--- title: Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case | TIME description: Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case canonical: https://time.com/video/6UnC2fjW/ og:title: Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case og:description: Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case og:url: https://time.com/video/6UnC2fjW/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/6UnC2fjW/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case twitter:description: Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/6UnC2fjW/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case [Watch (HLS stream): Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/6UnC2fjW.m3u8) (1:43)  _Published 2014-07-01. Federal Judge Overturns Kidnapping Conviction in ‘Cannibal Cop’ Case_ --- Jul 27, 2023 4:56 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Judge Delays Ruling on Whether to Scrap Trump’s Conviction in Hush-Money Case](/video/oBC60dMz/) ### Judge Delays Ruling on Whether to Scrap Trump’s Conviction in Hush-Money Case [Judge Faces Criticism for Hugging Ex-Cop After Murder Conviction](/video/wYuWevIb/) ### Judge Faces Criticism for Hugging Ex-Cop After Murder Conviction [Federal Judge Overturns Virginia's Same-Sex Marriage Ban](/video/1nKoLYSz/) ### Federal Judge Overturns Virginia's Same-Sex Marriage Ban --- ## Transcript A federal judge overturned the conviction of a former New York City police officer charged with conspiring to kidnap, torture, and eat women, citing a lack of evidence. Last year a jury decided that former NYPD officer Gilberto Valle was serious when he wrote online about a plot to kidnap, torture, and eat women. Valle's lawyers blasted the outcome as a thought prosecution. The 2013 case against officer Gilberto Valle is best known in the media as the cannibal cop trial. In March of last year, Valle stood trial as his private life was exposed in court. Revealing disturbing evidence including chat room messages containing an alleged plot to hurt women. He was found guilty of kidnapping, conspiracy and faced life in prison. But late Monday, a judge acquitted Valle. The New York Times boils down the 118 page opinion to this line. The evidentiary record is such that it is more likely than not the case that all of Valle's Internet communications about kidnapping are fantasize role- playing. Valle's defense argued that it was his constitutional right to fantasize, free from government interference. No women were ever harmed, but prosecutors argued that the former officer crossed the line with his fetish when he took steps to orchestrates an elaborate plot. The case gained national attention, not just because of cannibal headlines, but the bigger issue at stake. The idea of virtual crime discussed and plotted via the internet, and when it becomes an immediate danger. Valle expects to be released from custody after serving 21 months in prison. New York's news 12 explains what will happen before Valle can walk free. Now, he will likely only be given a misdemeanor charge on unlawfully using police computers, that sentence would be one year in jail, which he has already served. On top that, the Wall Street Journal reports prosecutors will appeal the new ruling and have asked for Valle to remain detained until the conclusion of their appeal. 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