGHT TO BE
FREE FROM HARASSMENT IS AN
IMPORTANT PROTECTION.
Reporter: IN MELANIE'S CASE
NONE OF THE EVIDENCE WAS EVER
USED IN A TRIAL.
HER STALKER TOOK A PLEA DEAL.
DO YOU THINK THE LAW WORKED
IN THIS CASE?
NO.
Reporter: SHE BELIEVES
UNTIL THE LAW CHANGES, VICTIMS
ARE LEFT FIGHTING ON THEIR OWN.
KEEP FIGHTING.
DON'T BE EMBARRASSED.
THAT IS WHEN YOU BECOME VICTIM,
THAT IS WHEN YOU ARE SCARED TO
TELL YOUR STORY.
Reporter: IN CHARLOTTE.
CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS.
IN APRIL AN AMENDMENT TO
THE STALKING LAW HOUSE BILL 558
DID NOT MAKE THE DEADLINE FOR A
VOTE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
VICTIMS ADVOCATES SAY THEY ARE
CONCERNED WITH THE LANGUAGE IN
THE BILL.
IT IS TOO BROOD AND LEAVES THEM
UNPROTECTED.
THEY ARE WORKING TO COME UP
WITH CHANGES.
THAT BILL IS NOW IN A HOUSE
COMMITTEE.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW
IS A VICTIM OF STALKING, WE
WANT TO TRY TO HELP.