Ohio Supreme Court strikes down child-enticement law

COLUMBUS (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has struck down the state’s child enticement law, concluding it’s too broad and outlaws several activities protected by the state constitution.

The 5-2 decision came in the case of a Columbus man charged with child-enticement after asking a child to carry boxes to his apartment for money.

Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger says in the court’s ruling today that while the law has the admirable goal of preventing child abductions and lewd acts against children, it can’t also ban protected speech and activity.

Last year a state appeals court in Akron threw out the conviction of a man accused under the same law of trying to entice a 13-year-old girl to be his Facebook friend.