Stephen Fry backs Twitter joker at court appeal

The Associated Press

Posted: Jun 27, 2012 4:42 PM ET

Last Updated: Jun 27, 2012 6:29 PM ET

Comedians Stephen Fry and Al Murray appeared in court Wednesday to show support for British accountant Paul Chambers who is appealing his conviction for a tweet that joked he would blow up an airport if the flight was canceled.

Comedian Stephen Fry is among those supporting a British man appealing his conviction for tweeting that he would blow up an airport if his flight was canceled.

Paul Chambers became an Internet free-speech cause celebre when he was fined in 2010 for using Twitter to make his comment about Robin Hood Airport in northern England.

Chambers' high-profile supporters include Fry and British comedian Al Murray. Both accompanied Chambers to court Wednesday for an appeals hearing.

Chambers insists he was joking, but a court convicted him of sending menacing or offensive messages.

His lawyer argued that by that measure, William Shakespeare could have been convicted for quipping, "Let's kill all the lawyers."

One judge responded Wednesday: "That was a good joke in 1600 and it is still a good joke now."

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