libel and slander

[memere5]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? maine

I have an ex friend who is posting lies about me on her facebook and she sent a paper around with my name and address pretending to be me
asking prisoners, transgenders and lesbians to write to me. There are 7 different names and addresses that it went to. the paper came back to me filled.
I just want her to stop...I have her handwriting and printed out the face book post slandering me.
I just want a police officer to tell her to stop.
if it continues, do I have a case?

 

[tranquility]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? maine

I have an ex friend who is posting lies about me on her facebook and she sent a paper around with my name and address pretending to be me
asking prisoners, transgenders and lesbians to write to me. There are 7 different names and addresses that it went to. the paper came back to me filled.
I just want her to stop...I have her handwriting and printed out the face book post slandering me.
I just want a police officer to tell her to stop.
if it continues, do I have a case?

A police officer will not tell the person to stop for defamation. However, you can report this to the police and they may act under some harassment statute.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec506-A.html

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? maine

I have an ex friend who is posting lies about me on her facebook and she sent a paper around with my name and address pretending to be me
asking prisoners, transgenders and lesbians to write to me. There are 7 different names and addresses that it went to. the paper came back to me filled.
I just want her to stop...I have her handwriting and printed out the face book post slandering me.
I just want a police officer to tell her to stop.
if it continues, do I have a case?

I can understand how you could be upset about the Facebook postings but exactly what lies have been told about you, memere5, and how have these lies affected your reputation?

Because you know who is creating the Facebook pages, you have an advantage that not everyone who is defamed online has. Instead of having to discover the identity of an anonymous poster, you have a name and address. This eliminates for you a major hurdle that must be overcome by many.

You can use the name and address to send a cease and desist letter to the person who is making your life miserable. Cease and desist letters, especially when coming from an attorney, can often be effective in having objectionable content removed from its place online. A cease and desist letter can demand removal and threaten legal action if the demand is not met. When coming from an attorney, the threat of legal action has more impact because it shows you have already contacted an attorney and are considering your legal options. The threat, in other words, seems more likely to be carried out.

The one thing a cease and desist letter cannot do, however, is compel compliance. There is no force of law behind the demand so the recipient of the letter can ignore the demands and you are left having to decide whether to pursue legal action or not (assuming there is a legal action available to pursue).

As a note, written defamation is called libel. Slander is its oral equivalent.