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<p>This 2006 file family photo provided by Patrick Blackwelder shows his former stepdaughter, Savannah Hardin. Authorities have charged Savannah Hardin’s paternal grandmother, Joyce Hardin Gerrard, and stepmother, Jessica Mae Hardin, with murder in her death. Police say the 9-year-old girl was run to death as punishment for lying. Experts say the hundreds of messages posted online since Savannah died in February show the legal system has yet to catch up with the social media explosion. They say it highlights the difficulty of making sure witnesses and jurors aren’t swayed by outside influences. (AP Photo/Family Photo, Patrick Blackwelder, File)</p>

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Collision of social media and the law
May 7, 2012 5:30 a.m.

Collision of social media and the law

Debate over Alabama girl's death is playing out on Facebook