Criminal Defamation Charges Dropped in Case Over Student's Site

Misdemeanor defamation of character charges against a former high school student who used his Web site to attack fellow students and administrators have been dropped, ending a case that drew national attention and resulted in the overturning of Utah's criminal-libel law. Ian Lake was arrested, jailed and charged in May 2000 for his Web site comments that called his Milford High School principal a "town drunk" and accused classmates of having loose morals.